A Coast Guard Rescue Helicopter was dispatched from Traverse City. The men were rescued approximately two miles from shore, toward Stonington Point, said Undersheriff Ed Oswald.

They were lifted to safety at approximately 7:25 p.m. and flown to Delta County Airport where they were treated and released by Rampart personnel. No injuries were reported.

The men were stranded on ice eight to 10 inches thick, said Oswald. "It broke loose in the strong winds and flowed out into the bay," Oswald said. "The ice started busting up. When there are waves, the ice starts deteriorating."

Officers stayed in contact with the stranded men throughout the rescue via cell phone and also worked to direct the helicopter.

I know the area very well. If, and say this with a lot of probabilities, a party of fishermen went undetected as missing while stranded on an ice flow, their next stop could be as far as Chicago. Keep in mind thats if the flow holds together through the waves of Lake Michigan. Of course thats a big probability but very poignant when trying to stress safety especially when fishing further out on the bay.

For a lot of people this is the time of year to haul in their fish shanties and move into thoughts of spring and open water perch fishing, steelhead fishing, and of course turkey hunting. In fact shortly after the walleye season closes you will find numerous fishing shanties lining the launch sites at local bait shops.

Regardless, you can still find small armies of dedicated fishermen hitting the late season hardwater. Some will be content to jig around the weedlines. Other will venture further into the deeper channels looking to target schools of jumbo perch and possibly whitefish. Others will be hopping from one hole to the next that was left behind from the fisherman before them or an area where someone has removed their shanty. All in all their tactics may differ from one individual to the next but they just cant end another season without some last chance perch fishing.

If you're looking for some fast action with the added benefit of a great meal this could just be your ticket to breaking the doldrums of these transitional days before spring finally takes hold. This may not be your last chance to fish perch but, mother nature is certainly counting down the days left for some late season hardwater enjoyment.