I and the rest of the Frozen Chosen are anxiously awaiting the freezing over of a number of area lakes and it’s pretty obvious that safe ice may still be a couple of weeks away.

Last year many of us ice-fishing types were already fishing on four inches of hard ice by Christmas. While we are anxious to start putting holes in the ice it’s very important to keep safety a top priority when venturing out onto a frozen lake.

If you are new to ice-fishing it’s probably a good idea to go with someone you know and trust; at least for the first couple of times until you learn to "read" the lake and the ice cover. There are some basic guidelines to help you assess safe ice but thickness alone should not be your sole criterion; for example, hard clear ice is stronger than cloudy ice. Four inches of hard, clear ice is generally considered safe for a single person while six inches of hard, clear ice handles several fishermen in close proximity. If the weather remains favorable eight or ten inches of ice is usually available by mid season and will handle large numbers of ice-fishermen and the drilling is still fairly quick and easy.

In addition to the amount of ice and the quality of the ice it’s also important to watch the weather especially when ice is first forming. Constant freezing and thawing can weaken ice and rain can be especially detrimental to ice. Even wind can have an affect on ice formation. A number of years ago I drove by a local lake and checked the ice formation on the lake over a week long span. Windy conditions had not allowed a couple of holes near the center of the cove to close up despite cold weather; the holes froze over a week later than the rest of the lake. A light layer of snow covered the lake making it look like a uniform layer of ice existed when in fact the late freezing holes had only an inch compared to four of five everywhere else. Unfortunately an ice-fisherman went through the ice and lost his life. This is one of the reasons I like to check a lake several times as it is freezing over since a lake may not necessarily freeze over in a uniform manor; there are other factors besides wind and weather that may affect how a lake freezes such as changing depths, springs, cover and streams that enter a lake causing a barely discernible current. You should also be careful of pressure ridges where ice has heaved up. As the ice-fishing season winds down all of these factors should be carefully watched since warming weather and rain will only serve to amplify the concerns already mentioned.

It’s important that ice-fishermen, especially if you are new to the business, not simply stroll out across the ice in the direction of a group of fishermen assuming the shortest distance to their location is the best route. Remember lakes don’t always freeze uniformly and those already on the ice may have taken a safer route. If I can’t check a lake myself I like to check with someone who lives near the lake or works in the area to give me updated information.

Without snow cover ice can be very slippery and all ice-fishermen should have a pair of cleats or ice-grippers; it may take a few minutes to put them on but it may be well worth it. I once saw a fellow ice-fisherman land flat on his back while using the back of his head as a battering ram on the rock hard ice; he fished with a headache the rest of the day. I usually carry an extra pair in case I take a guest with me.

It’s also a good idea to have a pair of ice-spikes on a lanyard around your neck in the event you actually go through; they are nothing more than a metal spike in the end of a four or five inch wooden dowel. The two dowels fit together covering the spikes; when needed you pull them apart and drive them into the ice giving you something to hold onto to pull yourself back out.

Whenever possible try to fish with a partner or at least be somewhere near where other fishermen can see if you need help. Some guys carry a throw rope in their ice-fishing sled in case they have to execute an ice rescue. A tree branch can be used to reach out to someone that has gone through. I even know of one case where an ice-fisherman pushed his ice-sled to the fisherman who had gone through and then helped to pull him to safety while keeping a safe distance.

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Ardent anglers carry a fiery passion deep within. They approach the sport with an unquenchable thirst that necessitates never-ending involvement. Finding a connection in the days away from the water is crucial, especially during the winter months; for it is now when opportunities to fish are limited. Through diverse discoveries we remain connected to our avocation. No matter the course, each participant finds something special and satisfying.

The angler’s art takes them in many directions. They experience the joys of their sport in countless ways. Building fishing rods, making lures or plugs, or tying flies are all wonderful pastimes that bring fishermen full circle, keeping them involved during the off-season. Gratification in fishing possibly comes as much from preparation, as from participation.

No greater pleasure comes to an angler than the victory felt by catching a fish on a fly they have tied. This exuberant feeling escalated when the fly has been personally created. At one time or another all fly tiers let their creative imagination cultivate a concoction that they proudly call their own. Bits of fur, feather, and tinsel (and synthetics in the modern world of fly tying) are attached to a bent piece of steel. Flies are fashioned to resemble some natural food upon which the fish feed, or are just colorful or have enticing movement when fished that is supposed to attract the finned predators by appealing to their reflexive instincts.

Don’t let the finished product intimidate you. Tying flies is not difficult, but reaching a level of certification among serious tiers takes years of practice and discipline. However, it is easy, even for children, to assemble a few flies that will catch trout, bass, or bluegills. Flies consisting of one or two materials are easy and quick to construct. If fact, some of the best fish-catching flies of all time fall into this category.

If you, a family member or friend have an interest in learning to tie flies there is no better way of getting a solid start than attending a class offered by those experienced at the craft. Although many self-taught tiers have reached incredible levels of proficiency, you will save countless hours and frustration by watching demonstrations and receiving hands-on help. Attending one of these classes is also a wonderful way to get a youngster more involved with the sport. Those youthful hands are incredibly dexterous; probably from all the use they get playing video games or text messaging.

The Country Store Fly Shop in Waterville, 753-8241, will be holding 5 seminars on fly tying/fishing different aquatic insects with Dave Rothrock. These seminars are "free" and begin Jan. 14. Call for information.

For those individuals that can not fit one of the fly tying classes into their busy schedule or prefer to work in the comfort of their own home, the second edition of The Complete Book of Fly Tying by master fly tier Eric Leiser comes highly recommended. Originally published in 1977, the 2008 edition provides fool-proof directions for tying all types of flies. Included are basic instructions for tying the various types and styles of flies, and patterns for the most important flies in each category. Step-by-step illustrations by master tier Dave Whitlock and photographs by Gus Nevros give visual reinforcement to Leiser’s immensely helpful discussion of tools, materials, and their characteristic behaviors during the process of tying.