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Proper equipment is critical when out ice fishing

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Outdoor Notes

LINCOLN – Ice-fishing can be a great way to beat cabin fever and it can be one of the best times of the year to catch fish. However, to take advantage of ice-fishing opportunities, some gear is essential to make the experience safe, comfortable and productive.

Never venture out onto the ice until it is certain that the ice is a safe thickness – that means 4 inches of new, clear ice.

Daryl Bauer, fisheries outreach program manager for the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, has the following recommendations for essential ice-fishing equipment:

Clothing – Many boots are available that have removable liners that are rated for temperatures well below zero. Spend as much money as you can afford on a good pair of boots because you will be standing on the ice.

The key to staying warm is layering. Begin with a base layer of silk or synthetic underwear and add layers. Wool garments provide excellent insulation and will maintain warmth even when damp. Outer layers may include sweat shirts and jackets covered by heavy parkas, bibs or coveralls. Carry at least a couple pairs of gloves or mittens. Remove layers during periods of activity to avoid sweating and add layers back on during periods of inactivity.

Safety – The best tool for checking ice thickness is an ice chisel or spud bar that may be used to strike the ice and evaluate conditions. Commercial or homemade ice picks should be worn around your neck in case the worst happens and you need something to grip the ice and pull yourself out of the water. Ice creepers or ice cleats are great for keeping you on your feet. Wearing a life jacket is a good idea until you are sure the ice is safe. All ice anglers should have a long piece of rope in case of emergency.

Ice holes – A spud bar may be used to make holes in the ice, but ice augers make the job easier. Hand augers are relatively inexpensive and would be the best investment for beginning ice anglers. Once a person is ready to make a greater investment, powered augers make the job even easier. An ice skimmer is essential for scooping ice chunks from holes.

Rods and reels, hooks and bait – Beginners may use their open-water fishing rods and reels. Specialized, shorter, ice fishing rods allow anglers to sit closer to their ice holes while they are fishing. There are a variety of ice-fishing rods on the market, or anglers can manufacture their own using broken open-water rods.

Think small and light for most ice-fishing tackle. Fish metabolism rates are slower during the winter so light lines with relatively small hooks, jigs or spoons tipped with wax worms or maggots are the best ice-fishing tools for most species of fish.

Borrow a child’s sled to haul your equipment onto the ice. Use heavier lines and larger baits for pike and other large predator fish.

Section of Cowboy Trail closed east of Valentine

LINCOLN – The Cowboy Trail between the Niobrara River and the Hwy. 20 parking lot outside of Valentine is closed, due to user safety concerns, until further notice. Significant hillside erosion has occurred near the trail and will require repair.

The bridge over the Niobrara River is accessible from any trail access point in Valentine but will no longer be accessible by the Hwy. 20 parking lot.

Other trail closures caused by damage from 2019 flooding can be viewed on a map at Maps.OutdoorNebraska.gov/Trails.

PATH has mentored

hunting opportunities for

youth over Holiday break

LINCOLN — Plenty of Christmas break mentored hunting opportunities exist for youth under age 18 through the Passing Along the Heritage (PATH) Program.

Lake Wanahoo, in Saunders County, has seven separate units totaling 1,067 acres available for mentored youth hunting. Many of them are available during the Christmas break.

To locate and reserve a site, and obtain a permission slip, visit OutdoorNebraska.org/PATH using the Internet Explorer browser. A mentor must possess a permission slip at all times of the youth hunt. Mentors may enroll for PATH up to five times annually.

PATH provides Nebraska youth and their mentors access to hunt on private lands and selected public lands. Only youth under age of 18 may hunt on these sites. The mentor is there to help the youth and ensure a safe hunting experience.

The program is made possible by a partnership between the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, National Wild Turkey Federation, National Shooting Sports Foundation and Nebraska landowners. The Lower Platte North Natural Resources District manages the habitat in cooperation with Game and Parks and Pheasants Forever.

January outdoor

calendar

LINCOLN, Neb. – The following is a listing of Nebraska Game and Parks Commission (NGPC) events and important dates in March. Get more event details at Calendar.OutdoorNebraska.gov. Visit OutdoorNebraska.org for a list of hunter education classes and boating safety classes.

