More People Enjoying Ice Fishing

Thursday, January 21st, 2021 -- 1:08 PM

More people are fishing than in recent past because of the pandemic leaving them less things to do. 

According to Outdoor News, ice fishing, in particular, is seeing a big bump in participants because people can get into the sport without the need of a boat – a few hundred bucks, or less, is enough to get them started.    A piece of advice to anyone doing anything for the first time, including and especially ice fishing, is to go with someone who knows what they’re doing.

Stay off of any ice that is 3 inches or less thick. Remember that a minimum of 4 inches of clear, solid ice is a requirement to support an average person's weight.

When it comes to equipment for those getting started, smaller augers (4 inches) can be used for small fish such as perch and panfish, while bigger augers are geared toward larger predator fish like trout, salmon, walleyes and northern pike.

Hand-held augers are fine for thinner ice, up to 6 or 8 inches, but for bigger holes, you’ll want some power. Augers that run on gas motors, batteries and even propane.

Some anglers simply use jig poles, which are small fishing rods and reels. They do, however, differ depending on the species you are fishing for.

While tip-ups can be used for smaller fish, they’re defiantly more suitable for large predator fish. 

Many experienced ice anglers agree that ice fishing is best during the first couple hours after sunrise and for about two hours before and after sunset. Every lake is different and each type of fish has unique habits that could make the bite good all day.

Feel free to contact us with questions and/or comments.