Itchin' to snowmobile or ice fish? Here's what you'll need to know first.
Area snowmobile trails opened over the weekend as winter arrived. The gleeful moment didn't happen instantly. Never does. Snowmobile club volunteers assess and sometimes groom their trails before making the call. They need to look for issues like downed trees, wet spots, dangerous ruts and funky snow.
All of that is good for riders to know. So, it’s critical that you check with the trail’s club of volunteers and their Facebook pages first before using a trail.
And stick to the designated trails, almost all of which are on private land. Going off trail can quickly turn a landowner sour on the idea of allowing access, which spoils the tireless work of volunteers.
Better than that, why not meet these folks? The Snowbusters Snowmobile Club, which maintains trail between New Buffalo and the Indiana border, will hold an open house from 4 to 7 p.m. Jan. 21 in Three Oaks with a free taco bar and other goodies, cash bar and a chance to meet both club members and the landowners who allow trail access. You can see a trail groomer up close and check out the club’s new staging area facilities. This will be at the Deer Creek Hunt Club, 18000 S. Basswood Road, just off of U.S. 12 and west of Three Oaks. Reservations are requested at the club’s Facebook event page.
In Michigan, be sure you’ve got a trail permit sticker. For that, plus regulations and how to find snowmobile trails and clubs, read my more detailed 2022 column linked here in this column online.
Jan. 26, 2022: How to ensure we don't lose snowmobile trails in Indiana and Michigan
Leading right
A new, four-minute video just came out of Michigan that’s worth watching for anyone who rides snowmobiles with another person or a group — even if it’s just for one ride. It talks about keeping your group together. This factor has become a growing concern over the past couple of years in snowmobile crashes that have led to serious injuries and deaths, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources says. In the 2022-’23 snowmobile season, there were 204 reported crashes, including 19 deaths.
In the video, Ron Yesney, the DNR’s Upper Peninsula trails coordinator, rides in aboard a snowmobile. He says that, when there are less experienced or young riders, they may push well beyond their skill levels to keep up. They may not complain. But they could be ripping along at such a speed that they cannot react to bumps and obstacles in time — and crash.
The ride leader, at the front of the pack, can solve this by honestly minding the skill levels in the group and setting a ride speed so that everyone can stay together. The leader should use their rearview mirror to monitor and check that everyone is still together. At intersections, pause to look back and raise a thumbs up to see if everyone else responds — it gives someone a chance to signal for a break or help. And keep an experienced rider behind the novice riders as a “sweep.” As Yesney also suggests, it may be wise to break up a large group into smaller groups of six to seven, so it’s easier for the leader to monitor them.
He gives other good insights in the video about social dynamics. The same happens in other sports, where we push ourselves to stay with a faster group — until we realize that it just isn’t possible or even fun.
This "lead right" video is part of a campaign from the DNR and Michigan Snowmobile & ORV Association and other partners, emphasizing that you should always “Ride Right.” Be sober and smart when you ride. And stay to the right on the trail so others can pass.
Find other safety tips and regulations in a link here in this column online.
Time to ice fish yet?
The weekend deep freeze just started to form an icy skin over some area lakes, but is it thick enough for ice fishing or walking on it?
Anglers are really itchin’ for the season’s first shot at this. They’ve been watching and posting on the Facebook group “Ice fishing Northern Indiana” with reports of one, two and three inches of ice as it grows.
But decent ice on one lake, or even on one corner of a lake, doesn’t ensure that it’s good elsewhere. If you looked from the bottom, you’d see that the ice is pretty uneven. It gets especially thin over a spring or anywhere that water is moving. Ice near sand can be inconsistent, too. You can never trust it. So, the experts advise us:
∎ Keep checking: You’ll see and hear a lot of opinions about which ice is solid enough, but Indiana’s Department of Natural Resources recommends at least four inches of ice to walk on it while adding this caveat: “No ice is safe ice.” You must check yourself as you step gingerly onto the ice, first with a spud bar, which is a long stick with a blade at the end. You should be able to hit the ice twice without going through it. Then check with an auger. Keep checking like this as you walk further out.
