So, Jim Legacy again, MassWildlife Angler Education Coordinator.
The first and most important thing about ice fishing is being safe on the ice and being confident in your ability to stay safe.
The first couple of things you should have with you—especially if you’re new and have never ice fished before—is a PFD. This will give you the confidence you need because, in a worst-case scenario, if you do happen to go in, you’d be floating. That gives you the ability to stay on the surface and dig in to get yourself out.
The other thing you should always wear, whether you’re a brand-new ice angler or a veteran, is a set of ice spikes. They’re basically small, sharp tools that you hold in your hands. You wear them around your neck—there are a variety of different kinds—but if you do fall in, you can use them to pick your way back out and use your upper body strength to pull yourself onto the ice. They’re a very important safety item.
If you’re fishing with a buddy or a group, as is often the case with ice fishing, you should also bring a length of rope. If someone in your party goes through, you can throw it to them and help pull them out—again, worst case.
What I’m going to show you next is something you generally won’t have to worry about if you follow good practices, but you should still be prepared. Being able to test the ice for strength and safety is the number one thing you need to know how to do. You have to be your own advocate for safety.
There’s no website to consult or number to call to tell you if a pond or lake is safe. You have to check it yourself.
So, the first thing you do is come down to the water’s edge. We’re at a boat ramp here on South Pond Lake Quacumquasit in central Massachusetts in early February.
A good indication that the ice might be safe is seeing other people out on it—groups over here and over there. But I never rely on that alone. I always want to confirm for myself.
MassWildlife recommends a minimum of four inches of solid black or blue ice for safe conditions. In southern New England, though, we often get freeze-thaw cycles and precipitation, which creates white or milky ice like we have here today. That kind of ice isn’t as strong, so we like to see at least five or six inches.
So, we test it. Let’s pretend there’s no one else out here. We move right to the shoreline, clear away some snow, and stand in maybe a foot of water. Then, literally jump up and down and feel for any cracking or movement.
If nothing gives or cracks, that’s a good sign. Move a little farther out—maybe 12 to 18 inches of water—and repeat. If you feel cracking or shifting, you call it a day. Don’t push it.
This ice feels solid, so now we move a bit farther out and use a hand auger, chisel, or spud bar to check thickness.
Drill a hole, clear the slush with a skimmer, and be careful near shore not to drive the auger into the bottom, which can damage the blades.
Once the hole is clear, turn your skimmer upside down and hook it under the bottom of the ice. Place your hand at the water level and measure from the hook to your finger. Here, we’re getting about eight or nine inches.
Even though this is white ice with freeze-thaw conditions, eight or nine inches is plenty strong. That’s a good indication you’re likely safe.
Once you’ve confirmed thickness near shore, you still need to check it again as you move out. Ice thickness can vary—ice forms first near shore and last toward the middle, and it melts in the opposite pattern.
Use these safety precautions, and you should have no problem staying safe out on the ice this winter.