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Home > Take Me Fishing Blog > February 2020 > How to Start Ice Fishing in 8 Easy Steps
Ice fishing is an amazing winter sport that involves catching fish in frozen lakes. You don’t need a boat or expensive gizmos, just a few tools to cut holes in the ice and some basic gear to fish them. Ice fishing is fun for the whole family and you can get started in 8 easy steps.
Find a good fishing spot on the Where to Boat and Fish map. Target the first 50-100 yards from shore in depths of 5-15 feet. Try to fish near other anglers who have likely found some fish on safe ice.
Make sure the lake you choose has safe ice, at least 5 inches thick. You can check ice reports at your local bait shop. Drill holes as you walk out every 10-20 yards to check ice thickness.
Staying warm and safe on the ice is critically important. Make sure to dress up in warm winter clothes and gear up on the safety items below.
Equip yourself with essential ice fishing gear. The checklist below contains the necessities to get out and fish through the ice.
Drill your holes and scoop out your slush with an ice scoop.
Tie on your ice jig and bait it with 2-3 spikes.
Jig your bait 1-2 feet off the bottom with small lifts and pauses. Bites often happen on the pause.
Reel your fish up, remove the hook and gently work the fish’s tail back in the hole to release.
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Ed Hitchcock is the owner of Tailored Tackle Fishing Kits & Combos, a beginner-focused fishing tackle company. Ed's team creates beginner fishing tackle packages paired with educational content to help new anglers learn to fish and improve their skills. Check out their educational resources and beginner fishing tackle.
The largemouth bass is the most popular freshwater game fish in the U.S. Learn more about how you can identify a largemouth bass, where to catch it and what bait and lures to use.
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