Ice Fishing Safety Tips

Ice fishing is a very popular activity in the eastern and northern parts of the United States as well as Canada. Ice fishing could be the most enjoyable sport of all year, especially if done properly and all safety measures were taken into consideration.

Here are the most important ice fishing safety tips which will help you have a smooth, easy, and fun ice fishing trip.

1. Have Someone Know Your Location

It is always better to have someone know that you are going out for ice fishing and have them know your exact location. Anything could occur during the fishing trip, and in case of any emergency, you want someone to be able to help you in case you need it.

2. Fish with Family and Friends

Fishing trips are best with a companion, not only for better safety measures but also for a lot more fun than you can have on your own. An ice fishing trip is more fun when you have close friends or family members along with you as it gives you a great chance to bond and enjoy many activities together.

3. Check Weather Conditions

Make sure to always check the weather conditions before going out on the ice, you can easily have accurate advice on the weather conditions by asking a local tackle shop as they are familiar with the area and can let you know where it is safe to fish.

4. Bring a Radio

People bring cell phones with them to the fishing trip all the time which is fine, however, in some areas you might not get cell phone service and you might need some urgent help. A two-way radio can help you at all times to reach someone on the outside in case of any emergency.

5. Check the Thickness of the Ice

This is the most important and critical part of the entire trip, falling in the ice is the worst thing that could ever happen to anyone, which is why you need to make sure that the ice is thick enough to hold your weight properly without the risk of falling in.

To check the thickness of the ice you will need a specific tool, the most common tool is the auger, which is very simple to use. First of all, before you step on the ice, you need to measure its thickness, make sure you mark your auger at 4 inches and then start digging.

If the ice hits the 4 inches mark, you’re safe to stand on the ice and resume your fishing trip. If not, you need to slowly back away and move to a different spot. 

For Vehicles 

If you plan to ride a snowmobile or an ATV, you need to reach 5 inches of ice thickness to be able to drive safely on the ice, However, If you plan to drive your car, then it’s one of the two; a small car which needs an ice thickness of 8 to 12 inches, or a large car or a pickup truck which will need around 12 to 15 inches of thickness. 

5. Bring Safety Gear

Ice fishing is one of the most dangerous activities to do alone, however, by taking the correct safety measures and steps you can make sure you’ll have a perfect experience. It all starts with your proper ice fishing gear. Here are the most important items you need to have:

Throw Ropes

Packing up for safety is very important. Essential gear includes the safety throw ropes which could be helpful to get you out of many tough situations. 

The best type of throw ropes you can get is the emergency type as they are heavy and also free of any tangles to be more efficient if you needed them to help rescue people if needed. 

Floatation Device 

While ice fishing, anything might happen which could include falling in the water, of course in such a case you can use a throw rope, but a flotation device is much faster to make sure you do not take a long time to pull someone out of the water.

GPS

Make sure to always bring a GPS along while fishing especially if you decide to go ice fishing. A GPS can help people on the outside locate you fast and help you out of any emergency situation.

Portable Power Bank Battery Charger

Your phone battery can be drained out so quickly in cold weathers, a good quality power bank charger can help save your day especially if it is a high capacity charger as it can help you charge your phone more than once or charge multiple phones at the same time. It is also preferable to turn your phone off in cold weather. 

7. Bring an Extra Layer of Clothes

Feeling cold during your fishing trip could ruin the entire day for you, make sure you always pack up an extra layer of clothes to keep you warm during the trip. A perfect choice of clothes for ice fishing include waterproof boots, gloves, head, and hand warmers.

Some types of underwear are advanced to keep you warm for longer times as well as being lightweight and efficient. The most important thing is to make sure you stay warm for as long as possible. 

Some people choose to fish from a wooden fishing tent as it keeps the cold out and keeps you warmer, but even if you were fishing from inside of a fishing tent, you need to make sure you’re dressed in proper clothing, a good choice would be waterproof pants and jackets.

Final Thoughts

It would be the most beautiful, fun and enjoyable experience you can ever have to go ice fishing. However, you need to make sure to bring all the necessary gear, especially the safety gear. Then, you will have a perfect trip with no hassle at all.