Northwest Reel Life November - December 2023 Volume 3 Issue 3 - Flipbook - Page 15
When the weather gets cold,
many of us shift gears and
turn our attention to hunting
season. Big game, waterfowl,
upland bird, or otherwise, it’s
the thrill of being outdoors
that does it for many of us.
I’ve been known to pull off
to the side of the road and
look at a few turkeys walking
around or admire an elk
or two coming down from
the mountains. For those
interested in braving the
elements but not quite ready
for the physical exertion of
hunting outdoors, ice fishing
offers continued sporting
opportunities. Whether
fishing for perch, kokanee,
walleye, or burbot, it never
hurts to remind yourself of
the respect needed on the ice
when fishing these glorious
winter months.
I joked about the winter
coat, but seriously, having
an insulated jacket does
wonders on those days when
the temperature is below
freezing. What else might
you need before hitting the
ice? While a gaiter is always
helpful, you’ll need a beanie
at a minimum to keep your
head warm. Some gloves
and boots that are ideally
waterproof with disposable
hand warmers are a great
idea. Ice picks are also a very
smart accessory to have
should disaster strike and
you need to crawl out of the
frigid water. They are every bit
the equivalent of having life
jackets and first aid kits on
your boat: the classic “you’d
rather have it and not need
it than need it and not have
it” item. One other item you
might not think about but
will be glad to have with you
is a good pair of sunglasses.
It might be December or
January and 15 degrees
outside, but on a clear day
with the sun reflecting off the
ice, it can be nearly blinding.
The sunglasses/beanie
combo is the personification
of ice fishing in my mind. It’s
a cool look, what can I say?
The gear on your body is
important, but you want
to make sure the gear you
bring to set yourself up
to fish is adequate and
check that conditions are
safe. It is generally advised
that ice fishing should be
done on ice that is at least
4 inches thick- the thicker
the better, especially if
you are considering heavy
equipment like an ATV or
snowmobile to travel to
different parts of the lake.
7 inches is recommended
when using an ATV. A ruler is
an easy tool to measure the
thickness of the ice. Another
indicator that it is safe to
fish is a visual inspection of
the ice - it should be clear.
Cloudy or cracked ice are
indicators it may have been
melting and refreezing and
not as strong as it should be.
After you’ve drilled your hole
with an auger (or found an
abandoned hole), a scoop
is extremely helpful to clear
ice out of your fishing hole
and to prevent your line from
freezing.
NOV - DEC 2023 | 15