On Thin Ice: Ice anglers heading to local lakes despite warm wea - WEEK.com: Peoria-area News, Weather, Sports

The unseasonably warm weather hasn't stopped hundreds of ice fishermen from trekking out onto semi-frozen waterways in the area.   

Herman Holzapfel was one of the countless braving the thin ice for a fishing expedition.

"We are a different breed, so we'll take our chances sometimes," Holzapfel said about the risk of possibly falling into the chilly water.

"All these hundreds of cars are going by looking at the crazy idiots like that out here, and we're one of em," he said with a chuckle.

Madison Fire Lieutenant James Stetler says the ice anglers are taking a big chance on the ice.

"We're concerned that they are on the ice and we know that they're there," Lt. Stetler said. "We could be called out at anytime to help them out, I wouldn't go out there," he added.

But Holzapfel knows the warm weather will soon put a chill on his hobby.

"In a day or two you won't be able to get on any of these Southern Wisconsin lakes," he said.