There is quite the allure to ice fishing. Yes, it’s both a sport and a hobby, but it’s more than that. Ice fishing provides a getaway from the noise and the daily grind. Out on the frozen water, it’s just you, the vast, quiet landscape, your potential catch and the loudness of your chattering teeth! It could have been a peaceful fishing trip, but someone forgot to dress appropriately. So, how do you stop spooking the fish with your chattering teeth and stay warm while ice fishing? Read on to find out.
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How To Dress for Ice Fishing – It’s All in the Layers!
Your mama has been dressing you in layers since you were a tiny tot. Then you hit your teens, and layers become so uncool. Ice-fishing clothing essentials are no different. What is, is figuring out how warm-blooded you are and if you’rethe fidgety type? Why is this important? Again, it goes back to layers. Not enough, you’ll be cold. Too many, and you’llbe sweating buckets.
1. The All Important Baselayer
Base layers, aka long johns or thermal underwear, are your best friend, no matter the winter activity. A quality base layer will wick moisture away from your body, control odour and insulate.
There are three types of base layers you should be aware of:
- Synthetic Base Layers are fast-drying, high-wicking polyester fabrics. Synthetics are ideal for high-performance activities.
- Merino Wool Base Layers are breathable, antimicrobial, non-itchy and soft. Merino wool is fantastic for low-impact activities.
- Merino-Blend Base Layers are more durable and softer than your typical Merino wool. Usually found as 80% Merino wool with 20% polyester. It’s the best of both worlds at an affordable price.
Here’s where things get tricky. While fishing, you are not working up a sweat – you’re pretty stationary for the most part. With mild winter temperatures, you can get away with wearing a skin-tight Merino-blend or synthetic base layer to keep you comfortable.
Once temperatures get colder and depending on how warm-blooded you are, add a thermal layer to your skin-tight base layer.
Note that a third base layer will be required when temperatures start running into the minus teens and below on those cold ice-fishing trips. My husband swears by his military polypropylene base layer to keep him warm. It’s not the prettiest thing, but it gets the job done.
2. Mid-layer
With our base layer all sorted out, we need a mid-layer for ice fishing warmth. A 3/4 pullover with thumb loopholes is an optimal mid-layer. The loopholes work great at keeping your wrists warm and prevent your sleeves from riding up and getting exposed to the elements. For colder days, layer on a pullover with wind-breaking qualities for added warmth.
3. Outer Layer
Some anglers will wear jeans over their base layers as the jean material will act as an insulator. On super cold days, they will layer the jeans with jogging pants and throw on a hoodie. The hood should stick out of the jacket to help keep your neck warm.
Our family does not step on the ice without a flotation suit. Since we snowmobile, we use our FXR jackets and pants, which removes the need for the outer layer. We have snowmobiled in -30 degree days wearing only a Merino base layer, tights for me, pants for my husband and our FXRs with no complaints of being cold.
If you’re not wearing a warm flotation or fishing suit, wear a long jacket to help keep your back and behind warm. Your jacket should have an insulated zipper to keep the wind from blowing on your chest and a removable liner for when you need to shed a layer.
As to snow pants, make sure your pants have padded knees. It makes fishing more comfortable and helps prevent the cold from getting into your joints. Your insulated snow pants should also have boot fasteners – these keep the pants from riding up and exposing your ankles to the cold. It also helps keep the water out.
How To Keep Feet Warm While Ice Fishing
Layering your socks is just as important. On a mild ice-fishing day, a thin wool sock will do. As the temperature drops, add thicker wool socks. Once cold or arctic conditions hit, wear a thick cotton sock over your two wool socks. The cotton sock helps with breathability.
Footwear for Cold Weather Fishing
Do not go on the ice without waterproof boots! On mild winter days, an insulated tall rubber boot will do, but once we head into cold temps, switch over to a heavy-duty insulated waterproof boot like Irish Setters, MuckBoots, or Baffin.
These boots have a rubberized coating on the lower part of the boot to prevent the water from seeping through.
When buying boots, buy one size larger than your regular shoe size to accommodate the extra socks. Boots with removable liners are easier to dry or wash.
Cold Weather Fishing Accessories
Most of our body heat escapes from the head. That is why it is so important to keep your head covered. You should wear a thick, heavy knit hat that covers your ears, followed by a neck gaiter to keep you nice and warm.
Ice Fishing Glove Options
As to gloves, a grippy rubber glove will do on mild winter days. You will swap these rubber gloves out for insulated leather gloves as temperatures near zero. Ice fishing gloves with wrist guards or insulated mittens will be your go-to when temps reach minus. Mittens naturally keep your fingers warmer as they keep your fingers together.
If it’s within the budget, heated gloves work remarkably well. Just make sure that the gloves are waterproof. We have a great post about heated gloves here.
Don’t Cheap Out on Basics!
Lastly, to stay warm when fishing, we highly suggest that your clothing budget goes towards quality boots, base layers and gloves. Cheap gloves and boots will wreak havoc on your fishing experience and may land you in trouble.
Hypothermia is not a joke! You may not notice the symptoms until it’s too late. That is why you need to take every precaution to avoid skin exposure. Read our ice safety post to familiarize yourself with the symptoms of hypothermia and what to do if you fall through a frozen body of water.
Final Thoughts
How to keep warm while fishing is easily done when you know how to layer correctly – ice fishing can become very miserable, very quickly if you don’t. No one on this planet enjoys being cold to the bone, nor does anyone like losing a catch because of cold hands or shivers. So, do yourself a favour, layer up and enjoy a day out on the ice.
I hope you enjoyed my how to stay warm while ice fishing guide. I would love to hear what you do to keep warm.
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I’ve never tried ice fishing, but it’s something I’d love to try (if I can overcome my impatience). I love your tips, merino wool is my go-to fabric for sub-zero temperatures, I couldn’t have survived without it in the Swedish Lapland. Thanks for sharing!
You can not go wrong with a quality Merino base layer. That’s all we usually wear under our snowmobile suits. Personally, ice fishing is way better with a companion!!
I’d like to try ice fishing but here in NC we don’t get temps cold enough. Really interesting info about layering and hypothermia. What sort of success do you get and what are some of the fish you catch?
Thank you for your comment! It’s too bad that you are not able to partake in ice fishing. It’s a fun sport, unless you’re in an ice hut, it’s not so fun in frigid temperatures. On our lake it’s mostly crappie, but friends of ours love fishing the Bay of Quinte inlet in Lake Ontario. There you’re catching mostly walleye. When frozen over, Lake Erie is pretty good for perch. As with a regular fishing season, there are good days and then there are days you’re counting snowflakes. 😉