Safety is paramount when it comes to ice fishing. When you’re out ice fishing in your fish house this winter, it’s important to keep in mind some basic safety tips in order to protect yourself and your friends and family.
The biggest safety concern is the integrity of the ice beneath you. When you arrive at a fishing location, be sure to contact or visit a local bait shop to ask what they know about the area’s ice conditions.
Regardless of the information you receive from the locals, make sure that you verify the thickness for yourself once you get there. Check the thickness at least every 150 feet you travel from the last point you checked. This is important because ice rarely freezes uniformly; it may be a foot thick in one location but just an inch or two further along.
There are various tools you can use to make a measuring hole: your basic ice chisel, an ice auger (either hand, electric, or gas), or a cordless power drill. Once you’ve penetrated the ice, extend a tape measure into the water and hook the end on the bottom of the ice layer.
For an ice house, make sure that you’re on ice that’s at least a foot thick, though more than that is better, especially if you’re in a larger ice house.
When finding a spot to place your ice house, make sure that you’re at least 50 feet away from any neighboring ice fishers.
It’s also good to keep in mind that newer ice is generally stronger than older ice. While not a hard rule, four inches of newly formed ice is generally stronger than a foot of older, partially thawed ice.
Ice Fish Better in a Glacier Ice House
Glacier Ice Houses are available at many dealerships across the country, with locations that include Minnesota, Wisconsin, North Dakota, and New York. Find your nearest Glacier Ice House dealer and tour one of our models today. Enjoy the comfort, convenience, and coziness of a home on the ice.