Cold weather is here, and with it, the first ice of the season. I have already had anglers asking if the ice on a particular lake is thick enough to venture onto. While it will not be long before your favorite lake has ice that looks thick enough to support ice fishing, that is only one part of the puzzle.

When it comes to ice fishing, there is one consideration more important than bait, lure, rod/reel or even whether you should wear your lucky hat. Successful ice fishing comes down to one thing: having safe ice. After all, what good is a full creel if it is lying next to you at the bottom of the lake when you fall through? Unfortunately, many ice anglers do not know how to tell if the ice is safe. They will head out onto the ice as soon as it is thick enough to hold their weight, without realising that thickness is only one factor to consider.

Not all ice is created equal

Water freezes at different rates for many reasons, even on the same body of water.

1. Water near the shore freezes first and also thaws first. If this ice is weak, do not jump over or bridge it to get to the many waters.

2. Flowing water not only freezes differently it also presents additional dangers should you fall in. Be very wary of ice with flowing water underneath, whether on a river or on a lake near a feeder stream.

3. Large bodies of water will take longer to freeze and become safe.

4. Salt or brackish water takes colder temperatures to freeze safely.

Use all your senses when checking ice conditions

1. Look for signs of weak or deteriorated ice. Cracks, holes, open water, flowing water and standing water are all reasons to stay on shore.

2. Listen for changes as you proceed. If the ice starts popping or cracking, make sure it is normal before proceeding.

3. If you feel uncomfortable when on the ice, turn back.

Color is another factor in determining ice quality

Even if the ice is thick enough, it may not be considered good ice. Good ice, of quality ice, is stronger than bad ice and requires less thickness to hold your weight. If you encounter bad ice, it will need to be thicker before venturing out on it.

1. Light grey or black – weak, melting ice. It will rarely be able to hold any significant weight and may even have thinner spots.

2. White or opaque – indicates wet snow frozen on top of the main ice layer. Again, this is unsafe and may contain air pockets.

3. Mottled – this is the worst ice out there and indicates open water is just around the corner. Never walk on mottled ice.

4. Blue or clear – strongest, safest ice of the season. It must still be at least 4-inches thick before it will hold an adult’s weight.

As you can see, there is much more to safe ice than thickness alone. Learning to identify safe ice is a learned skill, and I suggest that you either visit areas monitored for safe conditions or take along an experienced partner while you are learning to read conditions.

Good luck, good fishing.

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Tom Burrell is a retired Waterways Conservation Officer, veteran and lifelong outdoorsman. He now spends his days hunting, fishing and sharing his experiences with readers.