Jan. 1 – First Day Hike, Platte River State Park (SP), Louisville; Chadron SP, Chadron; Fort Kearny State Recreation Area (SRA), Kearney; Johnson Lake SRA, Elwood; Ash Hollow State Historical Park (SHP), Lewellen; Buffalo Bill SHP, North Platte; Smith Falls SP, Valentine; Red Willow SRA, McCook; Wildcat Hills SRA, Gering; Ponca SP, Ponca; Indian Cave SP, Shubert; Eugene T. Mahoney SP, Ashland; Mormon Island SRA, Doniphan; Branched Oak SRA, Raymond; Rock Creek Station SHP, Fairbury; Wagon Train SRA, Hickman

Jan. 2 – Application period begins for Super Tag and Combo multispecies lottery permits

Jan. 3 – Christmas Bird Count for Kids, Schramm Education Center, Gretna

Jan. 4 – Custer and the Royal Buffalo Hunt of 1872, Fort Atkinson SHP, Fort Calhoun

Jan. 5 – Duck and coot hunting seasons close in Zone 3, Low Plains and High Plains units

Jan. 6 – Discover Ice-Fishing classroom event, Nebraska Game and Parks Outdoor Education Center, Lincoln

Jan. 6-27 – Duck and coot hunting seasons in zones 2 and 3, High Plains Unit

Jan. 7 – Big game informational meeting, David City Auditorium, David City

Jan. 8 – Prescribed burn training workshop, Ainsworth Community Center, Ainsworth

Jan. 9 – Big game informational meeting, American Legion, Bennet; Lifelong Learning Center, Norfolk

Jan. 11 – Cold Day, Warm Hearts and Family Fun, Eugene T. Mahoney SP, Ashland

Jan. 11 – Discover Ice-Fishing on-ice event, Holmes Lake, Lincoln

Jan. 13 – First day of spring turkey hunting permit sales

Jan. 13 – Crow hunting season opens statewide

Jan. 13 – Big game informational meeting, Chadron State College Student Center, Chadron

Jan. 14 – Little Saplings Early Childhood Nature Discovery Program, Schramm Education Center, Gretna

Jan. 14 – Big game informational meeting, Custer County Fairgrounds Extension Building, Broken Bow

Jan. 14 – Birds and Books Educator Workshop, Educational Service Unit (ESU) No. 7, Columbus

Jan. 15 – Antlerless elk season closes

Jan. 15 – Youth, Landowner, Season Choice and River Antlerless, and Gifford WMA deer hunting seasons close

Jan. 15 – Prescribed burn training workshop, Red Cloud Community Center, Red Cloud

Jan. 15 – Big game informational meeting Wildcat Hills Nature Center, Scottsbluff/Gering

Jan. 16 – Prescribed burn training workshop, Lancaster County UNL Extension, Lincoln

Jan. 16 – Big game informational meeting, Lake McConaughy Visitors Center, Ogallala; St. Paul Civic Center, St. Paul

Jan. 17 – Dark goose hunting season closes in North Central Unit

Jan. 17 – Prescribed burn training workshop, Upper Loup Natural Resources District, Thedford

Jan. 18 – Nebraska Fish and Game Association Discover Ice-Fishing classroom event, Yanney Heritage Park ERC, Kearney

Jan. 18-Feb. 9 – Statewide light goose and white-fronted goose hunting seasons

Jan. 19 – Schramm Sunday Speaker Series, Schramm Education Center, Gretna

Jan. 19 – Discover Ice-Fishing on-ice event, Fort Kearny Lake No. 6, Kearney

Jan. 21 – Prescribed burn training workshop, North Platte NRD, Scottsbluff

Jan. 21 – Insect Investigations Educator Workshop, ESU No. 7, Columbus

Jan. 22 – Nebraska Game and Parks Commission meeting, Lincoln

Jan. 23 – Prescribed burn training workshop, Northeast Community College Lifelong Learning Center, Norfolk