The winter season means that many people are looking to enjoy themselves with different outdoor recreational activities, whether it’s going skiing on the slopes filled with snow or enjoying a relaxing fishing activity on a frozen lake.
However, winter is no strange to dangerous and even potentially deadly accidents, and many winter sports have this associated risk with them, and ice fishing is no different.
Some aspects of ice fishing have risks like with any other form of fishing, but some are also exclusive to this sport. The best way to protect yourself is to avoid taking actions that may potentially injure yourself and/or the people you are with, while taking the proper precautions.
Always check the ice before hopping on it
No matter how solid that lake looks, don’t jump over it just yet. Looks can be deceiving, and what may initially look like a thick sheet layering over the lake may instead be extremely brittle and easily broken apart if someone so much as places one foot on the ice, causing the unlucky person to plunge to the icy depths below. Not only is getting drenched in freezing water extremely uncomfortable, but it is also quite dangerous to your health as well!
The best thing you can do here is to check how deep the ice reaches before getting on. Using an ice auger helps, especially since you will need it to drill a hole on the lake that you will be fishing on later anyways.
So how thick should the ice be? A good rule of thumb is that four inches should be the bare minimum for humans to be able to walk on top of the ice. Any less, and there is very real danger that the ice may crack and separate under your feet. Obviously, if you’re going to drive up something big and heavy like a snowmobile or even a car, then you will need the ice to be even thicker.
Use your ice auger responsibly
It should go without saying that you should read the manual properly, especially if you’re using the ice auger for the very first time.
Avoid wearing loose clothing, as the ice auger may accidentally catch it while it drills.
Do not fish on rivers or other moving bodies of water
Places where currents are powerful, and bodies of water are continuously moving are actually quite dangerous for those looking to do some ice fishing.
Never mind if the ice will even be able to reach the minimum 4 inches thickness required for human safety on ice. The current is usually too powerful for ice to properly form on top of the river, assuming that ice even forms in the first place.
With all that said, it is better to not fish on these types of bodies of water, and instead go to the calmer ones like lakes.
Get information on the fishing spot from locals
Even if you have done your research on the place you want to fish, it’s still good to double-check your facts, especially with people who live close and fish in the place you want to fish.
This will ensure that you get your facts updated and right, such as how old and how long the ice on the lake has been frozen, which can be useful in determining whether the ice can hold up because it’s new, or may be likely to break, because it’s old and has some spots melting.
Share your fishing plans with friends or family
Whether you’re ice fishing or doing any other type of fishing, you want to give your family or friends a heads up on where you’re going and how long you expect to be out, to ensure that there is someone who can give you help and call the proper authorities should things go south on your end.
If you think that your fishing trip might take much longer than you initially thought, then make sure to give your family and friends a call or text to inform them of your plans. However, even if you want to stay out for longer…
Leave before it gets too dark
You can stay and fish for a little longer if you wish, but don’t stay for so long that the sky already turns pitch black from the darkness. The moon may be able to illuminate a little of your surroundings, but you may find yourself stumbling on where to go, especially if you’re in an unfamiliar environment. What’s worse is that the ice you’re on top of can be dangerous. Ice rarely ever freezes uniformly, so an area that has the minimum of the 4 inches required for the thickness of the ice on one part of the lake may very well drop down to 2 inches on another.
Though, it is usually the middle of the lake that gets thicker ice, compared to the shore.
Still, this makes stumbling across the dark a very dangerous endeavor, as going through an unplanned path may lead you to stepping on brittle ice, and this doesn’t even include the dangers of potentially falling into a hole that already opened up in the area without your noticing.
Always carry ice claws
Ice claws are sharp-ended handles typically used to help someone who fell into the icy water climb back up. While it is possible to climb out of the water without ice claws, it is considerably difficult thanks to the limited time pressuring you, the sheer cold of the water, and the fact that the ice can be slippery to properly grab onto thanks to you being wet.
Ice claws will help mitigate that, as their design allows them to stick to the ice and give you a good enough grip to pull yourself out of the water. Especially important if you’re in a pinch and nobody is around to help pull you out of the water.