IRON MOUNTAIN — Temperatures in the 40s this weekend will make it easier to enjoy the outdoors, although the Michigan Department of Natural Resources is advising anglers to play it safe on the ice.

Early snow this winter quickly turned to slush and produced unstable ice at some locations.

At Whispering Pines Outpost on M-95, a walleye measuring 20 9/16 inches leads John Grier’s contest for February. “Guys are starting to get bluegills and a few crappies,” he said.

“We do have a lot of people coming in,” said Doug Whisler at Whisler Outdoors in Florence, Wis. “They’re catching a lot of bass.”

Whisler said reports on ice conditions are “all over the board,” so anglers need to use caution. Walleye action has been mixed and northern pike have been running small, he added.

The Tri-County Snowmobile Club says its trail system is in very good condition. The club will host a trailside meet and greet Saturday, Feb. 29, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Bilski’s farm near Upper Pine Creek Road in the Norway area, very close to the entrance to Fumee Lake.

Snowmobile trail conditions in Florence and Marinette counties are excellent, according to travelwisconsin.com. The Nicolet Trail in the Long Lake/Tipler area of Florence County is getting the most traffic, making it prone to roughness quicker than others, the Blue Ox Trail Riders said.

The Michigan DNR reported this Upper Peninsula activity:

Keweenaw Bay: Some managed to catch splake, brown trout, coho, lake trout and the occasional lake herring. Night anglers fishing for burbot and smelt reported slow catch rates, with only a few taken. Shore anglers had to battle pack ice to fish but did manage to get some coho and lake herring.

Little Bay De Noc: After the cold temperatures, anglers were as far south as the Ford River. Walleye anglers had mixed results; however, bigger fish were starting to show up. The better areas to fish were the Center Reef in 24 to 32 feet, near the Escanaba River in 30 to 35 feet, the “Black Bottom” in 25 to 30 feet or south of Aronson Island in 30 to 35 feet. Anglers were using jig raps or tip-ups with minnows. Perch anglers also had mixed results. The best areas were Kipling near the green buoy in 21 to 35 feet or Escanaba near the ship docks in 30 to 35 feet with wigglers or minnows. The occasional pike also was caught. The whitefish anglers have not had a lot of success this year. A few were caught near Gladstone when using minnows in 35 feet.

Indian Lake: Near Manistique was good for walleye in 10 to 15 feet.

Munising: Cold weather helped ice conditions; however, ice fishing is not recommended in the following areas – Christmas, Grand Island Ferry Access (Trout Bay is still open except for floating pack ice) and Sand Point. Ice anglers could be found off the Anna River access, Sunset Motel, city docks and Powell Point. A few whitefish were caught, but in general the action was very slow. Try 55 to 65 feet. A few coho were caught by those jigging spoons, but only as incidental catches when a school of fish passed through. No reports on splake or smelt, as catch rates were very slow.

Whitefish Bay: Finally has ice. A few anglers have ventured out in Emerson Bay; however, no catch reports have come in.

St. Marys River: Those fishing Mosquito Bay have caught lake herring and whitefish.

Cedarville and Hessel: Those fishing around the Les Cheneaux Islands could be found in Government Bay and in the Cedarville Channel; however, success rates and ice conditions were unknown. In Hessel Bay, those jigging wax worms, wigglers and minnows in 15 to 20 feet caught yellow perch ranging from 7-9 inches. Wigglers seem to work best. Anglers have seen schools of jumbo perch, but they could not get them to bite.

Brevoort Lake: Was still good for yellow perch and walleye. Northern pike numbers have slowed a bit.