Ice Fishing Tips for Beginners

By Amy Grisak
Published on December 3, 2012
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Tip-ups let you know when you’ve got a fish, even across the ice.
Tip-ups let you know when you’ve got a fish, even across the ice.
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Small, hand-held augers are one of the best ways to get through the ice.
Small, hand-held augers are one of the best ways to get through the ice.
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Ice houses are a cozy way to enjoy ice fishing.
Ice houses are a cozy way to enjoy ice fishing.
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Gritty's straining to reel in a lunker.
Gritty's straining to reel in a lunker.
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A toboggan is a great, inexpensive way to pull your gear and fish across the ice.
A toboggan is a great, inexpensive way to pull your gear and fish across the ice.
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Ice fishing offers beautiful sights,quiet contemplation of nature's mysteries, and delicious fish.
Ice fishing offers beautiful sights,quiet contemplation of nature's mysteries, and delicious fish.

When winter freezes the outdoor world solid, it’s not necessarily time to hole up by the fireplace. Believe it or not, it’s possible to remain warm, find a frozen body of water, and maybe even catch something for dinner.

Ice fishing presents an opportunity to enjoy the quiet restfulness of winter while still being productive. Many people picture the pastime as a bunch of daft individuals hunkered over dark holes in the ice for hours on end, or even the crazier ones who bring recreational vehicles, complete with satellite dishes and heaters, onto frozen lakes as wintertime housing. The good news is no matter what, if you prepare ahead, you’ll have a fantastic time.

Ice fishing tips for thin ice

The most important aspect of ice fishing is knowing when the ice is safe.

“A lot of people say four inches, but I feel a lot more comfortable when it’s six inches,” says John Fraley, information officer for Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks who likes to ice fish in his spare time.

Bryan Newman, who frequently fishes during the winter around his home in Sugar Run, Pennsylvania, says, “Look for blue or clear ice. That’s what I like to see. And I drill test holes just to make sure.”

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