Ice Fishing News

[Jer]

I'll post a few ice fishing news on this thread. I would like to do it some day.

[Jer]

You Pay The Price When You Fish On Thin Ice

(WCCO) The annual winter ritual of ice fishing is near for many hearty Minnesotans. It won't be long before ice shanties dot the state's 10,000 lakes as cold-weather anglers look for at least one, maybe two, healthy fresh-water specimens to hook, cook and eat.

Unfortunately, many impatient outdoor types may risk hypothermia, drowning, serious injury or even death because they dared to venture on a less than completely frozen icepack.

Appearances are deceiving. Tim Smalley, a water safety specialist for the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) recently told WCCO This Morning that lake or pond ice should be at least four inches thick before sportsmen (or women) venture out, rod and reel in hand, and ask themselves, "Do I feel lucky?"

According to the Lifesaving Society, a Canadian lifeguards association, there were 22 ice-related deaths in Ontario in 1998, four of them related to ice fishing. They estimate from 4 to 5 people lose their lives in ice fishing-related deaths in North America every year. Furthermore, they and others discourage anglers from treading on river ice, which they say is weaker than pond ice.

Unfortunately, there are no high-tech gadgets or "ice sonar" tri-corders that allow ice fishers to point, aim and take a sounding. The low-tech methods of digging or boring a hole still prevail here.

"I know most of us think to ourselves, 'If I fell through, I'll just climb back onto the solid ice and be just fine'," Smalley said. But this is easier said than done. "If you knew you were going to break through, you wouldn't have walked there in the first place," he said.

The sudden shock of plunging into freezing water adds to the confusion and panic. "Cold water saps body heat 25 times faster than air of the same temperature. Just try holding your hand in a cooler full of ice water for more than a few seconds and you'll see what I mean," he said.

For that predicament, Smalley urges getting and using a pair of ice rescue picks or "claws" from a bait or fishing tackle dealer. Although it's nothing more than a pair of sharp spikes embedded in wooden or plastic handles, they provide a submerged fisherman his only opportunity to literally claw out of a deadly situation.

"This can be a fun project for young budding woodworkers with a little adult supervision," Smalley said.

How to make your own ice rescue picks:
• Get two four-inch pieces of wooden doweling the size of a broom handle or a little larger; they should be made out of material that floats in case you drop the claws into the water
• Drive a stout nail into one end of each dowel
• Use a file to sharpen the nail heads to a point
• Drill a hole into the dowels (in the end opposite the nail) and tie a length of strong cord through the hole so a pick is on each end "jump- rope" fashion; you may also drill a hole in the ends alongside the nails so the nail on the other pick can nest in the hole keeping both points covered.

The DNR offers this advice to people who fall through the ice:
• Keep ice picks in pocket for quick emergency access
• Try to remain calm
• Turn in the water towards the direction they came from, because that is probably the strongest ice
• Dig the points of the picks into the ice and while vigorously kicking feet; pull onto the surface by sliding forward on the ice
• Roll away from the area of weak ice; that will distribute weight to help avoid breaking through again
• Seek shelter, heat, warm dry clothing and warm, nonalcoholic and non-caffeinated drinks
• Have someone call 911 and seek medical attention if the victim becomes disoriented, has uncontrollable shivering, or exhibits any other ill effects that may be symptoms of hypothermia (the life threatening drop in the body's core temperature).

For more information, contact the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources for free ice safety and hypothermia prevention brochures.
• In the Twin Cities, call (651) 296-6157 or toll free 1-888-MINNDNR (646-6367)
• Or e-mail info@dnr.state.mn.us.

[Jer]

Ice fishing may be just around corner

Posted by the Asbury Park Press on 12/8/06

BY CHRIS LIDO
CORRESPONDENT

Now that it feels more like winter, a lot of Garden State outdoor enthusiasts are loaded for bucks instead of bluegills or bass.

But those who ice-fish throughout the winter have their fingers crossed in hopes that the lakes and ponds will freeze enough to walk on. The ice talk has started already.

Six inches of ice or better is needed to safely fish, but it is advisable to err on the safe side, especially when a few anglers gather around one hole. Many believe ice fishermen to be a deranged breed, but some of the best days on the water have been spent setting out some tip-ups and jigging up some panfish when the winter freeze cubes up the local fishing spot.

Pickerel, perch and crappie are the most popular targets when ice fishing. The fish are sluggish in the cold water and a slow-moving shiner finning nicely under the hole is the easiest way to go.

Others like to be active and stay warmer by jigging small offerings called ice jigs that are tipped with various grubs. You would be surprised by some of the fish that strike these little jigs intended for panfish. Walleye, trout and even catfish have been known to take a jig as small as a thirty-second of an ounce during the winter.

Small microorganisms abound in the winter weed growth and these small invertebrates are the basis for the cold-water food chain.

Find a good weed line with your eyes by looking down the hole or send down a big treble and see what you snag. If there are weeds in the hole, start fishing.

Smaller fish sustain themselves on the invertebrates and use the weed growth to sneak around undetected while avoiding larger predators. Predatory fish like largemouth and smallmouth bass, pike and pickerel will not move too far for a meal. Often they will grab a live bait and remain motionless while swallowing it. This has been observed several times through the use of an underwater camera.

Technological advances in ice fishing have been unreal in the last decade or so. In addition to underwater cameras, sonar units that range from flashlight-shaped devices to high-end flashers help ice anglers get an idea of the bottom of the lake and ping back to the location of fish.

Ice fishermen are dyed in the wool and are probably the only outdoors people in our state actually hoping that it gets colder.

Popular lakes to ice fish are Budd Lake, Lake Hopatcong and the Assunpink Lakes, but trips to the local community park pond can be equally enjoyable. Just be sure to contact the officials in charge of them to see if they allow ice fishing.

There are still some excellent open-water opportunities this time of year. Lakes stocked for the winter with trout are producing nice, healthy fish and the streams are running clear and cold, ideal conditions for brooks, browns and rainbows.

Bass and pickerel fishing is still a possibility, but remember to slow down your retrieve and use lures that give a vertical presentation or a slow wide wobble.

Midday is the best time to fish right now. It allows the sun to heat up the water a bit. With the shorter days this means focusing angling activity between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.

Heck, it's dark by 5 now, so dress warm and fish 'em up.

Chris Lido writes about freshwater fishing for Hook, Line & Sinker. leedz49@hotmail.com

[Proheat]

Jer- I've neve tried ice fishing. I see alot of guys on some local lakes in the winter, and I guess its just me, but I keep thinking about how cold it is out there and also...........how thick is this ice beneath me?

[Stripersniper]

I have tried it a couple of times. And I can say that I don't think I'll ever do it again. Unless you know the exact spot you drill at you don't really know if there is any structure under you. Then you just sit there and freeze waiting for a fish to swim by. I guess I'm spoiled by always fishing from a boat and being able to move from spot to spot looking for where the fish are. It can get cumbersome moving and drilling in the ice. Plus you can only drill so many holes in the ice before it lets go

[Jer]

I would have to drink something hot during the whole time I was ice fishing. When the drink is over, fishing is over