Ice fishing a river

[Dewey Cox]

It is my understanding that fishing through the ice on a river isn't allowed.
Here's a ripple though: what if that river turns into a reservoir?
Saw a couple guys enjoying a beautiful day between the highway and the old highway on the forestburg resevoir/battle river yesterday.
I didn't even get a chance to say anything and my wife piped up
"You are NOT fishing there!"
I think they're making less power at the plant, and the ice is froze over further downstream.
But I think my wife would have a nervous breakdown if she knew I was out there were it never used to freeze over.
When I was a kid we used to fish the open water from shore right where the border of the ice was with a bobber just as we would have if we were ice fishing.

Anyway, the point of this rambling is, if a fish cop were driving by, do you think these guys would have got a ticket?

[elk eater]

I don’t see why they wouldn’t be allowed to. A reservoir is not considered main stream IMO.

[pikeman06]

I saw those guys too. According to the regs they call from the 855 Bridge west a river. They would be in the wrong for ice fishing although they could legally fish if it was warm and open water. They also use the term "river" on the downstream side in the same regulations for the reservoir. In my opinion I would not icefish the west side of that Bridge. Never seen any one ice fish over there in the 25 years I've lived in the area but I did see those guys in the red Eskimo tent the other day.

[brad925]

I talked to a guy that was down there fishing awhile back.Said the ice was about 12 to 12.5 inches thick there. He said the fishing Was good. The day before he had caught 35 and one was 40". Kept a couple 30 inchers let the rest go.

[mikeym]

if i read the regs correctly, it only states that you are not allowed to fish thru the ice on streams and rivers in the ES1 & ES2 areas. so by reading this and the regs that state that some rivers are open all year, i would take that as meaning that you can ice fish rivers in all the other zones if safe to do so. they also have a section on ice fishing safely that states to be sure to check ice thickness on rivers before proceeding with fishing.

there was a thread on this a month or so ago and i think that was the conclusion also.

don't take this as gospel but just my interpertation of the regs.

Mike

[Dewey Cox]

Thanks for the input mikeym.
I did see that recent thread about ice fishing rivers.
It's amazing what you can find out if you actually read the regs...
I always just had it in my head that fishing through ice into flowing waters was against the regulations, but I honestly can't say how that got into my head. Maybe I read it on the zone specific regs, or maybe it came to me in a dream, who knows.

I've been by there a handful of times since I posted this thread, and with a glance down at highway speeds, it didn't look like that spot has seen much more action.
But maybe with Brad's post above that may change...

[mikeym]

should of said all ES zones, not 1 & 2 only.

very true. will probably be a zoo next weekend now that the word is out.

Mike

[MAX9241]

I was interested in the very same question and I’ve spoke to fish officer about it and basically he said there is nothing what not allowing you to fish on river in pp1 and pp2.
That’s what a regulation says about that. And the officer said that it’s a recent change he also added quote: “if you want to go through the ice just go for it”


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[Dewey Cox]

Originally Posted by MAX9241

]
That’s what a regulation says about that. And the officer said that it’s a recent change he also added quote: “if you want to go through the ice just go for it”


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Just to clarify, when he said "it's a recent change" do you mean that ice fishing a river in pp2 has only recently been allowed?
I only ask, because that would explain where I got that notion from (former regulations)

[Who Da Fisherman]

It was a no go in the 2018 regs, not sure of the 2019 regs, but for sure a clear go in the 2020 regs, except in es 1 and 2.
WDF