Dear Reader,
In Wisconsin in January, it takes more than a little creativity and motivation to entice your family out of the warm house. If you’re in need of an activity that will bring your family together, get you outdoors, entertain for hours, produce some good stories, and maybe even result in a meal, you’re in luck — it’s ice fishing season!
Long a part of Wisconsin winters, ice fishing is a great connection to our state’s culture, history, and natural resources. What began as a necessary means to access food and bring fresh protein to families through the long hard winters has become a fun, and sometimes competitive, recreational activity for all ages.
This month’s Nature Net News gives history, resources, tips, and even recipes to help you get out on the ice with your family — full of fun facts for first-time fishers and avid anglers alike. You’ll be hooked before you know it!
Enjoy,
Brenna & Betsy
The Folks at Nature Net
January
Ice Fishing
“So get out there; hunt, fish, mess around with your friends…
Sit quietly for a while and contemplate the precious stillness of the
lovely, mysterious, and awesome space.”
-Edward Abbey
Did You Know?
Winter fishing makes up nearly 1/4 the annual catch in Wisconsin!
Most of the fish hooked from under the ice include pan fish, such as bluegill and yellow perch, and game fish, such as northern pike and walleye. In some areas of Wisconsin (i.e. Great Lakes, Lake Winnebago System), ice fishers can even catch a rare giant sturgeon — some measuring 100 pounds or larger!
Native tribes have ice fished Wisconsin lakes for centuries, using nets, spears, and decoys, making blanket shanties, and night fishing with torches. Fish has always been a major food staple, and they developed many tools and methods over the centuries to allow fishing year-round. Learn more about Native Ways of spearfishing.
From food to sport, ice fishing is an important part of Wisconsin winters. Watch this video to learn more about our local ice fishing culture from these Madison ice fishers.
Ice cover on Wisconsin’s lakes has been on the decline over the past several decades because of climate change. Madison lakes now have almost a month less ice cover than they did just 150 years ago… that’s an average of 30 fewer days a year for ice fishing! Learn more here.
What To Do This Month:
Try your own hand at ice fishing! Here are some tips for getting started — and this young Wisconsin fisherman will walk you through everything you need. Check out these listings of ice fishing hotspots around the state, accessible shores, good spots to fish with kids, and where to go in and around the Madison Chain of Lakes. You can gain access to Wisconsin fishing info, including sites, species id, lake information, news, regulations, and more with the click of a button on Wisconsin’s Official Guide for Fishing, Hunting, and Wildlife mobile app – download the app here!
Send WI DNR your fish stories, and they may share them here!
Wisconsin’s annual free winter fishing weekend is January 17-18, 2015. Fish anywhere in Wisconsin without a license! Or, explore these other Ice Fishing Festivals across Wisconsin all winter long.
For a hands-on intro to the basics, mark your calendars for Family Ice Fishing Fun at the Aldo Leopold Nature Center, Saturday Feb 21.
Instant Outdoor Expert:
When is the Ice Safe?
Common guidelines suggest ice should be 3-4 inches thick before you can safely venture out to find your favorite ice fishing hole. Some experts don’t feel comfortable until it’s 6 inches think. Many ice fishermen claim blue or clear ice is a good indicator that the ice is safe but also warn that the best way to know is to drill a test hole. It usually takes a week or two of temperatures in the 20s for that thickness to form. Even with consistently low temperatures, be aware that thin ice may still exist along the edges of the water, near underwater springs, or at pressure ridges — where ice compresses with temperature changes and then ruptures. Regardless of test holes and cautionary measures, plan to bring along a set of ice rescue claws, just in case.
Though suggested numbers vary, vehicles and ATVs should have 5-12 inches of ice thickness to stay safe. Check out guidelines from Minnesota’s Department of Natural Resources for a visual representation.
And, as with all outdoor winter activities, dress warmly with lots of layers!
