With some of the coldest temperatures in recent weeks being experienced today, anglers will be looking to hit area ponds and lakes to do some ice fishing.

Iowa Department of Natural Resources Fisheries Management Biologist Chad Dolan, who oversees Lake Darling in southern Washington County, says ice should be at least four inches thick to support fishermen, their gear, and a shanty for shelter. He says ice thickness requirements change as you go up from there, “Some people like to take out an ATV or snowmobile or something like that on the ice, you want to make sure to raise that depth to about five inches. If you go up to northwest Iowa people are going out on the Great Lakes in a small pickup or car, you need a good solid eight to 12 inches and if you get to a medium-sized truck or bigger it better be 12 to 15 inches.”

Dolan says sustained cold weather is vital for solid, deep, ice formation on ponds and lakes and advises fishermen to drill test holes for ice thickness whenever they move farther from shore.  He says if an area doesn’t look safe, it probably isn’t.