The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is reminding anglers to remove ice shanties from Upper Peninsula bodies of water by midnight Wednesday, March 31.
The deadline for removing ice shanties from Michigan-Wisconsin boundary waters was March 15. All other bodies of water in the Upper Peninsula must have ice shanties removed by midnight Wednesday, March 31.
Shanty owners whose structures fall through the ice are subject to penalties of up to 30 days in jail, fines up to $500, or both. If a shanty is removed by a government agency, the court can require the owner to reimburse that agency for up to three times the cost of removal.
Daily use of ice shanties is permitted anywhere in Michigan if ice conditions permit and if the shanties are removed from the ice at the end of each day.
People venturing onto the ice should use extreme caution as temperatures begin to rise or fluctuate. The repeated thawing and refreezing of ice weakens its strength, decreasing its ability to support the additional weight of people, snowmobiles, ORVs and shanties. Deteriorating ice, water currents and high winds increase the probability of pressure cracks, which can leave anglers and others stranded on ice floes or at risk of falling through the ice.
The end of ice fishing season means it is time to start preparing for spring fishing. Are you boater safety certified? In Michigan, anyone born on or after June 30, 1996, must successfully complete an approved Boater Safety Education course to operate a vessel. Complete boater safety online at Michigan.gov/RecreationalSafety.
