Ice fishing is ‘alluring’ but safety is critical, say experts
By Mary Beth Roach
Ice fishing has a lot of a‘lure’ for Central New York outdoor enthusiasts.
It’s an inexpensive way for family members and friends to get together, enjoy the outdoors — and maybe catch dinner.
Ice fishing is the least expensive form of fishing, according to Matt Bain, of MBO Productions in Syracuse.
Bain, who grew up ice fishing with his dad, is head of marketing for JT Outdoor Products in Minnesota and is on the company’s pro-team.
“You really can go out there with a bucket and a pole and catch fish,” he said.
The easy accessibility is another reason for its popularity, according to Brian Lansing of Fayetteville, who runs www.brianonthefly.com.
“It’s pretty easy for anyone to get involved,” he said.
In addition, the largest lake situated entirely in the state — Oneida Lake — is right in our backyard with more than 50,000-plus acres of angling opportunities.
“It’s a fish factory,” according to Mike Crawford, owner of Upstate Guide Service, based in Auburn.
Oneida Lake offers a good number of perch and walleyes, which, he added, are delicious.
Crawford, who spent a lot of his youth ice fishing with his dad on Oneida Lake, said the sport can help build social networks. With a body of water so large, the anglers help one another identify the best fishing spots.
While Oneida might be the largest lake around, Central New York has no shortage of other bodies of water to try.
Bain suggested Cazenovia Lake and Sandy Pond; Crawford suggested Otisco Lake, Chaumont Bay, Sodus Bay and some of the bays in northern Oswego County.
While one might need a lot of equipment to ice fish, of course, there is the option of loading up on gear — heaters, shelters, sonar and more.
“Ice fishing got so popular that the manufacturers of fishing equipment really hurried to catch up,” Crawford said.
Safety first
“Not all ice is created equal,” Crawford said.
Safety is paramount when ice fishing, especially since the winters here seem to be getting warmer and affecting the ice. The ice should be a uniform surface of four to six inches thick or more, Crawford said.
“You should never travel on frozen water bodies that you are not familiar with,” he cautioned. “If you look out and there’s not 15 or 20 or 30 people out there fishing, don’t go.”
Crawford also suggests knowing the forecast before venturing out and bringing along a compass or a GPS or both. Blizzards can come up, creating whiteout conditions, something he knows about first-hand, he said.
Staying warm
Whether they’ve got shelters or not, anglers are contending with cold temperatures and wind.
Crawford advises to “layer up,” with the outer layer being a waterproof and windproof shell. He said that instead of expensive outer gear, some people opt for oversized rain gear over heavy wool.
“It’s the wind out there that just zaps your energy and your heat,” he warned.
And waterproof knee-high winter boots, he added.
Bain even suggests a floating ice suit, saying that one probably saved his life about 10 years ago when he fell through the ice in the middle of a lake. He recalled how it kept him afloat so he could get out and then continued to keep him warm as he trekked back about two miles to safety.
The right stuff
And just like all ice is not created equal. Neither is fishing gear. Fishing gear used during the summer does not translate to ice fishing or vice versa. They’re not interchangeable.
“All ice fishing equipment is designed and engineered and suited for fishing through a small round hole in the ice,” Crawford said.
Lansing also suggested that bait shops are happy to “get you going in the right direction.”
Fishing for more?
The NYS DEC website offers tips on ice fishing, especially for beginners.
Those 16 and older should have a valid NYS fishing license.
If you’re opting for a more experienced angler to lead your ice fishing adventure, there are several guides in the area, including Crawford’s Upstate Guide Service (www.upstateguideservice.com) and Lansing’s brianonthefly.com.
Popular Spots for Ice Fishing in Upstate
These are just a few of the more popular places to drill a hole and drop a line.
• Lake Champlain offers both cold water and warm water fish species. Look for perch, pike, salmon, lake trout and crappie.
• Saratoga Lake provides a variety of fish, including pike, bluegills, and crappies in the shallow areas and in deeper waters, walleyes and perch.
• North of Old Forge, Fourth Lake offers trout, yellow perch and landlocked salmon.
• Lake George boasts abundant lake trout, landlocked salmon, yellow perch and black crappie. The scenery is also postcard perfect.
• Tupper Lake is the place to go for northern pike, large walleye and lake trout. If big fish are your wish, this is where to head.
• Lake Colby has been stocked with landlocked salmon, brown trout, and rainbow trout.
The St. Lawrence River is popular summer and winter. Catch bluegills, sunfish and crappies here. It is a popular ice fishing venue, so if you want to get away from the crowds, you might need to look elsewhere.
• Lake Ontario’s bays and shoreline offers many opportunities for access. At the east end in Oswego County at Sandy Pond, anticipate pike, perch, bluegills, sunfish and crappies.
• On the south shore, Sodus Bay is an ice fishing hotspot with a variety of water depths for a good variety of fish species, such as pike, perch and panfish.
• Oneida Lake is where you will find many anglers fishing for walleyes and bass in the spring, but it is also popular for ice fishing.
• Touted as the largest of the Finger Lakes, Cayuga Lake’s 400-foot depth causes it to never totally freeze; however, a shallow area at the north end becomes solid enough to fish for perch and panfish.
• By contrast, shallow Honeoye Lake offers walleyes, perch, bluegills and pickerel.
• Anglers in western New York like Chautauqua Lake for its abundant walleyes, along with perch and crappie.
To learn the latest on conditions, visit the website of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) — www.dec.ny.gov