Understanding Early, Middle and Late Ice Fishing Seasons
When thinking of the ice fishing season, you can break it up into three distinct parts; early, middle and late season. Not only does each season affect ice conditions, but also the fish behavior. Let’s dive into each part and go over some main points.
First off is early season ice fishing. As you could imagine, this is when the ice first sets up. In most cases the ice is anywhere from 3-6” when it’s first walkable and fishable. At this point of the season, you’ll find the fish in the shallow parts of the lake . This is where the vegetation is still present and the water is slightly warmer from the sun. During this part of the season, ice safety is a huge deal. Make sure to check out our Ice Fishing Safety 101 blog that covers the basics. Early ice fishing can be great for fishing conditions. The fish are more active and the ice is usually crystal clear!
As winter creeps in and the ice grows in thickness, we transition from early season to middle season. This is known as the “heart of the season”, when the ice is the thickest and most stable Ice thickness will vary by location, but this is when ice is typically 6-20” thick.
This Lake Trout gave a good fight. Released to grow bigger! Caught during middle season.
During the middle season, the fish will move to deeper waters and you’ll tend to find them in the mid-depths of the lake. This is where they will find baitfish and other aquatic life. Focus your efforts in the slightly deeper waters with terrain features like drop off and deep pools. That’s where the fish will be hunting!
As the season continues, the winter starts to fade into springtime. The warming temperatures make for melting conditions on the ice. Referred to as “late ice”, you’ll notice melting ice and reduced stability. Ice fishing safety becomes priority once again.
While the ice stability fades, the fish activity picks up. Once again, the fish will make their ways to the shallows to hunt and feed on baitfish and other aquatic life. The warming waters will increase the fish metabolism and therefor increase their overall activity. You’ll notice more aggressive behavior during this stage, which makes for excellent fishing conditions.
As the ice fishing season winds down and the ice becomes unsafe, don’t worry. It’s just a time of transition. Some of the best fishing of the year is right around the corner. “Ice Off” means it’s time to get the long rods back out and chase those big fish with their big appetites after a long winter. We will cover that in upcoming posts.
In review, the ice fishing season is made of early, middle and late seasons. The fish will respond differently in each period, so make sure you think about what season you’re in while you’re checking the ice and picking a spot. Your approach will be different in each season, which is one of the reasons why ice fishing is so much fun. It’s always a moving target!
Good luck out there!
Tight Lines and Happy Trails!
The Trails to Trout Family
