DOOR COUNTY (NBC 26) — Some fishing charters in Door county have been running into trouble on the ice for another year. One company has even decided it's no longer worth the trouble.
- The ice on Green bay where many ice fishers and charters choose to fish during the season
- Bret Alexander the owner of Alexander's Sport Fishing explains how the weather's changed the last couple of years
- Jimmy Doering the owner of Cast and Catch Charter explains why he decided to leave the ice fishing charter but continued his open water business
(The following is a transcription of the full broadcast story)
"The last couple years been the most mildest winters I've ever seen in my history out here on Green Bay" Bret Alexander the owner of Alexander's Sport Fishing said.
Alexander says the ice this year has been okay for his business but is still concerned considering recent years and unsustainable conditions.
"We're not getting the cold weather the arctic blasts that we used to get years ago, so it's definitely a changing pattern that we're seeing right now" Alexander said.
Without having the right equipment for charter fishing out on the bay, it'll be hard for businesses to stay afloat.
"Basically right now, the last three years if you don't have an air boat it's gonna be tough to run a business on green bay for ice fishing" Alexander said.
For many of the other ice charters I spoke to they agreed saying the weather has definitely impacted their businesses on the ice
"For two seasons we had to cancel them and that was all just due to lack of ice, unsafe ice" Jimmy Doering the owner of Cast and Catch Charter said.
Doering says in recent years he's quit ice charter business due to the ice shifting and the unreliable weather but continues to keep his open water charter business available.
"The last couple years we haven't had good ice it was two warm winters. So it just kinda led me to give it up" Doering said.
The ice no longer meets his safety standards not risking his life or others lives to be on the bay.
"I just couldn't imagine taking my son out so how am I supposed to take someone's grandpa or dad or mom or their child out on the ice" Doering said.
Our forecasts show chances for snow later this week there are no major warm ups in the future.
