Why the question mark after the words “ice fishing” in the story title? Well, because it’s been a very questionable activity the past few years. Over the past few years, we ice fishing enthusiasts have had very little time on the hard water since the ice was hard to come by in the first place or it disappeared quickly, bringing an early end to our winter outings. As I write this piece the day before Christmas, I have actually already seen pictures of some people ice fishing, and my ice fishing buddies and I are making plans to hit the ice very soon.

This early ice, however, brings up another very important topic, and that is pursuing the activity in a safe manner.

So, how much ice is safe ice?

For starters, it’s recommended that you have at least four inches of good hard ice. A very important factor to keep in mind, however, is that that four inches may not be everywhere on the lake’s surface. Those of us who are into ice fishing try to drive by the lakes we intend to fish while they are in the early stages of freezing over to see what areas on the lake are late to freeze or what areas may still be open water.

For various reasons, it’s common for some parts of a lake not to freeze over, while other parts of the lake may have three or four inches. This can create a serious problem, especially in the early season, since you may be walking on four inches of ice, but that late-to-freeze portion may only have one inch of ice, but it all looks the same. If you are not familiar with a lake, don’t assume you can head straight out to those in the middle since they may have taken a different route to avoid unsafe areas. Granted, once a lake builds up really thick ice, moving about likely becomes safer.

There are other safety precautions to consider. Many of us use a long, metal spud bar to make quick checks on the thickness of the ice as we move to our desired location. If you don’t have a spud bar, you can make frequent checks by drilling a hole and measuring the ice thickness.

This drilling process brings up another interesting topic since most serious ice fishermen these days seem to be using electric-powered ice drills; they are simply powered by the same battery that runs your electric drill. They are very efficient, much lighter, and easier to use, and in many cases, they drill a hole faster than the heavier, clumsier gas-powered drills.

Another safety factor to consider is if the ice surface is very slippery, which is fairly common, you should slip on a pair of spikes. I know of a case some years ago where a friend didn’t put spikes on and slipped, hitting his head and briefly becoming unconscious.

Certainly, dressing appropriately for the cold conditions is important, but for the ice fishermen, you may want to go a step further. There are companies that make ice fishing outfits that are not only warm and comfortable, but they are also made to keep you afloat if you go through the ice. Arctic Armor is what I and several of my ice fishing buddies wear. Sure, you will get wet if you go through, but the suit can keep you and anybody hanging on to you afloat until you can be rescued. They cost a couple of hundred dollars, but it’s money well spent if you are going to get serious about ice fishing.

These are just a few safety factors to keep in mind if you want to enjoy some ice fishing. If you are new to the sport, I highly recommend you go with someone who knows what they are doing and can help you get started on a fun winter activity.