Ice fishing fun could be just ahead as temps drop
Chautauqua Lake is forming ice in the southern basin at the time of this writing. That is good news for Ice Angler fans.
After all the warm weather scares and a green Christmas, Mother Nature is catching up in one week. Buffalo Bills fans might agree with the NYSDEC this winter that we all should be aware of essential safety given variations toward cold air temperatures and chill factors with recent weather conditions.
The freezing cold weather means good news for avid ice-fishing anglers, but be sure to observe the safety guidelines for ice fishing with the simplest of rules first: make sure the ice is thick enough before venturing out. Before leaving shore, check the ice thickness a few steps out. Four inches of solid, clear ice is usually safe for anglers accessing ice on foot. However, remember that ice thickness can vary between waterbodies and even within the same waterbody, increasing the need to ensure thickness. Anglers should be particularly cautious around permanent boat docks where the timbers absorb heat from the sun and cause thin ice to form there.
Most anglers with experience check the ice thickness using their hole-burrowing ice auger, while others use a simple spud bar with a leather loop attached around their wrist to keep the spud bar from getting lost if it pokes through the ice. If it does, turn around; the ice is too thin. Local bait and tackle shops are good sources for an ice fishing activity report, fresh bait, and information on where anglers can find safe ice. Among the best safety rules to observe for ice anglers is to never fish alone. Safety first at all times.
NYS recognizes that for those interested in trying ice fishing for the first time and wants to support folks in this regard. For the first-timers, circle your calendars for Feb. 17-18. These two days are designated as a free freshwater NYS fishing weekend for residents and non-residents. A freshwater fishing license is NOT REQUIRED during these days. This free fishing weekend is also an excellent opportunity for experienced anglers to introduce someone new to fishing. It’s a good time to teach them how to stay warm in the cold weather with socks, boots, hats, gloves, and central body warmth.
If the thought and ice fishing experience are new to you, do consider trying it. The realization that you are walking on water, perhaps very deep water, is a unique sensation to recognize from the adventure. It is a bit scary, but if the veteran you are with shares the thickness of the ice using his ice auger, fear is silenced when you see six, eight, or 10 inches of ice or more. When you peer down through the 6-inch wide auger hole, you can see how absolutely clear the water is, as well. You can sometimes see the bottom in 10 to 15 feet of water. The water will rise up to the top of the hole but will not flow out of the hole, and if you’re not working a fishing line down through it, the water will quickly freeze over in short order.
It’s spooky fun to ice fish. The most surprising and satisfying thing is when you get a bite, and the little fish on your little ice-fishing rod pulls so hard. It is a startling and fun surprise! If you are really lucky, you will discover that really large fish will actually fit through that apparently tiny 6-inch auger hole. Large walleye, northern pike and musky will slide through with little trouble. Many of us return the largest of these types of fish (head first back through the hole). I always think of catch and release with the big fish caught during winter because many of them are full of eggs in preparation for the spring spawning ritual not too far away in spring.
Many anglers say that ice fishing is better than open-water fishing for such species as crappie and perch. If you are an ice-fishing beginner, download the Ice Fishing Chapter (PDF file) of the I FISH NY Beginners Guide to Freshwater Fishing for helpful information from the NYSDEC on how to get started.
Since we are amidst our modern times, there is also a series of six ice fishing videos on the DEC’s YouTube channel (https://dec.ny.gov/things-to-do/freshwater-fishing/learn-to-fish/tips-skills/how-to-ice-fish). Visit the playlist to check out the brief instructional videos that run from one to four minutes long. Additional information, including a list of waters open to ice fishing, can be found on the DEC ice fishing webpage and also through the new Tackle Box feature in DEC’s HuntFishNY app. Tackle Box features include the ability to search waterbodies by name or zooming/panning an NYS map; you can find waterbody-specific fishing regulations, fish species and stocking information, access information, including boat launches and parking areas, and a click-for-navigation feature for driving directions. To access these exciting new features today, download the latest version of HuntFishNY by visiting your Apple App Store or Google Play Store. It is all available at the convenience of a laptop or smartphone. It might have been more exciting in the old days when you needed to find a friend in the tackle store who would show you the ice fishing how-to ropes, but these new videos are quite complete and very useful.
Remember that not all NYS lakes are open to ice fishing, nor is live bait allowed on every body of water. For example, nearby Rushford Lake is closed to ice fishing, and other water bodies have similar restrictions, including for the use of windbreaks and ice fishing shelters. That is one thing about NYS rules and regulations; we have so many. The rules can seem complicated because they are complicated. All to protect, conserve and enhance the fishery one water body at a time. So that’s sound logic. These are good reasons to find a local friendly tackle shop, even though we have well-done instructional videos and website information for each of us to share.
God bless. Happy New Year to all!
Outdoors Calendar:
Jan. 18: Southtowns Walleye Association of WNY, monthly meeting, 7PM, 5895 Southwestern Blvd., Hamburg.
Jan. 20-21: Wolcottsville Gun Show, 6337 Wolcottsville Rd. at the fire hall in Akron, Visit www.nfgshows.com for info.
Jan. 21: WNY 3-D Archery League Shoot, open to the public, West Falls Conservation, 55 Bridge St., West Falls, 8AM start. For info call 716-698-3008.
Jan. 23: Children-In-The-Stream-Youth 4H Fly Fishing Program, FREE, SUNY Fredonia Rockefeller Art Center – Costello Room, 7:00 PM – 8:30PM, Info: Alberto Rey: 716-410-7003.
Feb. 3-4: NY Musky Expo, Chautauqua Suites, 215 W. Lake Rd. (Route 394), Mayville, NY, 9AM start both days.
NOTE: Submit Calendar items to forrestfisher35@yahoo.com