∎ Come equipped: You’ll also need a fishing license, a life preserver worn on your body, a floatable boat cushion attached to a rope (good for sitting on and saving someone’s life), a whistle, a fishing buddy, well-insulated waterproof boots and warm wool socks (not cotton). Also, use a rope to attach an ice pick to your body. You’ll use the pick to dig in and pull yourself out of the water if you crash through. You can buy ice picks cheaply at bait shops or simply make one by driving a long, sharp nail through a short, wooden dowel.
∎ Read more: Find a lot more detailed insight from local fishing experts in my 2022 column, which you can link to here in the text of this column online.
Jan. 19, 2022: Ice fishing has begun in Michiana. Here are pointers on ice, bait and must-have gear.
Record burbot caught
About one year after the Indiana state record for catching burbot was broken, another angler broke it again. Anthony Burke of Cedar Lake, Ind., caught one in Lake Michigan on Jan. 6 that measured 37.25 inches long and 14 pounds, 3.6 ounces. That’s nearly three pounds more than the burbot record held by Phillip Duracz, the Indiana DNR reports.
Burbot are native to Lake Michigan and are known to be good for eating with firm, white flesh. They spend most of their time offshore in deep, cold water, then come to shallower Indiana waters in late fall and winter to feed and spawn. Fisheries biologist Ben Dickinson says the recent mild winters have kept the waters open for a longer boat fishing season and more opportunities for anglers to catch such fish.
Winter ventures
∎ Winter Nights at Lawless: Each Saturday from Jan. 20 through Feb. 10, T.K. Lawless County Park, 15122 Monkey Run St., Vandalia, will offer its Winter Nights, which are evenings where it offers tubing, lighted cross-country skiing, fat biking, star gazing and a warming fire. These will run from 5 to 9 p.m. if there’s snow. Cost is $2 per person. Hot cocoa and other concessions will be sold. Because it’s weather permitting, you can check before you come by listening to the recorded message at 269-445-4456 or by checking the Cass County Parks’ Facebook page.
Leeper bridge update: Key section of East Bank Trail closed through mid-summer as South Bend plans redesign
∎ New Buffalo hike: The Harbor Country Hikers plan to hike at 1 p.m. Jan. 20, exploring the nature trails next to New Buffalo Elementary School, 12291 Lubke Road, New Buffalo. From U.S. 12 in New Buffalo, turn south on South Eagle Street, then right on West Detroit Street, which turns into Lubke.
∎ Camino hike: The local chapter of American Pilgrims On The Camino invites anyone to hike with them at 2:30 p.m. Jan. 20 at Bendix Woods County Park in New Carlisle. Meet at the Deneve Shelter parking lot. Afterwards, the group plans to go to Kate O'Connors Traditional Irish Pub in New Carlisle for a bite or drink.
∎ Winter tree ID: The Shirley Heinze Land Trust is offering a free virtual workshop on identifying trees in the winter from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Jan. 18, along with a series of hikes at its preserves for some hands-on practice. The hikes will be at Lydick Bog in South Bend on Jan. 20, at Barker Woods in Michigan City on Jan. 25, at Meadowbrook in Valparaiso on Jan. 27, at Lydick Bog on Feb. 3 and at Ambler Flatwoods in Michigan City on Feb. 10. For details and to sign up, visit heinzetrust.org and click on the events tab.
Southwest Michigan Trails Challenge
A new 2024 challenge has begun that applies to many kinds of trails in Berrien, Cass and Van Buren counties, whether you hike, bike, ride a wheelchair, paddle, snowshoe, cross-country ski or fat bike. The first 100 people who complete five trail check-ins will win a belt bag and a commemorative sticker to celebrate their feat. The Southwest Michigan Trails Challenge runs until all of the prizes are claimed. The Southwestern Michigan Tourist Council is sponsoring the challenge to show the diversity of its trails and their accessibility.
To enter, download the Visit Southwest Michigan app from the App Store or Google Play, set up an account and click “Start” in the trails challenge. Choose from more than two dozen trails. You’ll need to take a selfie photo by a trailhead or sign and upload it on the app. Learn more about the options at swmichigan.org/things-to-do/trails.
Find columnist Joseph Dits on Facebook at SBTOutdoorAdventures or 574-235-6158 or jdits@sbtinfo.com.
This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: What you need to know about ride right snowmobile and ice fishing
