Ice Fishing Tips

In preparation for your ice fishing trip, there are 4 things that need to be taken into consideration: your physical fitness, your wardrobe choices, the equipment you will be using, and safety procedures. 

First thing to take into consideration is how physically fit you are, you should be healthy enough to withstand intense periods of duress just in case you were to fall into the water, or you had to save someone else that has fallen in (this also means that you should be somewhat comfortable with swimming/floating. 

Clothing should be chosen based on if it allows movement and increases buoyancy while keeping you insulated; this will insure the most warmth to be contained for the longest amount of time, and will prepare you for a swift rescue if you fall into the ice accidently.  And, although some people may think hip waders/boots may be a good idea, they are not, if you were to fall in all these would do is weight you down to the bottom of the lake, so stay away from these denser materials when working on ice. 

The next step is to make sure you take the proper ice measuring and safety/rescue equipment along when you go out on an ice fishing expedition.  For the measuring process you should bring along an ice chisel, ice drill, or auger; measuring tape/stick; and a ladle (for clearing away chiseled ice).  Then we have the safety & rescue devices that should be brought along: a personal flotation device, rope/rescue throw bag, and ice rescue picks are excellent ideas.  Finally, I have several safety tips that should be followed when planning to go ice fishing:

·         Never go out on ice alone

·         Keep track of air temperatures for the days following up to the planned event

·         Always let at least one person know where you are going and an idea of when you are planning to return

·         Visually survey the ice for open areas or melting banks

·         Listen for cracks or booms coming from breaking/moving ice (this especially applies to rivers)

·         Observe the area, look for an easy, safe access point free of cracks or broken ice

·         While probing listen for hollow sounds (this ice isn’t safe, ice sheets must be floating on water to support the kind of weight exerted by a human)

·         After you have successfully gotten on the ice you should follow in a line, staying ten feet apart at all times

I hope all of these preparation techniques come in handy when you prepare to go ice fishing.  For additional information contact Sanco Industries.  Don’t forget we also have a full line of pond maintenance products to keep your pond in tip top shape during the warm months.