Ice fishing for beginners in Canada

This is a general guide written by Ice Fish Canada for people who have never fished through the ice. It is not a report from any one lake and it is not a substitute for the official rules or for your own judgement on the ice.

1. Get the licence and read the rules

• In Canada, fishing rules are set by each province and territory, and most anglers need a licence to fish. Who needs one, what it costs and where to buy it differs by province, so check your province's official site before you go.
• Limits, size rules, bait rules and closures can differ from lake to lake, and winter rules can differ from summer rules. The official provincial guide is the law.
• Every lake page on this site links to the official regulations for its province.

2. Make a safety plan before you gear up

• Never assume the ice is safe. Thickness changes from day to day and from spot to spot, and moving water, springs, pressure ridges, cracks and shorelines are often thinner.
• One published guideline asks for at least 15 cm (6 in) of ice for walking and ice fishing, and at least 25 cm (10 in) for snowmobiles and light ATVs. Keep off ice under 10 cm (4 in). See the figures and their source.
• Drill a test hole and measure, then keep checking as you walk out. Do not go alone if you can help it, and tell someone where you are going and when you will be back.
• Carry a set of ice picks around your neck, where you can reach them if you fall in, plus a phone in a waterproof bag. Consider a flotation suit.
• Take a first-time trip with an experienced angler or a guide if you can.

3. Basic gear

• Warm clothing in layers, insulated boots and a windproof outer layer. Cold feet end more trips than cold fish.
• An ice auger (hand or powered) and a skimmer to clear slush and ice from the hole.
• A short ice rod and reel with light line, or a tip-up for pike and trout.
• A few lures and bait: small jigs and spoons, and live bait or minnows where the rules allow them.
• A sled to haul gear, a bucket or seat, and a way to get warm, such as a shelter or a flip-over hut.
• A depth finder or a weighted line helps you learn how deep you are and where fish hold.

4. Choose a lake

• Start with a lake that has public access, a boat launch or parking area and other anglers around. Other anglers' holes and tracks can show you where the ice has been safe recently.
• Look for a lake with the species you want. Browse the lake pages or the species guides. Fish records on this site come from provincial open data and our own research and are not complete.
• Check the lake's page for the regulations summary and any ice reports from anglers, and treat a report as one spot on one day.

5. On the ice

• Drill a hole, clear it and drop your line near the bottom, then lift it a little and jig gently. Try different depths if nothing bites.
• If you are not getting bites after a while, move to a new hole rather than waiting. Mobility is a big part of ice fishing.
• Keep only what the rules allow, and release the rest quickly and carefully. Leave no garbage behind, and take your gear off the ice when you leave.
• Log what you catch. Your own notes show you which depths, lures and times worked.

Where to go next

• Ice thickness guidance
• Pick a species: walleye, northern pike, yellow perch, lake trout
• Pick your province: Alberta · British Columbia · Manitoba · New Brunswick · Newfoundland and Labrador · Nova Scotia · Northwest Territories · Nunavut · Ontario · Prince Edward Island · Quebec · Saskatchewan · Yukon

Ice is never 100% safe. You decide whether to go on the ice and you do so at your own risk. Regulations change: always confirm the current rules with the province. See the terms.

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