Ice fishing safety tips
IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) - It’s ice fishing season and lots of people are excited about it. Unfortunately, there have been incidents of people falling through the ice.
Idaho Fish and Game shared some tips on how to ice fish safely.
“You should always drill test holes, bring a spud bar and bring ice spikes that you can wear around your neck to help get you out if the worst were to happen, if you were to fall through,” Idaho Fish and Game fish biologist Nathan Tillotson said.
Some people might be unsure how thick the ice should be to walk on it safely.
“General rule of thumb, you want four inches of solid clear ice to be safe for foot travel and ice fishing.”
If you want to take an ATV or snowmobile, you will want at least ten inches of ice to be safe. Small cars or pickup trucks will need upwards of more than a foot or two feet of ice.
Tillotson also recommends following the buddy system. Always take someone with you when you go ice fishing.
In the Upper Snake Region, Idaho Fish and Game recommends ice fishing at Henry’s Lake, Mackay Reservoir and Ririe Reservoir. More recommendations can be found here.
