What Happened To My Favorite Fishing Spot In Superior?
Ice fishing season is here for some people, even with the warmer-than-normal December temperatures. I've been excited about going out and trying the St. Louis River. One of the spots I've been going to for years is off 28th Street in Billings Park. Most of my friends call the fishing spot "off 28th." It's actually called Woodstock Bay and it's going through a major transformation. It's left some people unhappy this winter.
The City Of Superior is working to revitalize Woodstock Bay by turning it into a rustic public access point. They've been working with AMI Consulting AEngineers, the Nordic Group, the Wisconsin Coastal Management Program, and the National Oceanic Atmospheric Association to make improvements. Part of the process is planting trees, removing invasive species, and improving the shoreline.
Vault toilets, picnic tables, benches, and other fixtures are being put into the area.
The City of Superior recently posted an update that the area will be closed off this winter season as the project needs to be halted during the winter months. The original post said there would be no access to the ice from this location.
It's been a favorite spot for years for people to fish off in the summer and the winter. More importantly, for winter fishing the area was a large parking area where anglers could park their vehicles with trailers and gear. From there some would haul out their ice shack with snowmobiles or ATVs. I would always park near the access and haul my ice sled out into the bay. It has pretty decent fishing in the area, and it's a great access point to the rest of the St. Louis River.
There was some immediate pushback from the community. City Councilor for the 9th District Mark Johnson commented that they were working on a solution. An update was posted later to the City Of Superior's Facebook page saying they have secured ice access for the season.
I went down to see what it was like for myself. Sure, there is ice access, but where is everyone supposed to park? The ice isn't safe to drive on yet, and the road is pretty narrow.
It's going to be quite some time before the river freezes up enough for vehicles to drive out onto the ice at this point, especially with these unseasonably warm winter temperatures.