I have fished it but you have to be very careful even with thick ice because Cowan tends to have air pockets.I have drilled into these and you will see bubbles.

 

I've tried to catch saugeye on two occasions but 0 success, but the bluegill fishing has treated me well, a lot of average size fish available, also caught a couple Wbss and 1catfish
I don't have any electronic so you may have better luck.
Good luck and Good fishing !

 

Good question linebacker. I was going to ask it as well. I don’t know much about ice fishing, but always thought Cowan might be ok for it, since it is not a real deep lake?

 

I've never had any trouble with ice conditions on Cowan but that is a draw down lake so I would be extra cautious.
I may try Cowan this weekend but I've also been thinking about Grant lake in Brown County, I don't hear much about that lake but I caught a few nice crappie there a few years ago .
Good luck and Safe fishing

 

If anybody goes, please report ice conditions. I would really like to get some Cowan crappie on the ice this year.

 

Anyone ever make it to Cowan to check the ice?

 

I didn't make it, in fact I didn't get on any ice
Good luck if you get there.

 

8 plus inches as of last night. No fish to speak of.

 

Thanks for the ice update!

Unfortunately, it looks like I missed my opportunity to get on Cowan. The forecast doesn’t look good for building ice.

 

Rooster, these few days of warm temps will not hurt it too badly... were back to single digit nights soon

 

Any Cowan ice updates? Might try to get out later this week.

 

It was not safe this weekend. It should be stable again by next weekend if the temperatures hold.

 

Thanks! Was there open water on the main lake, or were just the edges bad?

I really want to get up there on Thursday. With the temps the ice should be good……just not sure if all the rain last week changed the level enough to ruin the ice.

 

I know very little about ice fishing, have been 4-5 times. I’d never go out if others weren’t out there. Am curious how you know Cowan isn’t safe? Thanks

 

I’m going tomorrow!

If I don’t post an ice report on here sometime Friday…or ever again…..you can safely assume that the ice was NOT good enough.

 

With these temps it may have recovered. We busted through the ice with a spud bar. It was not safe. A lot changes quickly in these temps though! One way you know it's not safe is you're the only one on the ice. lol. Good luck out there, be safe.

 

Ice was great….too bad that it is not going to last!

Ice averaged 6-7” where I was fishing (5” was the thinnest that I drilled about 20’ from shore).

Plenty of dink crappie, but enough 10-12” fish to keep me entertained. I had hoped to find a saugeye, but that did NOT happen.

 

Nice rooster! How deep did you find the fish?

 

I moved around a lot as they didn’t seem to be concentrated in any one area, but my most productive fishing was between 10 – 15 FOW. VERY light bite on tiny jigs w/ plastic or waxie. Tried some bigger stuff in hopes for a saugeye, but no takers.