Ice fishing has gotten complicated with all the gear and techniques flying around. As someone who spent my first twenty winters fishing frozen lakes in northern Wisconsin, I learned everything there is to know about ice fishing basics that actually matter. Today, I will share it all with you.
Safety First
Ice thickness determines whether you live or die—it’s that simple. Four inches of clear ice minimum for walking, period. Five to six for snowmobiles, eight to twelve for small vehicles. New ice is stronger than old honeycomb ice. Clear ice is way stronger than cloudy or snow ice.
I check thickness constantly as I move across the lake with a spud bar. Ice picks hang around my neck on a cord—they’ve saved me twice when I broke through near pressure ridges. Tell someone exactly where you’re fishing and when you’ll be back. This isn’t paranoia; it’s how you survive ice fishing long-term.
Basic Setup
Probably should have led with this section, honestly. A hand auger cuts holes up to eight inches, which handles most fish species. Power augers are faster but heavy, loud, and expensive. I used hand augers for ten years before upgrading, and they worked fine—just more arm workout.
Short rods between 24-36 inches work best when you’re hunched over a hole or sitting in a shelter. Light action for panfish like bluegill and crappie, medium action for walleye and pike. The short length gives you leverage and control in tight spaces.
Finding Fish
Fish location in winter follows the same basic patterns as summer—structure, drop-offs, weed edges, points. They’re usually deeper and way less active in cold water though. What worked at 10 feet in summer might be at 25 feet in winter.
Portable fish finders designed for ice fishing show depth, bottom composition, and fish location in real-time. Not essential when you’re learning, but they accelerate the learning curve dramatically. I resisted buying one for years, then wondered why I waited so long once I did.
Tactics
Jig small lures slowly—winter fish won’t chase aggressive presentations. They’re cold, sluggish, conserving energy. Tip jigs with live bait like waxworms or minnow heads. The scent and movement combo triggers bites when lures alone get ignored. That’s what makes ice fishing endearing to us anglers—the subtlety and patience required force you to slow down and really think about what you’re doing.
Tip-ups let me fish multiple holes passively while actively jigging another line. Set the depth, bait with a lively minnow, and wait for the flag to pop up. Then you sprint to that hole before the fish spools all your line or drops the bait. The excitement never gets old.
Staying Warm
Layer clothing properly or you’ll be miserable within an hour. Base layer that wicks moisture, insulating middle layer, windproof outer shell. A portable shelter blocks wind and traps heat—the difference between comfortable and absolutely freezing. Hand warmers in gloves and boots extend fishing time significantly. Hot coffee or tea in a good thermos maintains morale when the bite slows down and the cold seeps in.
