Beginning Ice Fishing Tips

Beginning Ice Fishing Tips

By John Olsen

When I was a kid, fishing became a yearly activity in Utah in 1985 when I was 10 years old. Before that, there was a fishing season. It ran from Jun 1 - Nov 31. When I tell my kids there is a fishing season, they look at me funny. Yeah, there was no ice fishing in Utah before 1985! That seems crazy to think about now.

Now, you walk into a sporting goods store, and all the sections are about ice fishing. When I started, I had a hatchet, my regular spinning rod, and no idea what I was doing. If the ice was 2 feet thick, I spent the better part of an hour getting a hole, and if I poked through before, it was wide enough…… I chopped it in a frozen shower of ice water. In those days, Hyrum Dam, a block from where I grew up, would see 2 to 3 crazy people on a Saturday in January. People back then (including my dad) called us crazy. Now? Good luck finding a parking spot after 8 am on a Saturday.

On a frozen day after school, I marched around, hoping to find a hole someone else dug so I didn't have to waste time chopping. I sat on a bucket 7 feet from the hole, freezing to death with a worm and a prayer. Damn, I miss those days.

Now I have a tent, heater, fish finder, expensive little poles, and a family who will accompany me! That's heaven to me.

So, you want to start ice fishing? You've come to the right place. I hope my years of fishing experience can help you get a feel for it. I will, however, warn you; first, it's addictive. You will start dreaming of ice fishing, and your wife/husband (if she/he likes spending time with you) will get annoyed with your absence. So try to make it a family affair. Say things like, "Dang, I miss spending time with little (insert your kid's name here). I better take him fishing this weekend." Or "My friend Bob sure has been sad. I better take him fishing to cheer him up." This makes it seem like you don't want to go, but it's the responsible thing to do.

Second, it can get expensive. I will give you some tips to help that, but you can spend A LOT if you're not careful. And again, this can get under the skin of your significant other. If you're trying to get the wife to join you, buying her an ice pole for your anniversary is not, I repeat, "NOT" advisable.

So, to start, you need a pole or two in most cases. When you start, go to Walmart and pick up one of their ice rods. I know what you're saying: "Walmart?" Yes, it's an inexpensive way to start. A Walmart ice pole will run you from $15$ and up. Remember, you don't know if you even like ice fishing yet!

Why not pick up some 6 lb ice fishing line at Walmart? It's $3-6$. Your Walmart pole will come with a line; however, it will be a 50lb line that could pull the Titanic up, but fish can see it!

Next, pick up a set of ice fishing jigs. A pack will be around 15. A 2-3 size is excellent for perch or trout in northern Utah. Get an assortment of colors. It does matter. Sometimes, they love pink, sometimes green. They can be as picky as a teenager picking out her dress for prom and change their mind as quickly.

Now for the ice hole. If you're lucky enough to have a friend who loves ice fishing, he can bring his auger. But if you're starting out, you need one. They can range from a used one for 30$ to (and I'm not kidding) 900$ for an electric power auger. I suggest getting a new 6" Eskimo hand ice auger for $ 45$. When drilling an ice hole, you want those blades to be sharp. Pro tip: if you're near someone with a power auger when drilling your first hole, make it look hard. You might die hard, but power auger guys (and I'm one of them) love to show off their auger. He sees you struggle; he'll run over to drill all your holes. But be prepared to hear stories about how he got his auger and jokes about how thick the ice is and how powerful the "Drill" is.

Remember a chair and a sled to pull all your equipment. A good sled can be found at most outdoor stores or on Amazon for $20$ and up. A camp chair works great, or in a pinch, a bucket. A bucket is a must to throw any of your stuff in.

Fish finders and flashers are great but not necessary when you first start. Fish finders and flashers (yes, there is a difference) will run from 125$ and up for a good one. Then you have a battery to buy as well. When you first start out, move around and find the fish. Talk to other fishermen and watch for "cities." A city is where there is an entire lake, but everyone is bunched in 2 or 3 areas. If there is a city, someone is catching fish.

Bait; most places in northern Utah have Crappy, perch and trout. You can catch these with mealworms, spikes, wax worms, or night crawlers. These are around 3-6$, and you can get them at most gas stations.

For perch, look for deeper flats around 15-20 feet of water; that's where they congregate in mid-winter. My favorite set for perch is a 3oz ice jig on the bottom, then 1 foot above that, tie a 2oz ice jig of different colors to start, and mealworm on both. When one color starts producing more, change all the jigs to that color. Move around until you find the perch. Unfortunately, the bite is best early (when it's cold, burrrr) and late afternoon.

For trout, you can try the same 15-20 feet but suspended at 7-8 feet. Also, for trout, try the same rig but shrimp and power bait. I once bought shrimp to fish with, and my wife looked at me funny. She asked why I was buying $ $6 worth of shrimp to catch $ $2 worth of fish. Something you just can't explain to your wife.

Get warm clothes! Sitting in the cold is just that cold! Dress for about 5 degrees colder than you think it will be. Tents are nice, but at the price, make sure you love ice fishing before getting one. A good Ice tent can run $100 for a one-man and up.

Next, do your research; conditions and fishing change week to week. Search for the body of water that is safe and the fishing report. Your local Facebook fishing group is great for info on what? Where? When and how? But it is also an excellent place for ridicule and general smartassory. Have a thick skin and be prepared for abuse. Also, https://wildlife.utah.gov/fishing/main-fishing-page.html is a superb place for current conditions, fishing, and stalking reports! Knowing the regulations for the lake you plan to fish is also important. Every lake is different, so check. Ignorance of the rules will not get you out of trouble!

Some of my favorite spots in northern Utah include Mantua (it freezes first), Hyrum Res (great fishing but is hit hardest), Newton Res (ice can get tricky, so be careful, also the best place for crappy), Pineview Res (a longer drive but worth it most days, has the widest array of fish)

There are many great ice fishing spots on the DWR website as well.

If you're just starting out, don't fuss about the expensive stuff. Wait until you fall in love with it before you buy the "Farm," if you get my meaning! Remember, it doesn't have to break the bank to be fun!

Good luck, and stay warm!

John Olsen