![]() His column, Driftwood Outdoors, has appeared in over 50 different newspapers and magazines, and currently runs in over 30 publications. The fire sure is nice for warming our hands after handling a few ice cold bluegills.įor more Driftwood Outdoors, check out the podcast on or anywhere podcasts are streamed.īrandon Butler is a syndicated outdoor newspaper columnist and freelance magazine writer. The group I ice fish with likes to build a fire in a barrel on the bank of our local pond. Ice fishing can be a ton of fun when a group gets together to spend some time outdoors during the cold winter months. The jacket will keep you afloat, and the ice pick will allow you to grip the ice and pull yourself out. Wear a lifejacket and carry an ice pick or screwdriver in your pocket. Having the assistance of another to pull you to safety if you were to break through is essential. While thinner ice may hold one person, ice thickness varies across a body of water, and you do not want to risk falling through. A good rule of thumb is to never fish on ice less than 4 inches thick. Be sure to check the thickness of the ice near the edge of the water you intend to fish. Ice safety is essential to the enjoyment of ice fishing. These are nice for staying warm, put limits scenery and natural exposure. Some ice anglers choose to fish from a shanty, which is a shelter used to protect from the elements. Jigs used for ice fishing are small and some savvy ice fishermen will use various fly fishing flies. Fish often are found holding near the bottom, but at times you can find them suspended at different depths.ĭepending on what you’re fishing for, baits vary, but the old reliable worms, beemoths, and minnows are favorites of most ice fishermen. If I do not have any strikes, bring in a couple of feet of line, and continue to jig. Try dropping your bait all the way to the bottom, and slowly jigging it up and down. Ice fishing consists of lowering your offering down through the hole you have augured, and working to find the depth fish are holding at. Skimmers are simply scoopers for taking chunks of ice from the water inside your drilled out fishing hole. Special ice fishing poles are beneficial for fishing close to your hole, but regular old fishing poles will work if you don’t want to invest in special ice fishing gear. The ice auger is for drilling holes in the ice. Only a few tools are necessary, including: an ice auger, a fishing pole, bait, and a skimmer. Ice fishing is a great pastime for many reasons, but one of the main reasons I enjoy it so much is because it allows a group to get outside and spend time fishing when most people aren’t even considering the possibility. Remember though, utmost caution must be applied when heading out onto ice covered waters. ![]() If you’ve been searching for a way to spend time outdoors during the remaining frigid days of winter, ice fishing may be just what the doctor ordered. Ice fishing offers anglers the opportunity to wet a winter line, while potentially hauling in a mess of great eating fish. ![]() As temperatures drop and lakes freeze up once more, ice fishermen will be heading to local waters in search of some fine catches and much needed relief from cabin fever. The winter weather roller coaster ride we’ve been on has taken another turn to colder days.
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