Breaking the Ice on Fishing

By Don Kirk

What does a barefoot hillbilly living in the middle of Alabama know about ice fishing? It’s a fair question since the only ice associated with fishing in Dixie is that found in the cooler on your boat. Hesitant though I am to admit it, I was born and grew up in Detroit. After WWII my Dad migrated north to work for  J.L. Hudson where he developed a taste for hunting ringneck pheasants and fishing through holes in the ice on Lake Sinclair.  About every other year I find an excuse to be in Minnesota or Michigan where I finagle an invitation to join old friends in an ice hut.

Most of the people in the rest of the US know little or nothing about ice fishing. Trying to explain the joys of sitting atop a frozen lake to catch fish through a pie size hole is a bit difficult if you are talking to a Texan or Floridian. Those who are unenlightened to the realities of ice fishing in the comfort of an ice hut with heaters and satellite television are going to have a tough time getting it. However, when you see an ice covered a lake in Minnesota dotted with a couple thousand ice houses, it is logical to assume that there is more going on than would be supposed by a casual observer.

Ice fishing is a complicated to explain to those who have never tried it. Sometimes ice fishing involves braving the elements to wrestle fish from beneath  a floor of frozen H₂O. As often as not though, ice fishing is sitting in an over- stuffed chair,  sipping cognac and watching television while you wait for walleye to suck down a minnow. Indeed, ice fishing is a sport of extremes in both directions.

One of the most remarkable aspects of ice fishing is how hungry crappie, sunfish, walleye and pike get when imprisoned under ice. Rather than become torpid and little interested in feeding,  these popular game fish eagerly gobble up hooks tipped with wax worms, red wigglers, and minnows as well as vertically fished micro-jigs. You can use almost any type of fishing rod you wish when angling through the ice, but short, 20 to 30-inch rods are the most popular choices. Short rods are essential if you fish within the confinement of an ice hut, especially a one- or two-man portable ice hut.

Unlike every other approach to fishing, casting is not necessary when ice fishing. For the most part, it is simply a matter of creating a hole in the ice through which to drop your bait or lure. Ice that is up to 30-inches deep is no simple chore to make a hole in, which is why gasoline powered augers do the trick in minutes. Portable ice huts, which can be put up and taken down in minutes, are relatively inexpensive, although the most dedicated ice fishermen have small houses with everything including portable gas generators and all of the comforts of home.

Regardless of the approach you take to ice fishing, protective cold weather gear is essential for safe fun. Any form of footwear other than heavily insulted pac boots is insanity. Cold feet on ice is big trouble that must be avoided. A wind resistant outer shell over layered T-shirt, shirt, sweater and coat is recommended. Going in and out of an ice hut means you will need to frequently peel or add clothing.

Most states prohibit vehicles on frozen lakes unit the ice is thick enough to support weight. The  general ice thickness guidelines are; 2″ or less – STAY OFF; 4″ – Ice fishing or other activities on foot;  5″ – snowmobile or ATV; 8″ – 12″ – car or small pickup; and 12″ – 15″ – medium truck. Remember that these thicknesses are merely guidelines for new, clear, solid ice. Many factors other than thickness can cause ice to be unsafe.  Several factors affect the relative safety of ice, such as temperature, snow cover and currents. But a very important factor is the actual ice thickness.

Two decades there was no such thing as an ice fishing guide you could pay to take you ice fishing. Today though, ice fishing guide services can easily be found from Maine to Idaho and as far south as Kansas. Rates vary from $100 to $150 a day depending how plush the ice hut is where you will stay warm and toasty. If you have down time in any of the ice fishing states of the Midwest or Northeast, the best way to find an ice fishing guide service is to Google “ice fishing guides (and the name of the state where you are interesting in fishing).

For more articles and information designed for the professional driver who loves to hunt and fish, visit Don Kirk’s web site at www.interstatesportsman.com. He is also on the Interstate Sportsman show on Sirius/XM Open Road channel 106 each Thursday  a 7:30am ET, and Saturday at 9:00am ET.