Iowa’s Ice Anglers Welcome the Weekend’s Frigid Forecast

While many Iowans are bracing for dangerously cold wind chills this weekend, ice anglers across the state are cheering the forecast.

The bitter cold is expected to help solidify ice cover, especially in areas that have struggled to lock up so far this winter.

Scott Grummer, a fisheries biologist with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources at Clear Lake and an avid ice fisherman himself, says the colder temperatures are badly needed in parts of the state.

“The southeast part of the state has very little ice right now, zero to three inches,” Grummer says. “As you move into north-central and northwest Iowa, we’re seeing five to eight inches of ice. It’s usable with caution in the northern half of the state, but the southern half could definitely use more cold.”

The Iowa DNR recommends at least four inches of clear ice for foot traffic and ice fishing. Snowmobiles and ATVs should wait for five to seven inches, while larger off-road vehicles need seven inches or more.

Despite recent snowfall, Grummer cautions that snow can actually slow ice formation.

“Snow acts like an insulating blanket,” he says. “In areas where snow has piled up, especially near shorelines, ice can be thinner — or even nonexistent — underneath.”

Grummer emphasizes that no ice is ever completely safe. New ice is typically stronger than old ice, river ice is weaker than lake ice, and bluish ice is generally safer than clear ice.

For anglers, ice fishing offers a chance to extend the season.

“If you’re an angler, it opens up months when most people have their gear put away,” Grummer says. “You can fish spots in winter that you can’t reach during the open-water season.”

In addition to ice fishing, the cold snap is also welcomed by Iowans who enjoy snowmobiling, ice skating, and fat-tire biking — all sports that depend on sustained winter weather.