News File Photo An ice fisherman holds a tip-up on Grand Lake In this January 2022 News archive photo.

ALPENA — A warmer-than-average December and inconsistent ice cover on Northeast Michigan inland lakes could spell trouble for people contemplating ice fishing, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources cautions.

Those attempting to ice fish should travel in pairs and check ice thickness frequently, the DNR suggests.

Strong ice has a bluish tint, while weak ice appears milky, and slush on top means ice is not freezing from the bottom and will bear only half the load of clear ice. Water around the shoreline, even where the ice appears thick, calls for extra caution, the agency said.

A snowmobile recently fell through ice on Grand Lake near Whiskey Point, and another crashed through ice on New Year’s Eve on West Twin Lake in Lewiston.

Three years ago this week, a snowmobiler died when her machine broke through recently formed ice on Long Lake.