Residents near Lake Winnebago dealing with ice shoves

LAKE WINNEBAGO (WITI) -- As people are still recovering from this week's ice storm, Lake Winnebago has started to make some noise. High winds have pushed ice shoves high into the air. An advisory has been issued for people living along the western shore.

It was the first time David Beck saw the ice shove ashore.

"Crunching, growling -- it also sounded like wind chimes, as the ice breaks and comes down it sounds like a tinkle. It sounds kind of frightening, but cool," Beck said.

Phyllis Leach thought it was anything but cool.

"It was during the night and it was about 2, 2:30 when I woke up. It scared the Billy-be-Jesus out of me, because I didn't know what was going on. I saw the piles of ice and everything here was covered with ice," Leach said.

Warmer temperatures and high winds from the east, have sent ice shoves on Lake Winnebago's western shore.

"It all depends what part sticks out the farthest, and that is going to get the most damage. It can wreck boat houses, and everything else. It's close to some houses now," Don Herman with the Otter Street Fishing Club said.

Those who make their living on the lake say the ice shove season has come quickly, and we might not be done with these giant blocks yet.

"It's getting pretty honey-combed, and it's going to push. I know there's going to be some 40 foot high ice shoves already," Herman said.

Meanwhile, people continue to monitor the slow-moving giants, and hope the damage is minimal.

"Some trees have been damaged, that's about it for us. I think our neighbors had part of their boat ramp destroyed," Beck said.

"You can't even believe the power of this ice. I mean, if you see what a block of ice weighs, 10 pounds, and the lake is just pushing it around like toothpicks," Herman said.

Herman says there is open water all along the eastern shoreline. He says, for the most part, ice fishing on Lake Winnebago is over.