How to Observe Ice Fishing Etiquette

There are certain unwritten rules that ice fisherman should follow to keep the sport enjoyable for all that pursue it. Knowing the right thing to do in a certain situation you may encounter is important because besides good manners there are some safety issues that are involved. If you are thinking of taking up ice fishing as a winter activity then you need to know ice fishing etiquette.

Difficulty:

Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Always pick up all of your trash. During the course of a day on the ice a certain amount of trash is going to accumulate. Wrappers, cans, plastics and other trash need to be put into a plastic bag brought along just for that purpose and taken off of the ice. This keeps stuff out of the water that doesn’t belong there.

2. Do not use someone else’s drilled holes without their permission. Just because another fisherman or group looks like it has abandoned a hole doesn’t mean it’s alright to take over it. If they seem to not be using one ask permission anyways, even as they are packing up and leaving the ice.

3. Do not crowd other fishermen. There is no need to set up right on the border of another fisherman’s drilled holes. Give them and yourself some distance. If you then interact with them and they are amenable to the idea of you moving closer then by all means do so.

4. Don’t grill other fishermen for information. Many ice fishermen feel that they have worked very hard to discover where the fish are and the successful methods of making the fish bite. They won't want to share this info. It is enough to simply ask someone how the fish are biting. If they then wish to expound on the subject, thank them for anything they may have enlightened you with.

5. Always tell other ice fishermen about any ice safety issues you have encountered. A heads-up about weak ice in a certain spot is more than proper ice fishing etiquette. It is common sense and may save a life. When you are asked how thick the ice is--and you will be at some point by a number of people--try to give an accurate response.

6. When filing reports online about your ice fishing success it is your prerogative as to whether to reveal the exact spot you were at. It is not good ice fishing etiquette to ask for that information as you read and then reply to these reports, or to chastise someone for not saying where they caught the big one. However, it is not a breach of etiquette to ask what they caught the big one on or how deep the water they were fishing in was. Whether someone kept the fish to eat or let it go to fight another day is not open to comment.