Current ice conditions are unsafe
Current ice conditions are unsafe
North Dakota Game and Fish Department water safety coordinator Nancy Boldt advises winter anglers to remain patient because current ice conditions are not safe enough to support much weight.
“We’ve only had about a week of temperatures that are conducive to formulating ice, and that is not enough time,” Boldt said. “We need a consistent stretch of several more days of freezing temperatures to form solid ice.”
Boldt recommends anglers and trappers study ice conditions before accessing any of North Dakota’s frozen waters, and strongly suggests visiting with locals, including other anglers and people at local bait shops, before going on any lake, especially one that is unfamiliar.
Some tips to be aware of are:
• Snow insulates ice, hampering solid ice formation, and makes it difficult to check thickness. Snow also hides the blemishes, such as cracked, weak and open water areas.
