Get the Know-How to Stay Safe During Ice Fishing Season

He was in his 30s, a father of two young children and engaged to be married. He was also an experienced and passionate ice-fisherman. His friends fought to save him with CPR for about 20 minutes before first responders arrived on the scene. His tragic death serves as a stark reminder of the potential dangers of ice-fishing.

There are a few other heartbreaking details you can find in news reports about an Upstate New York fisherman who died after going through the ice on Great Sacandaga Lake last January, but here’s one that should stick with you: The victim ventured onto the lake with a group who’ve fished Great Sacandaga for more than 30 years—a group that would never have expected such a tragedy.

“It can happen to anybody,” the victim’s cousin later told an Albany television station.

As winter muscles away the warmer days of autumn, water temperatures plummet and ice begins to form on lakes, ponds and rivers around the region. Anglers will obsessively check weather forecasts for below-freezing temperatures as anticipation grows. Somebody somewhere will be the first to head out ice-fishing.

Hopefully, the intrepid angler finds safe ice. It’s not always easy, as the tragic death on Great Sacandaga Lake earlier this year indicates. However, by combining knowledge with careful planning, you can enhance your chances of staying dry and, more importantly, staying alive this ice-fishing season.

BEWARE SNOW AND WIND

In much of the Northeast, ice-fishing begins in earnest in December. Ice will start to form on still waters—not rivers and streams—when temperatures dip below 32 degrees for several consecutive days. But additional factors are in play. The water’s temperature doesn’t fall as quickly as the air temperature, so it takes an extended cold period to make ice. Even then, other aspects of winter weather, namely wind and snow, can slow things down.

Wind is the archnemesis of ice. Early in the season, regardless of the air temperature, ice will be slow to form if it’s being pushed and jostled around by wind. Snow is the other contributing factor. A few cold, windless nights might allow ice to start forming, but snow on new ice has an insulating effect and will slow additional freezing.

Most fish-and-wildlife agencies and water rescue experts recommend at least four solid inches of ice to support the weight of a human being. It’s a crucial guideline to follow, but getting four inches of solid ice on your favorite lake or pond requires an extended period of temperatures below 32 degrees, with little to no wind and no significant snow accumulation.

One hard-core ice fisherman with plenty of on-ice experience adds additional caution to the four-inch rule. Retired Coast Guard member Brad Hanson, who trained for cold-water rescues on the Great Lakes and Lake Champlain for more than 20 years, says new ice has additional perils.

“When you’re on early ice, be aware of your environment,” Hanson says. “On less than eight inches, there is little room for error. Ice thickness can vary due to underwater springs, currents and sunlight-absorbing structures like docks, rocks and sunken timber.”

PLAN AND PREPARE

In the time Hanson spent serving with the Coast Guard on waters in the Northeast, and ice-fishing whenever his schedule allowed, he developed three non-negotiable rules for early-season excursions.

“First,” he says, “always have your safety gear.” That includes a flotation suit, ice picks and a 50-foot piece of rope in the sled he pulls behind him. Adding a small PFD is also a good idea.

Another safety device to consider is an ice chisel. In the early season, try punching through the ice every 10 yards or so when walking out. Make sure to check the strength of the ice routinely, not just at the launch or where you plan to set up.

“The second rule is to never fish alone,” says Hanson. Should you fall through the ice, having somebody else who can throw you a rope and call for additional help can be the difference between life and death.

“Finally,” says Hanson, “always tell someone where you’re fishing, who you are fishing with, where you will park and when you plan to be home.”

Hanson says he’s added one more rule in recent years: Keep a key to your vehicle somewhere on land.

“This might sound like a little thing, but I always leave my truck keys in my vehicle’s gas tank compartment. If you fall in and shed your jacket or bibs to get out of the water and your keys were in them, you’re hosed in terms getting to warmth and safety.”

START SMALL

All things being equal, shallow, small lakes and ponds will freeze before larger bodies of water. These early-ice waterbodies are the places anglers should consider first.

For example, Hanson spends much of his winter ice-fishing on Lake Champlain, but you won’t find him there at the start of the season. Champlain is a massive lake where even the shallower bays can take their sweet time icing over. So, to maximize his ice-fishing season, Hanson kicks things off on smaller lakes and ponds.

“This also means tailoring your fishing to what’s available in these smaller waters—typically perch, crappies and pike,” says Hanson. “By and large, these fish haven’t been harassed since before deer season, so they should be willing to bite.”

Hanson has a fully equipped “small pond” sled loaded with equipment and safety gear for early-season fishing.

“It’s night-and-day from what my walleye package or midwinter pike package is,” he says.

Yes, early-season ice fishing can be done safely, but it takes a little preparation and a willingness to be flexible.

“Once you find safe ice and biting fish, this is a great time for an afternoon on the ice with the kids,” says Hanson. “The Arctic conditions of late January aren’t here yet, snow isn’t a limiting factor and hopefully there are some ice-fishing Christmas presents that need to be broken in.”

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• This article was featured in the December 2025 issue of Game & Fish magazine. Click to subscribe.

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