Leah Golding is a reporter with Community News Service, part of the University of Vermont’s Reporting & Documentary Storytelling program.
Over 700 people ventured to Elmore State Park on a recent Saturday for license-free fishing, educational presentations and freshly fried fish as part of the state’s 11th annual Vermont Free Ice Fishing Day.
“I think it helps us stay connected to our Vermont heritage,” said attendee Ashley Reynolds of Elmore, who was there with her husband, Colin, helping her son with his line. The family hadn’t caught anything yet but was patiently waiting for a bite.
“We’re both from Vermont, and we raise our kids this way. We loved doing this as kids and we want to continue that tradition.”
The Jan. 27 festival featured different educational stations for participants to rotate through as they walked on the frozen Lake Elmore, including presentations on ice safety, fish identification, knot tying, hole drilling and setting up a tip-up — a device used to hold bait in ice fishing in lieu of a hand-held fishing pole. The Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department geared the event toward those who lack a fishing license and supplied free gear to anyone who didn’t bring their own, said Corey Hart, an educational specialist for the department.
“It’s really just about getting people excited to go fishing,” he said.
The crowd included families with young children, experienced anglers, locals and visitors, all there for a day out on the ice. A persistent snowfall covered the trees surrounding the lake and prompted anglers to take advantage of the free hot chocolate.
“I think this event is awesome,” said Colin Reynolds, adding soon after, “It draws a pretty good crowd, and it gets people out and participating in a pretty traditional activity, and everyone has a blast.”
“It’s really great for the kids, you know. They don’t care if they catch anything, they just like to be out here,” he said.
Warmer temperatures have raised safety concerns on the ice recently, after three men last year fell through and drowned at a tournament on Lake Champlain. Anglers should take precautions to prevent accidents, said Ali Thomas, director of the outreach division at the Fish & Wildlife Department.
“Especially this year, don’t take for granted spots that have always been safe,” she said. “Make sure you talk to local bait shops, talk to local anglers and check the ice as you approach it, and as you move around on it, because it may not be the same type of strength that it had been in past years.”
The ice on Lake Elmore was 12 inches thick that Saturday, Hart said, 8 inches above the safety minimum.
Thomas said greater concerns about ice conditions shouldn’t stop fishers from getting out on the ice. She encourages anglers to check ice thickness, dress appropriately and bring rescue equipment like ice picks and a rope.
“Everything has a risk involved, and the benefits and the safety (of ice fishing) are really fabulous,” she said. “They definitely outweigh the possible risks involved.”
Volunteers from Let’s Go Fishing, a state-affiliated educational program, were out on the ice that afternoon, helping people get set up and running some of the stations. The group hosts conservation-focused events across the state — between 5,000 and 7,000 people a year attend its free clinics, Thomas said.
“On its surface it’s just a silly fishing festival, but to me it means a lot more than that,” said Thomas. “I think it’s a beautiful example of the Vermont community coming together, learning about the outdoors that we care about and hopefully fostering a greater appreciation for not just the outdoors but a really historical and important activity.”
