Ice fishing has grown more popular in Colorado over the past decade. In fact, nearly one third of all Colorado anglers engage in the activity between December and late February. To encourage this winter pastime, Colorado Parks and Wildlife stocked thousands of catchable rainbow trout in many ice fishing waters this fall. The fish average is about 11 inches, but some run bigger. Of course, trout aren’t the only species that are sought by knowledgeable ice fishermen. Other quarry include crappie, kokanee salmon, lake trout, walleye and yellow perch. Many of the state’s most popular waters contain a mix of these species, along with various trout species.
One thing to be mindful of is thin ice. Even if the weather has been well below freezing for some time, ice can still be marginal. The general rule of thumb for safe ice is two inches thick for one person, three inches for a group in single file and eight inches will support a car. Another important rule of safety is to never fish alone. Not only is the judgment of two or more people better than one. But if someone does fall through the ice, help is right there so the victim can be pulled out quickly.
For more information, check out the statewide Ice Fishing Opportunities, which is updated approximately once a month from December through March by Colorado Parks and Wildlife aquatic biologists. For more information on safety, see Ice Fishing Safety.