Cold snap helps area ice fishing

While the frigid cold temperatures that rang in the new year had most northeast Iowans shivering, groaning and cursing the weather, there was one small group of citizens who were actually happy with the winter conditions.
Ice fishermen.
Some recent winters haven’t been cold enough for long enough to allow area ice fishermen to get out on the pond for very long. With the recent stretch of below-zero weather, however, it doesn’t appear that ice fishermen will have much of a problem this year.
A quick spin around ponds, small lakes and backwaters in Chickasaw County Friday afternoon found just a few ice anglers out, all in cozy ice-houses, not braving the open air. Those numbers were likely higher on Saturday and Sunday, with the temperatures a little more bearable — and they were likely higher Friday in the early-morning and late-afternoon hours, when the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) says the fish are more active.
The DNR recently offered some tips for ice-fisherman who are new to the pastime. The DNR urges anglers to check the DNR’s weekly fishing report on their website for ice conditions across the state. They recommend a minimum of four inches of quality ice for fishing. 

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“Trust your instincts — if the ice does not look right, don’t go out,” the DNR said in a press release.
 
For more of this article, see Tuesday's Tribune.