Driftwood Outdoors: Ice fishing is fun when anglers adhere to safety
The extreme cold weather we’ve been experiencing has accelerated ice fishing across the Midwest.
Some regions not used to having frozen lakes and ponds are home to safe ice right now. But before venturing out for an ice fishing adventure, make sure you take all the proper precautions. When safety is put first, ice fishing can be a ton of fun.
Ice fishing is enjoyable for a number of reasons. First and foremost, I enjoy it so much because ice fishing allows a group to be outside together fishing while most people aren’t even considering the possibility. You don’t have to be quiet, and it’s a fairly simple endeavor. You don’t need to be a super skilled angler, either. Vertical fishing is your only option.
Only a few tools are necessary. You must have an ice auger to drill your holes. There are many gas and electric models on the market, but the good old-fashioned hand-crank augers work fine.
You need a fishing pole with line, hook and bait. Special ice fishing rods are much shorter than normal. They are beneficial in tight quarters and for staying close to your fishing hole. Regular rods will work if you don’t want to invest in ice rods.
You need a skimmer to remove floating ice and slush from your hole. For bait, worms and minnows are standard. Small jigs work well too.
Suffering out in the cold and sitting on a bucket is one way to do it, but an ice shanty is the way to go. Shanties are ice fishing shelters used to keep anglers out of the elements.
They are made commercially of plastic and fabric, but homemade shanties built with wood also work. They’re nice for staying warm, but limit scenery and natural exposure on nice days.
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 might hold one person, ice thickness varies across a body of water, and you do not want to risk falling through. Already this year, I am aware of one death from falling through the ice. Sadly, it’s likely more will occur.
Never ice fish alone. Having the assistance of another to pull you to safety if you were to break through is essential. Wear a lifejacket and carry an ice pick or screwdriver in your pocket. The jacket will keep you afloat, and the ice pick will allow you to grip the ice and pull yourself out. Be sure to have a change of clothes in your vehicle, so when you make it to safety you can shed wet clothing.
Ice fishing is a ton of fun when a group gets together to spend time outdoors during cold snaps like the one we’ve been experiencing lately. The group I ice fish with likes to build a fire in a barrel on the bank of our local pond. The fire sure is nice for warming our hands after handling a few ice-cold crappie.
Those fish then become featured table fare. Maybe during a Super Bowl party. You’ll have a hard time finding anyone to argue that fish filets are better when they come out of cold water, and water doesn’t get colder than you find when ice fishing.
See you down the trail.
For more Driftwood Outdoors, check out the podcast on www.driftwoodoutdoors.com or anywhere podcasts are streamed.
This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: Driftwood Outdoors: Ice fishing is fun when anglers adhere to safety
