We are currently counting down the days until we can be back doing fly outs to remote Alaskan rivers or swinging flies on the lower Dean. Winter seems to be dragging on huh? A good way to beat the cabin fever? Go fish on some hard-water! I’ll admit it, I used to think ice fishing looked boring or was simply a colder alternative to drinking at a bar. Then I gave it a shot and it was surprisingly addictive! My favorite part was using the screen on our fish finder to basically sight fish. I’d watch a black spot (the fish) follow and eat a smaller black spot (my jig). My least favorite part was my dog’s obsession with the dead sucker meat that we were using to tip the jigs. Regardless its a great way to pass time until the spring thaw and more fishing opportunities come around. Just be careful out there, below are 4 Safety Tips for Ice Fishing.
- Always know how thick the ice is. Contact Division of Wildlife or Game and Fish regional offices if unsure, another source of information can be a local fly or bait shop. A good rule of thumb is to never fish on anything less than 4 inches thick.
- No ice is ever 100% safe. Exercise extreme caution when doing things like driving a vehicle on the ice. If you do plan to drive a vehicle on the ice, make sure it is at least 12 inches thick.
- Bring some backup clothes. Pretty much words to live by for any outdoor adventure but especially important when ice fishing.
- Never ice fish alone. Fly fishing may be a solitary sport to some but ice fishing never should be. Make sure someone knows where you are going but even more important, that they know when you expect to be back.
More to Pass the Time this Winter..
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