CECIL, Wis. — For bartender Sara Hamilton, this winter is looking a little better out the windows of Remi’s Reel ‘Em Inn in Cecil.
“You can see the abundance of ice shacks out there,” she said. “Last year, the people who would go out, would go out just a little bit. They had to stay close to shore. They didn’t bring heavy vehicles, obviously for safety reasons, out on the water.”
Last winter saw unusually warm temperatures that cut into many outdoor activities — including those on Shawano Lake — just across the highway from Remi’s.
“We get a lot of people coming in to have lunch from ice fishing and snowmobiling. Last year, not so much. We had to rely on locals and not a lot of tourism last winter,” Hamilton said.
Last winter was Wisconsin’s warmest since record-keeping began in 1895, according to the Wisconsin State Climatology Office.
Nick Elko of Appleton, remembers it well. He had to go to Minnesota to ice fish last year and still only got out three times.
This winter, it’s already a much different story for him.
“We were out four times prior to New Year’s, walking out,” he said while leaving Shawano Lake to get bait at a nearby store. “This is the first week we’ve driven out, but it’s been good fishing.”
From gear to bait, he said he’s spending more on the sport this year.
“We stay at the hotel here and we always try to find a different little haven or something for dinner,” he said.
That’s good for Hamilton, who said she hopes winter stays more like winter this year.
“Solid ice and several nice snow falls,” she said about what’s on her seasonal wishlist. “As long as I don’t have to drive in them.”
