Indiana Ice Fishing 101

In February, most Hoosier anglers are more concerned with outdoor television shows than actually catching fish.

However, for a select group of hardy fisherman, the frigid cold days of mid-winter signal the beginning of an entirely different season. Once local waterways are locked solid under a sheet of white, ice fishermen grab their gear and head out into the deep freeze.

Fishing in midwinter is not for the faint of heart. Ice fishing offers some discomfort and even potential danger but for those who are prepared, it can be an enjoyable and productive way to spend a winter afternoon.

The central part of the state has a relatively short ice-fishing season that varies widely from year to year but on average, ice fishermen consider four weeks of safe ice to be a good season. Anglers nearer the Michigan border often have much longer. This year, 2015, has proven about average.

The Indiana Department of Natural Resources recommends a minimum of four inches of clear, solid ice before venturing out. This usually requires at least a week of below-freezing temperatures to occur depending on weather and water conditions. Rivers and creeks in our state do not freeze solid enough to create safe ice fishing conditions.

A listing of favorite ice fishing lakes is pointless because most anglers in Indiana do not travel long distances to fish due to the ephemeral nature of the ice. Basically, anyplace you can legally visit, has safe ice and good fish populations is a prime ice fishing spot.

The key to catching fish under the ice is the same as summer angling: you must find them first. This involves a tradeoff because while it is simpler to move around on the frozen expanse, actually reaching the water is a bit tedious. This requires the most expensive but required piece of specialized equipment, a hand-powered auger or ice drill.

Bluegills and other related sunfish are the most popular ice fishing species with the majority of ice fishermen. Abundant in lakes and farm ponds, tasty and eager to bite under ice, the bluegill is the classic Hoosier wintertime quarry along with occasional catches of crappie, bass and even catfish. Anglers often start prospecting for bluegill in shallow water while crappie, yellow perch and bass are often found suspended over deeper water. Above all, the angler must keep moving and drilling holes until fish are found.

The fishing gear used for hard water fishing is much simpler, almost primitive, than that used for regular angling. There are two major types of tackle: tip-ups and ice poles. Tip-ups are mechanical devices that automatically set the hook and signal the angler. These are very useful for the lone fisherman, allowing the Indiana legal maximum of three lines in the water at one time. Ice poles are diminutive one-foot rods with small reels to hold the very light line being used.

Lightweight line and equipment is necessary because the terminal tackle is exceptionally small to help entice the lethargic winter fish into biting. The classic terminal tackle used by most ice anglers is some type of tiny jig tipped with a single wax worm, meal worm or other insect larvae.

When fish are caught, they are simply thrown out on the ice for a quick freeze that keeps them in prime condition until the kitchen fillet session.

You’ll find these flash-frozen fish from cold water are exceptionally tasty, the final and perhaps best bonus of a fun day spent outdoors.

photos: Top- Brent T. Wheat; all others- Indiana Department of Natural Resources/JF Maxwell