For Families:
Tricks of the Trail – Ice Fishing for Youngsters
It doesn’t take a lot to get out with your young angler and start ice fishing. In fact, in many ways, ice fishing is an easier start-up than warm weather fishing since you don’t need a boat. What you will need is: a rod/reel combination or a tip-up, an ice auger, a bucket with a seat, jigs, and bait. Ice fishing rods are different from freshwater rods in their length — they’re much shorter. Some anglers don’t use a rod, but a tip-up. This employs a flag attached to the reel which tips up when the line is released from a fish strike.
A simple hand-operated ice auger that creates a 6-7 inch hole in the ice is most straightforward and inexpensive way to start — but you can always upgrade with a power drill attachment or gas-powered motor auger. Most ice fishermen suggest a tote bucket with a seat to keep direct contact with the ice to a minimum while you wait for your first bite. And as for jigs and bait, the discussion never ends… some fishers use plastic lures while others recommend live bait like wax worms or minnows. It depends on the type of fish you’re angling for.
Jigging, by the way, is the practice of fishing with an up and down motion in the water, as opposed to spinner bait that you drag through the water.
If you need more resources or ideas, here a few links for ideas for a starter kit and more advanced gear like shanties and electronics. Tips and tricks abound on the internet, as do suggestions for beginners – like these from Minnesota and Wisconsin Departments of Natural Resources.
Once your catch is home, learn how to properly filet your fish and prepare them for using in the recipe below.
Featured Nature Net Site:
Aldo Leopold Nature Center
The Aldo Leopold Nature Center offers many opportunities for families and youth groups to connect with nature both indoors and out.
The Climate Science Education Center features indoor exhibits and theaters and provides interactive information about climate, weather and earth science using high-tech, interactive features found nowhere else in the region. In addition to special events and education programs, the new indoor children’s lobby exhibits provide a special place for little ones to learn about prairies, woodlands, and wetlands. You can even practice hooking and identifying native fish in the Wetland Nature Nook!
The outdoor grounds feature 20 acres of restored native habitat, plus access to miles of neighboring parkland trails. ALNC’s wetland, woodland, and prairie trails are open sun-up to sun-down, seven days a week. Interactive exhibits are open Monday through Friday from 10am to 4pm and Saturday through Sunday from 10am to 2pm. Be sure to come back often –- each month features a new theme and special seasonal activities. January’s feature is Corals and Seas, so you can warm up with a trip to the tropics during this long, cold month!
Try a Candlelight Snowshoe Hike, Tiki Torch Toboggan, or sign your scout group up for winter night hike this month. And don’t forget February 21st’s Family Ice Fishing Fun program from 10am to noon.
Nature Craft:
Friday Night Fish Fry
You don’t have to fry up your catch on Friday nights only, but Wisconsin is famous for this weekly tradition (even Wikipedia notes “fish fry tradition is strongest in Wisconsin”). And while Travel Wisconsin lists a few favorite Friday Fish Fry spots, you can also make your own:
Mix 1 1/2 cups flour with 2 tablespoons paprika, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
In a separate bowl, blend 1 egg and 1 cup of milk.
Dip each fish fillet first in the egg wash and then in the flour mixture.
Carefully place fillets into 1/2 cup butter that’s been melted in a large frying pan (some cooks like to melt the butter to a nut-brown color to enhance the toasty flavor).
Brown on both sides (about 2 minutes) and remove from pan to drain on paper towels.
Serve with a wedge of lemon, and a side of potatoes and coleslaw.
Read up on where this Friday Night Fish Fry tradition came from while you enjoy your meal.
Suggested Reading:
“Seven Little Mice Have Fun on the Ice” by Kazuo Iwamura
“Ice Fishing! The Coolest Sport on Earth” by DiLorenzo Michael
“One Frozen Lake” by Deborah Jo Larson
“Kitaq Goes Ice Fishing” by Margaret Nicolai
“Ice Fishing for Kids” by Tyler Omoth
“The Birchbark House” by Louise Erdrich
“Ice Island” by Sherry Shahan
“A Hard-Water World: Ice Fishing and Why We Do It” by Greg Breining
“The Total Fishing Manual: 317 Essential Fishing Skills (Field and Stream)” by Joe Cermele
“Back to Basics: A Complete Guide to Traditional Skills” by Abigail Gehring