Ice fishing is a fun cold-weather activity and a great way for a group of people to spend time outdoors during winter. The group I ice fish with likes to build a fire in a barrel on the bank of our local pond. The fire is nice for warming our hands after handling a few ice-cold fish. When approached with safety, ice fishing is a great activity.
If you’ve been searching for a way to spend time outdoors during this frigid cold snap, I highly recommend giving ice fishing a try. It offers many of the same pleasures as normal fishing and you can haul in a mess of fish if you find them. In my opinion, fish eat better when caught ice fishing. There is something special about cold-water filets. Remember though, utmost caution must be applied when heading out onto ice covered waters.
Chances are, you haven’t been thinking much about go fishing. Maybe you’ve been dreaming about it, but believing it’s a possibility right now. Ice fishing is a pretty simple endeavor. You only need a few basic tools. To start, you need an ice auger for drilling holes in the ice. Special ice fishing poles are beneficial for fishing close to your hole, but regular old fishing poles will work if you don’t want to invest in special ice fishing gear. Skimmers are simply scoopers for taking chunks of ice from the water inside your drilled out fishing hole. You need one. You also need bait or lures. Redworms, beemoths, and minnows all work well. So do small jigs and spoons.
Above all else, ice safety is essential to the enjoyment of ice fishing. Be sure to check the thickness of the ice near the edge of the water you intend to fish. A good rule of thumb is to never fish on ice less than 4 inches thick. While thinner ice may hold one person, ice thickness varies across a body of water, and you do not want to risk falling through.
The following list of ice fishing safety tips is provided by the Nebraska Game and Park Department.
1. Tell someone your plan. Whether you are fishing alone or in a group, tell someone where you will be fishing in case trouble arises.
2. Test the ice. The minimum thickness to support one person is 4 inches of clear ice; 7.5 inches will support a group weighing up to two tons or an all-terrain vehicle. Use an ice chisel or spud bar to strike the ice and evaluate conditions as you venture out.
3. Wear ice picks. If the ice breaks, picks help grip the ice to pull yourself out of the water.
4. Wear ice cleats. Avoid falls by wearing ice cleats to maintain traction.
5. Layer your clothing. Begin with a synthetic layer, such as thermal underwear or fleece, followed by a layer of wool. Wool provides excellent insulation and warmth even when damp. Outer layers may include sweatshirts and jackets covered by heavy parkas, bibs or coveralls. Carry at least a couple of pairs of gloves or mittens. Remove layers during periods of activity, such as manually drilling ice holes, to avoid sweating, and add layers during periods of inactivity.
6. Bring extra clothing. Keep a set of dry clothes in your vehicle in case you get wet.
7. Bring a long throw rope. A rope can be thrown from a safe location to retrieve a person who has fallen through the ice. A big loop on the end with a float attached will help the imperiled person grab it with their arms instead of cold fingers.
8. Avoid alcoholic beverages. Alcohol can affect judgment and increase chances of hypothermia.
See you down the trail…
