OTTUMWA, IA --
With cold man winter making his return to the heartland, select anglers are taking to the ice. Charles Archer and Dave Vogel are not only friends, but fishing buddies. One of the first rules to ice fishing is to never go alone.
“This is our first time out this year” said Archer. “I go about everyday when there’s enough ice to fish on.” An ice thickness of 18 centimeters is recommended when you are ice fishing with a group. If anyone is planning on taking a vehicle out on the ice such as an ATV, then a thickness of 28 centimeters or greater is recommended.
Vogel told KTVO that they were fishing for bass, bluegill, and crappie. His choice of bait was an artificial jig whereas his co-angler, Archer, preferred live minnows. Between the two, they boasted a large mouth bass along with four crappie.
It is vital that you know your surroundings very well before you walk onto a frozen lake. Colder water near the surface gradually sinks to the bottom, stirring warmer water to the top. Once the entire water column reaches 39.2 °F, freezing water is favorable.
For more information on ice fishing safety, click here.
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