Ice fishing is both a party on Big Sebago and a moment of solace atop a frozen flat under a blue winter sky.
What is ice fishing?
Ice fishing is defined as any type of fishing involving feeding a line through a sheet of ice and pulling out a fish from below the frozen surface.
What are the best ice fishing techniques?
There are two popular techniques for ice fishing. The first is to utilize a jigging rod. Like a casting rod, a jigging rod is a “baby” fishing pole. Its small, sturdy body is used to jig a line that is dropped in the hole with a constant bobbing or jerking motion. This sporadic jigging motion attracts fish to the lure.
The second method of ice fishing is utilizing a “tip-up.” A tip-up is a trap that is placed below the hole cut into the ice. This trap suspends bait at the small opening of open water. When a fish is lured to the bait, the fisherman is signaled by the trap to tip the flag upright. This motion triggers the trap to close on the fish.
Why do people ice fish?
There are many reasons why people go ice fishing. Reasons to ice fish include creating a bonding experience for family and friends, as the time setting lures and awaiting fish is often spent socializing in a relaxed environment often with a serene natural winter landscape. Many people who ice fish together consider the activity more camping on ice than fishing. They often bring small pop-up tents or shacks, portable fire pits and heaters, bbq grills, and lots of laughs. Those who live in areas where the ice gets very thick often drive their vehicles out onto the ice, and consider ice fishing the ultimate tailgating experience. For others, ice fishing is a way to escape the everyday stress factors. Away from traffic, work, and noise, ice fishing offers an escape into a simple moment of time slowed to a crawl, almost paused atop a drifting snowflake. That is, until the fish bites. Then, ice fishing is the ultimate high.
Ice Fishing Gear
In order to ice fish, you need to bring a tool to cut down into the ice. Most people bring an ice-auger. Similar to a ground auger, this tool drills a large hole into the ice, often between 6 to 18 inches in diameter. Other people use chainsaws to cut holes into the ice.
Once the hole is cut, a fishing rod or fish trap and bait are needed to lure and catch the fish.
People who regularly ice fish often use an ice spud. This tool helps ice fishing folk continuously check for thinning ice as they traverse the frozen lake. It also helps to keep the hole from freezing back up over extended periods of time.
Those who ice fish also often use ice cleats. These ice cleats are different from snow shoes. They often have small metal spikes for cleats to make walking across the ice (especially when the surface is as smooth as glass) less hazardous, greatly reducing the risk of a slip and fall accident.
For additional safety, many prepared ice fishing people bring a personal flotation device, an emergency whistle, and sometimes either a road flare or flare gun. While the hope is that these devices never are needed, it is best to have such things, especially when ice fishing alone.
Ice fishing attire
When ice fishing, it is best to dress in warm layers and even bring additional clothing and blankets to protect yourself and your loved ones from unpredicted extreme weather conditions such as cold-fronts that can occur when remaining exposed on a large frozen lake. In addition to a good winter jacket, hat, and gloves, clothes such as scarfs and earmuffs are recommended to protect skin from cold wind snaps.
It is better to have too many layers than not enough, when ice fishing. You can always remove a layer of clothing. You can not add what you do not bring, and that is a rookie mistake in winter weather survival.
Ice Fishing Safety
Like all activities, there will always be an inherent risk factor in ice fishing. You are traveling across and stationing yourself atop a frozen body of water in the dead of winter. Be prepared. Mind your surroundings. And when in doubt, ask an expert such as calling a park ranger office or a registered guide in your area (such as Charlie McGee of Bucks Bass and Beyond).
Remember that you don’t need to fall into the ice to suffer from hypothermia. You only need to be ill-prepared and careless to succumb to the winter elements. Dress appropriately. Bring extra warm clothes, blankets, and heating instruments.
When checking the ice, be sure it is at least four inches thick before walking far out onto a frozen body of water. Whether it is a small pond or a giant lake, thin ice is thin ice, and falling into freezing water only takes seconds to send your body into shock. The thickness of ice required for driving a vehicle onto varies on the vehicle. For small vehicles such as snowmobiles and cars, a full foot of frozen ice (12 inches) is recommended. Larger vehicles such as trucks, jeeps, and suv’s require even more frozen ice. While some claim that 15 inches is enough, most will not traverse onto a frozen lake with a large vehicle unless there is at least 18 to 20 inches of ice. Aside from the inherent danger of falling through a frozen lake while inside of a vehicle, there are very serious legal penalties you will incur for submerging a vehicle into a lake, due to the environmental impact of oil, gas, and other toxic chemicals which will spill due to water forcing its way into the engine and transmission chambers.
It is never a bad thing to ask for help. If you are unsure on when and how to ice fish, call an experienced guide. A guide can not only help you stay safe out on the ice. A professional private ice fishing guide can help you maximize your fun
