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Home > Learn to Fish & Boat > Ice Fishing > Ice Fishing Basics > Ice Fishing Safety
Ice fishing is a fun outdoor activity, especially when done safely. Simple things can be done to have a fun, safe outing. Follow these ice fishing safety tips to enjoy a safe day on the water.
To maximize ice fishing safety when enjoying winter fishing outing, it is important to know a few things about ice.
One of the most important ice fishing basics is that of following ice thickness guidelines. While most anglers know intuitively that thin ice can be extremely dangerous, fewer may know that white ice or "snow ice" is only about half as strong as new clear ice. Follow the ice thickness recommendations below to maximize fishing safety.
Note: These guidelines are for new, clear solid ice. Many factors other than thickness can cause ice to be unsafe. Double the above thickness guidelines when traveling on white ice to ensure ice safety.
The following guidelines can help you make safe choices:
Content courtesy of Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
The largemouth bass is the most popular freshwater game fish in the U.S. Learn more about how you can identify a largemouth bass, where to catch it and what bait and lures to use.
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