Temperatures around 50 degrees for much of the last week are reducing ice thickness on area lakes and ponds faster than some anglers might realize.

Washington County Conservation Executive Director Zach Rozmus says while ponds like those at Marr Park east of Washington have locations with seven to eight inches of ice thickness, that could change quickly, “One of the things that we’re dealing with right now is that when we have full sun and you get up to 50 degree temperatures is that you could actually lose up to two inches of ice in a short period of time in one single day. So that’s one thing we need to monitor when we’re looking at the actual ice thickness, is that it’s not necessarily a day-by-day any more, it’s actually almost coming down to an hourly basis and understanding your surroundings and preparing yourself when you go out there.”

Rozmus reminds anglers that ice needs to be at least four inches thick for one person and six to eight inches for multiple people and/or anything they might use for shelter. He says whether you’re fishing or hiking the trails, if the ice is slushy on top, it’s an indicator the ice below is not thick enough to venture on.