Ask Fish and Game: Ice Fishing

Q. If someone 13 or under doesn't need a license, can they still fish through five holes in the ice? A. Yes. Any angler may fish through the ice with up to five poles or lines and up to five hooks per line. (There are some exceptions in the Southeast Region, please see the 2011-2012 fishing rules brochure for details.) A two-pole validation does not allow more than five lines while ice fishing. All lines must be attended by the angler. For safety reasons, holes may be no larger than 10 inches in diameter - except on Bear Lake in Southeast Idaho where anglers may dip net cisco through any size hole. Anglers may use gaff hooks only to land fish through a hole cut or broken in the ice in waters that have no length restrictions or harvest closures for that species. Anglers who use any enclosure or shelter for ice fishing and plan to leave it unattended overnight on the ice, must have the owner's name, telephone number, and current address legibly marked on two opposing sides. Shelters must be removed from the ice before the spring thaw.