Cold weather: Thoughts of ice fishing

After only one good cold night in more than a week (18 degrees on Tuesday Morning at our place) my wife and I made a shopping trip into Anchorage. On our return drive, we noticed an ice fishing tent out on Fire Lake just a mile or so past the Eagle River exit. I know Fire and Mirror lake can both freeze up a bit earlier than many Mat-Su core area lakes, and are also shadowed by the nearby mountains so they do not get as much sunlight this time of year. The ice conditions may be better than I suspect at both of those specific lakes, however, my nephew was breaking through thin ice over shallow water, while out hunting only a few days ago.

Driving past Kepler - Bradley and Echo Lakes on the way to Anchorage and on the way home I commented to my wife that the ice did not look like anything I want dot be out on right now. Still my wife noticed that the water level remains high in these lakes —- and a thought I had was that a person could likely drill a hole and fish from the bridge in the shallow channel connecting the Kepler and Bradley Lakes. I don’t know if there would be any fish in that shallow water at this time, but if one did not walk out on the ice there would be no chance of falling through.

When I talked with an employee at 3 Rivers Fly and Tackle later on Tuesday, he mentioned knowing of a few people who had been out ice fishing already, but he also mentioned that Wasilla Lake had quite a bit of open water a couple days earlier. Neither one of us will be rushing out on a frozen lake for at least another week or two. When I go ice fishing, I always attempt to be extra cautious, especially one the first trip of the season -- or when going to a new location.

An article about being safe on lake ice — and not venturing out on ice on a Mat-Su river or stream in early November is par for the course from me. Over the years l’ve read too many articles about people falling through the ice or losing a vehicle into the ice in late November. If I go this time of year I like to check the ice by drilling at least one or more holes before venturing out too far over deeper water. I also don’t want to invest too much time and effort into going or traveling to a more distant water body this time of year. I know when I invest the time and effort to get ready and then travel to a location— it can be difficult to arrive and decide conditions are simply not safe enough to venture out on the ice. Easier to just wait a few more days or weeks until colder temperatures will have likely built considerably more ice. Cold temperatures ,for days at time with little snow cover on the forming ice, can build a strong ice layer quite quickly and especially on smaller and shallower lakes — that often cool more quickly. The wait should not be long now, although I will likely wait until I see other anglers out on the ice —or at least fishing lakes in the nearby vicinity — before I try my luck.

Matanuska Valley Fish and Game Advisory Committee

On Wednesday November 20 the committee will be considering fishery regulation proposals and developing comments concerning Prince William Sound / Copper River fisheries from 7 - 9 p.m. at the Wasilla VFW off of Lake View Drive. The public is invited to participate and provide insights. There is also an option for people to participate over the internet. For more information about the meeting see the Matanuska Valley Fish and Game Advisory Committee page on the Alaska Department of Fish and Game website.

Note: several proposals either directly or indirectly affecting the Chitina personal use dip net fishery, Copper River subsistence fisheries, and Gulkana River king salmon fishery will likely be commented on. Regulations adopted from these proposals by the Alaska Board of Fisheries could be in effect during the 2025 fishing season.

Good Luck and Fish On!