FISHING — Thinning ice has caused the Idaho Department of Fish and Game to cancel the Take Me Fishing ice fishing event planned for Saturday, (Feb. 23) at Hauser Lake, officials announced Tuesday evening.

Ice conditions can change every day with fluctuating temperatures and changing water levels. Because of that, anglers must be very careful before venturing out on the ice. Ice that is at least 4” thick is safe if it is clear. Anything less or with bubbles embedded in it can be weak and dangerous.

 

Anglers looking for late season ice fishing opportunities could look at Upper Twin and Lower Twin lakes which tend to hold ice longer than most area waters. As of President’s Day there was solid ice on both. However, the channel between the lakes thins out early.

 

Some of the Boundary County lakes may have safe ice.

FISHING — Stocked with fishing tackle, Idaho Fish and Game's Take Me Fishing Trailer  is scheduled through out North Idaho in the next few weeks. The next event is Thursday at Hauser Lake.

Fishing equipment and bait can be checked out for free during the scheduled times listed. Reservations are not needed and equipment is checked out on a first-come, first-served basis. 

Participants will be able to fish without a license during the hours of the events at the event locations, however all other rules such as size limits and species limits apply.

Idaho children 13 years old and under can always fish for free. These events give their parents, older siblings and friends the opportunity to try fishing without purchasing a license.

The only thing kids and their parents need to do is show up!

Read on for the continuing schedule for May and June:

FISHING — A free event to introduce people to ice fishing is set for Saturday (Feb. 11) at Cocolalla Lake south of Sandpoint, sponsored by Idaho Fish and Game Department.

Everything about the event is free, including bait and the fishing equipment available to borrow. Free hot dogs and hot chocolate will be served. Volunteers from Fish and Game and Cabela's will be augering the holes in the ice. No fishing license is required during the hours of the event, 9 a.m.-1 p.m.

Idaho Fish and Game is sponsoring this Take Me Fishing event two weeks after a big crowd flocked to the first ice fishing event at Hauser Lake.

Cocolalla Lake is on the west side of U.S. Highway 95 between Athol and Sandpoint.  The trailer and barbeque will be at the boat launch/campground on the north end of the lake.  Follow the “Sportsman Access” signs on the west side of US 95 just north of the Westmond store. 

Read on for more details.

FISHING — This photo illustrates the crowd that can be attracted by offering the free loan of ice fishing gear.

More than 350 people showed up at Hauser Lake Saturday for an Idaho Fish and Game Department Take Me Fishing event. They borrowed gear, feasted on free hot dogs and hot chocolate and fished through the ice for a few hours with no licenses required.

ANGLING — Saturday's free ice-fishing event at Hauser Lake, organized by Idaho Fish and Game, was a huge success in luring people of all ages to try the sport.

Lots of credit to go around, but you have to give a big high five for service beyond the call of duty to the three sportsmen who were ice fishing at the lake when they saw the organizers being overwhelmed by people eager to borrow fishing gear from the Take Me Fishing trailer.

The three anglers put their gear away and helped the newbie anglers for the rest of the day, said Phil Cooper, IFG spokesman.

“The event was scheduled to start at 11 am.  When we arrived at 9:20, we had people waiting,” he said.  “We had them help us set up the trailer and then gave them equipment to start fishing.” 

Cooper counted more than 260 people at one time getting gear or on the solid 8 inches of ice trying to hook a fish. Two IFG biologists were drilling ice fishing holes as fast as they could with a gas-powered auger.

The volunteer crew, which included five IFG employees and three Cabela's employees, helped at least 350 people get a taste of fishing — not to mention a taste of the 496 hot dogs and 23 gallons of hot chocolate served free to the crowd.

“The fish were not as cooperative as we would have liked, however, there were some yellow perch, bluegills and one large largemouth bass caught,” Cooper said.

“One man stopped as he was leaving and said he had a blast and had never ice fished before because he had always been afraid to walk on the ice.  I asked him how old he was and he said he will turn 70 in a week.  So, for him this event helped him overcome 70 years of reluctance to go ice fishing.  He said he was heading from the event to Cabela’s to buy an ice auger!”

People participating did not need a fishing license during the hours of the event, regardless age or whether they were from Idaho or Washington.

ICE FISHING — Nobody will be left out in the cold on Saturday during a free ice-fishing event at Hauser Lake, 11 a.m.-2 p.m., sponsored by the Idaho Fish and Game Department.

The agency will loan free fishing gear from the Take Me Fishing trailer on the fishing access site at the south end of the lake off Hauser Lake Road.

Volunteers will drill holes in the ice for participants and help new anglers get started, said Phil Cooper, IFG spokesman. Free hot dogs and hot chocolate will be served.

The parking area is scheduled to be plowed and the restrooms will be open.

 Youths under 14 years never need a fishing license to wet a line in Idaho, but during the hours of the event, older anglers also can fish without a license, Cooper said.

”These events give their parents, older siblings and friends the opportunity to try fishing without purchasing a license,” he said, noting that the agency held 28 Take Me Fishing events across the state last spring. Saturday’s event will be the Panhandle Region’s first session on ice-fishing.