Ice Fishing
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Tackle another season of ice fishing adventure with Bass Pro Shops and Cabela's, your foremost ice fishing headquarters. Whether you’re a beginner or you spend more time on the ice than you do in your bed, we’ve got everything you need to outfit your next hard-water adventure.
11 Tips for Safe Ice Fishing
Ice fishing is one of the most popular winter activities. Preparing early and following these safety tips will exponentially make your ice fishing experience much safer and enjoyable.
Stay on Thick Ice
Know how deep the ice is before you do anything. Anything under 4" is too shallow to fish on. If you’re fishing in groups, the ice should be 6" thick or thicker. With snowmobiles, 10", cars at least 12" and pickup trucks over 12".
Dress for the Weather
Layering helps to regulate your body temperature as it makes it easy to adjust – easily add or remove layers based on the weather. Loose-fitting layers also help insulate your body by forming air pockets of warm air between your layers..
Bring Plenty of Water and Food
It’s crucial to stay hydrated and nourished when ice fishing.
Don’t Just Seek Shelter – Bring It!
Portable ice huts allow you to go where the fish are, keeping you warm and comfortable. Look for ice shelters that are ventilated and made from durable waterproof material.
Don’t Travel on Ice at Night
Do your activities during the day. Don’t risk falling into a hole or through thin ice by going at night. Follow regional guidelines and info on local ice conditions for whichever body of water you plan to fish on before heading out on the ice.
Be Aware of Currents and Tides
Places with either or both do not always have consistently thick ice.
Avoid Any Open Holes in the Ice
Wear a cold protection suit and a flotation device just in case – whether on thick ice or the shore.
Don’t Drink and Fish
Leave alcohol at home. Besides the dangers of fishing while intoxicated, alcohol can cool your body, leaving you more susceptible to hypothermia.
Don’t Fish Alone
Whenever possible, bring at least one friend to go ice fishing with or let your friends and family know the details of your ice fishing plans.
Bring Rescue Equipment
You–ll need plenty of gear such as ropes, ice picks, a first aid kit, a satellite communicator with GPS, a flashlight, and your mobile phone in a waterproof container to ensure the best chance of saving a life when fishing.
Ice Depth
Ice thickness guidelines according to the Canadian Red Cross
Ice Fish Walleyes Like a Pro
Walleye Through the Ice
Some of the best walleye lakes are in the northern U.S. and Canada, where the ice is thick and safe to walk on. When the temperature drops, like most fish, walleyes migrate to deeper sections of lakes below the thermocline. While you can primarily find walleyes in 10–25 feet of water on most lakes, they can be as deep as 50 feet in some deeper lakes.
Where to find walleye on lakes?
- Vegetation: Walleyes are predatory species which feed on smaller baitfish like minnows, yellow perch, and other forage. You can find them outside edges of weed lines and vegetation as they provide excellent habitat for walleye prey. Ideally, 10 to 16 feet is a great place to start the search. Drilling several holes and dunking baits into openings is one way to catch walleye.
Tip: Drill holes regularly to check ice thickness and use a chisel to test ice while walking.
- Points and Humps: Walleyes like boulders, rock piles and vegetation on these structures. They hold around breaks along the ledges. The structure’s base is a great spot. Walleyes are found on the deeper portions of the structure during the day and move to shallower parts at night.
Tip: The preferred depth could be 18 to 22 feet in a small, fertile lake and 25 to 35 feet in a large, deep lake. - Flats: While perch inhabits sand and mud flats consuming invertebrates, walleye prey on perch. Depending on the waterbody, you can find perch at 16 to 20 feet or sometimes pushing into 35+ feet.
Tip: Use a perch pattern jig to match the prey in applicable lakes.