This winter, to sum it up has been quite disappointing when it comes to ice fishing. I cannot remember a time when I was not ice fishing in December in this great state of Iowa. It was so bad that a few weeks ago a friend and I made a run to South Dakota just to fish for a day...yep borderline crazy but desperate times call for desperate measures. This past weekend I was able to finally find some ice in Marshall County to help me scratch the itch a bit and give me a little hope to the rest of the ice fishing season. The ice was by no means perfect, and out of 5 area ponds, we only actually dropped lines in two of them. The ice varied greatly from one pond to another, something to keep in mind during this early ice fishing season.I know most people reading this are avid ice anglers but just a few tips to keep us ALL safe this ice fishing season.
~ The Iowa DNR recommends at least 4 inches of ice for ice anglers and at least 5 inches to support ATV's and snowmobiles.
~ Each pond is unique and freezes at its own speed. Shade, wind, runoff water, and precipitation all factor in to how fast a body of water will freeze.
~ Never assume that just because someone is fishing a pond, that all ponds are ready to walk on.
~ Drill often, and measure every time, it's the only way to know for sure.
~ ALWAYS
take the proper safety gear with you when ice fishing. These are include: ice picks (wear around
your neck in case you fall in), long rope, flotation device and at least one
friend.
~ No ice is SAFE ice, always be cautious.
Enjoy my friends, and I hope to see you on the ice very soon!
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