Nebraskaland

66 Nebraskaland • December 2024 MIXED BAG When the ice is right, your fi shing equipment and safety measures should have been long since planned. Use our advice to prepare before venturing out on the ice the fi rst time this season. Checklist • Purchase a fi shing license and park permit (if applicable). • Make sure auger blades are sharp. If not, buy replacements through the manufacturer, have them sharpened or sharpen them yourself. Bring plenty of gas or batteries depending on the type of auger you have. • Replace line on reels and tip-ups. Monofi lament should be changed every year, fl uorocarbon lines about every third year, and braided line will last several years. Store line in cool, dry places to preserve its strength. • Gather ice-fi shing rod holders, a multi-tool, hook remover and small jigging lures. • Purchase wax worms, trout eggs or PowerBait to tip your jigs. • Find ice cleats to avoid slipping. Small and more aggressive cleat styles are available. • Check your sled or ice shelter for holes and repair if necessary. • Test your portable propane heater. • Bring a cordless drill and ice stakes to secure equipment, including ice shelters, on windy days. • Pack plenty of food, like soup and sandwiches and protein snacks like jerky and energy bars. Dehydration, because you simply don't see it coming this time of year, should also be safeguarded against by having plenty of water. Safe Ice Safety precautions should include wearing a personal fl oatation device, testing edge ice with a spud bar, carrying ice spikes around your neck, and packing 50 feet of rope tied to a throwable fl otation device in case someone needs assistance. It's impossible to judge the strength of ice by its appearance, thickness, daily temperature or snow cover alone. Ice strength is dependent on all four factors, plus water depth under the ice, the size of the water and water chemistry, currents, and distribution of the load on the ice. Test-drill holes or use a spud bar about every 10 yards as you cross ice. Moving water under the ice from rivers or springs can create weak spots in ice. Springs from groundwater fl ow is warmer and rises toward the surface, weakening ice from underneath. Many smaller lakes have open water on the west and northern portions caused by underwater fl ows. In shallow water, sandy bottom lakes do not absorb heat like a silt or mud bottom lake. So, less heat is radiated back, making the ice above it thin. As the water gets deeper, there is less eff ect on the underside of the ice. It takes a minimum of 3 to 4 inches of blue lake ice to support a single angler and about 6 inches of ice will support a group. Slush ice is only about one-half as strong as clear lake ice, so double the minimum thickness requirements when encountering such conditions. Ice weakens with age, and honeycombed or black ice is unsafe. Stay away from objects that stick up through the ice like muskrat lodges, trees, and logs, which store heat from the sun and weaken surrounding ice. Ice fi shing remains one of winter's most exciting activities, so make sure your work is done before you head out. Your eff orts will be rewarded. READY FOR THE HARD WATER? Before you get on the ice, remember to complete these tasks. By Julie Geiser Proper planning before the season can lead to results such as this once you're on the ice. JULIE GEISER, NEBRASKALAND

• Cover