As of January 23rd, the ice levels in Lake Darling remain about the same as last week. According to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, “The last few days have seen very little angler activity.” However, DNR officials expect that number will increase with the warmer weather coming. Currently there are about eight inches of good ice, according to the weekly DNR report. Geese and swans are there, keeping about two acres of open water just west of the middle of the lake.

According to Iowa DNR Fisheries Management biologist Chad Dolan, the ice must be at least 4’’ thick if you want to fish on the ice. It needs to be much much thicker if people are going to take a snowmobile or a small ATV, and of course it would have to be much much thicker if you are going to drive a car or small pickup. No ice is safe, but with four inches of ice thickness we feel you are pretty safe as far as walking on that and not having any trouble…As long as you got that four inches, it’s a good time to get out there and partake in a little ice fishing if you are walking”.

Temperatures are expected to warm up over the weekend and into early next week. Listen to KCII for weather updates.