Winter means ice fishing, a time-honored tradition that makes anglers look forward to even the most brutal South Dakota winters! While the words “cold front”, “polar vortex”, and “winter weather advisory” send reasonable people to grab another blanket, these words send anglers to their sheds, garages, and storage units to prepare for a weekend out on the ice.
Indeed, ice anglers are certainly an….interesting….breed. Fortunately, the advancements of the hard shacks, heaters, and clothing has made ice fishing not just bearable, but enjoyable in all of winter’s conditions. In fact, many ice anglers can use their hard shacks for camping throughout the summer months as well, which has become a strong selling point for those looking to justify their purchase!
This expansion of overnight ice fishing means that anglers need to ensure they are recreating with respect every time they are out on the ice. Whether it’s in a portable for a day, or a hard shack for a long weekend, we all need to do our part to ensure we’re keeping South Dakota’s lakes beautiful and the sport enjoyable for all.
Ice anglers can show respect a few simple ways:
- Always clean up any trash left on the ice. Whether it is propane cans, snack wrappers, or empty beverage containers ensuring we pick up after ourselves is the #1 way to show respect out on the hard water.
- Discard fish cleanings properly, and never leave fish lay on the ice. There are anglers that may leave fish such as northern pike next to the hole they were caught. Not only is this disrespectful to the fish, your fellow anglers, and the landscape but this is also illegal.
- Avoid parking too closely to other rigs. There’s plenty of room out on the water, and ensuring you leave adequate space between yourself and your fellow anglers makes it a more enjoyable experience for all.
- Avoid driving down roads that are too snow covered for travel. We’ve all wanted to get to a secret spot, but over driving the conditions and getting yourself stuck is not only a potentially dangerous situation, but also can block this passage for others who do need to travel this route.
The emergence of hard shacks, warmer portable shacks, and clothes has given anglers every reason to hit the water despite what winter throws at them. Unfortunately, frozen lakes do not offer the same amenities our state parks do in the summer months, which is why anglers staying out on the ice need to ensure they are recreating with respect and leaving the lake just as beautiful for the next angler to enjoy!
