9 Essential Ice Fishing Safety Tips

Photo courtesy of Getty Images

Ready to try your luck at ice fishing? Follow these safety precautions before, during, and after this winter adventure to have a stress-free time and successfully land some cold-weather catches.

As you map out your plan, visit the “NJ Fishing” and “NJ Ice Fishing Reports” Facebook pages, which report on the county’s weather conditions and what the lakes and ponds are like on a daily basis. After gathering this information, follow this checklist:

Dress appropriately. Wear waterproof boots and windproof clothing. There’s always the possibility of strong winds on the open lake or pond, as well as mud and snow that can get into your boots. Isolate, isolate, isolate.

You have a bar and choices on your way out – two essentials. You’ll soon find out why.

To avoid injuries such as slips and falls, keep in mind that sometimes the snow on the ice protects it and makes walking easier. If necessary, go to these sites.

Ice shelters help you get out of the wind and the added benefit is that you can see the fishing hole better. Photo courtesy of Getty Images

Install an ice shelter. Ice shelters help you get out of the wind and the added benefit is that you can see the fishing hole better.

If you can’t build an ice shelter, at least stand with your back to the wind. In addition to not being brutally cold, you can also see your notes and flags.

Make sure the ice is thick enough, or you could find yourself sharing ice water with a sink. “There are ways to minimize this unfortunate outcome,” said Keith Griglak, senior biologist for Fish and Wildlife at the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. The ice should be at least 4 inches thick. Using a spud stick, tap the ice. If it cracks in all directions, climb off the ice, going back the same safe way you entered. Also, if the ice bends and you see water coming up, back off and go somewhere else. Or…

If you see people on the ice, follow them at a distance and ask how stable and thick the ice is. If there are a lot of people on the ice, the ice is likely to be safe.

Make sure the ice is thick enough, or you could find yourself sharing ice water with a sink. Photo courtesy of Getty Images

There are other ways to tell if ice is safe. Early in the season, the ice is clear. Black ice, which means no air bubbles, is good news because it is much stronger than white ice, which is the result when snow refreezes. Four inches of black ice is perfect for ice fishing, while white ice with air bubbles should reach about 5 inches to be safe. Also, if you hear the ice cracking on a cold day, it means the ice is growing and getting even stronger.

If you or someone else falls through the ice (a major reason not to go alone!), there are steps you can take to get back to safety:

*Don’t panic, take a few deep breaths and kick non-stop to get back on the ice.

* Always have polar picks or ice picks (even two Phillips screwdrivers will do) for safety. If you fall, you can crawl through the ice. It would also be nice to have ice ramps and a launch rope.

*Once back on the ice, lie on your side and roll to safer ice.

*When you finally breathe easier, go home, dry off and warm up, and get ready to go ice fishing again another day.

Steve Sears has been a freelance writer since 1996. He currently writes for various online and print publications and recently completed a children’s book. He is now working on a non-fiction offering about nature and spirituality.

This article originally appeared in the Winter 2022 issue of Jersey’s Best. Subscribe here for in-depth access to everything that makes the Garden State great.

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