Ice fishing for families: Get your jig on this winter

The temperatures have dropped and lakes around the Mat-Su Valley are beginning to freeze over. These lakes provide ice fishing opportunities for anglers throughout the winter. Ice fishing is a great family activity to get outside and enjoy sharing a common goal of reeling in the big one.

Samantha Oslund, an Area Management Sport Fish Biologist based out of the Palmer Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADFG) office, is a proponent for getting people interested in ice fishing.

“It's a great activity to cure the doldrums of the long, dark days that we have,” Oslund said. “It's a super easy activity. It's great for kids.”

ADFG offers a Rod Loaner Program through many of their offices across the state. Anglers can borrow basic ice fishing equipment that includes an ice rod with tackle, a hand auger to drill holes through the ice and an ice scoop to keep holes open. Proof of fishing license for residents over the age of 18 and non-residents over the age of 16 are required to check out gear. Anglers should also know the regulations of the waters they are fishing. Oslund suggests visiting the Palmer ADFG office for more information.

“If you're just the average angler [that’s] interested, you might as well try our gear and then see if it's something that you really enjoy doing,” Oslund said.

3 Rivers Fly and Tackle in Wasilla has a knowledgeable staff that can answer any questions about purchasing gear. They can provide fishing reports and point anglers in the right direction. The shop also hosts rod building classes during the winter.

“We have everything to get you started gear wise,” 3 Rivers Fly and Tackle employee Saul Correa said. “We have all the tackle necessary.”

Lakes around the Valley are stocked by ADFG with arctic char, rainbow trout, chinook salmon and lake trout. Popular spots near town include the Matanuska Lakes State Recreation Area, Lucille Lake and Finger Lake.

Light rods and tackle are all that is necessary for most fishing in the Valley. Small hooks and soft plastic jigs tipped with a piece of salad shrimp or salmon eggs is a popular way to target stocked fish.

ADFG provides a comprehensive list of lakes, fish stocking reports, public access and bathymetric maps on their Alaska Lake Database. The database can be found at: https://www.adfg.alaska.gov/SF_Lakes/

“That is a very useful tool for someone that's new to the area,” Correa said.

Oslund also suggested ice fishing for northern pike. Northern pike are an invasive species to southcentral Alaska and there is no limit on northern pike in the Valley. Catch-and-release for northern pike is prohibited.

“They taste good, they're fun to fish for and they're fun to fish on tip-ups,” Oslund said.

Targeting northern pike incorporates the use of tip-ups. Tip-ups consist of a free-spooling line that runs from the surface of the ice to a bait secured to a hook. When a fish bites the hook and begins to pull the line, a flag will “tip-up” to alert the angler that a fish has taken the bait. The fish is then fought by hand as the angler pulls the line and eventually the fish through the ice..

Oslund emphasized safety while ice fishing. According to a recent press release from ADFG, four inches of ice is safe to walk on. Six inches are required for the use of snow machines and 8-12 inches for cars and small trucks. Larger vehicles should stay off of lakes until there is 12-15 inches of ice. Several Valley lakes have groomed snow roads for vehicle travel later in winter. Ice fishermen should be familiar with how to rescue themselves with ice retrieval devices such as wearable ice picks. Local sporting goods stores and tackle shops can provide some of the latest ice reports.

Cold weather gear is necessary for staying safe on the ice. Layers of wool, polyester and down or synthetic insulation will keep anglers comfortable. Gloves, a warm hat and insulated boots are important as well. Frozen lakes are often exposed to the elements and anglers will be vulnerable while standing on the ice.

Community events like the Jewel Lake Jamboree in Anchorage are how Correa and his family started ice fishing. He suggests staying up to date with similar events that might be offered in the Valley this winter.

Correa said that ice fishing has extended his fishing season while also combatting the “cabin fever” that often comes along with the cold, dark periods of winter in Alaska. He encourages other anglers to do the same.

“Honestly, I look at it as therapy,” Correa said. “Taking my kids out there, showing them something new, taking that screen time off, and just getting out there and doing something fun. And then on top of catching dinner. It's just hard to beat. We have this in our backyard.”