Ice fishing worth getting hooked on

Several anglers clad in insulated coveralls and Pac boots passed me as I stood on the shoreline and did my best to portray the role of experienced ice fisherman. Looking back, I think the only person actually fooled by my acting acumen was me. If the uncertainty on my face wasn’t enough to give away my inexperience, the hatchet I carried surely was.

That would explain the quizzical looks other fishermen gave me as they passed by. Then again, it might have been my lack of coveralls and snow boots or the motorcycle that gave me away.

It was late in the Utah winter, and I had awakened early that morning with the strange notion to give ice fishing a try, something I had never done. Neglecting my educational pursuits, I put my gear in the saddlebags on the bike and headed for my favorite trout fishery at the top of Spanish Fork Canyon.

The ride up the canyon was chilly, but there were fish to catch. So I made myself as small as possible and squeezed in behind the bike’s windshield.

About 1½ hours later, I found myself looking at a large sheet of ice and wondering aloud, “OK, now what?”

Since I had only fished the reservoir during warm-weather months, I wasn’t quite sure where to go when it was covered with hard water. So I rode along until I saw a handful of anglers already fishing, and I figured they must have known what they were doing, so I pulled over and unloaded my gear. I walked to the water’s edge and stopped. A near-drowning experience as a kid made me just a little wary of cold water, and I had a vision of becoming a bobbing ice cube.

Several minutes passed before I worked up the courage to step onto the ice, and several more passed before I actually decided to stay there. Then I picked out a likely looking spot in the vicinity of the other fishermen and broke out the hatchet. The water turned out to be much harder than I thought it would be, and I began to wonder if spring would arrive before I managed to punch a hole through the thick sheet.

Just as I was about to give up, one of the other sportsmen walked over and handed me an ice auger. “You might have better luck with this,” he said with a wry smile.

The gentleman was right, and soon I had a line in the water. My next lesson came while waiting for the fish to bite; it really is a good idea to bring something to sit on. A tackle box doesn’t make the best chair, and sitting on the ice isn’t really an option. Despite the learning curve, I soon had a limit of rainbow trout laid out on the ice — a tasty addition to any student’s paltry grocery selection.

Ice fishing opportunities can be found in Nevada and nearby Southern Utah. All you need to get started is a fishing rod and basic tackle. For trout, keep your line light — 4- to 6-pound test — and your hooks small. Trout have a good sense of smell, so PowerBait is a good bait option. Salmon eggs and jigs also will work.

When preparing your bait, keep in mind that bigger isn’t always better. One of the most common mistakes I see fishermen make is putting too much bait on their hook. There is a reason we don’t call them largemouth trout.

Deeper isn’t always better, either. In the winter months, trout will cruise the shallow water in search of food. I also have had some of my best luck just below the ice, rather than at the bottom. Don’t forget your auger, and leave your hatchet behind. In Nevada, the hole drilled through the ice can be no more than 10 inches in diameter. In Utah, the hole can be no larger than 12 inches.

Freelance writer Doug Nielsen is a conservation educator for the Nevada Department of Wildlife. His “In the Outdoors” column, published Thursday in the Las Vegas Review-Journal, is not affiliated with or endorsed by the NDOW. Any opinions he states in his column are his own. He can be reached at intheoutdoorslv@gmail.com.