Leah Golding is a reporter at the Community News Service, part of the University of Vermont’s Reporting and Documentary Storytelling program.
More than 700 people ventured to Elmore State Park last Saturday for license-free fishing, educational presentations and a fresh fish fry 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 hasn’t caught anything yet but is patiently waiting for something to eat.
“We’re both from Vermont, and we raised our kids this way. We loved doing this as kids and want to continue that tradition.
The Jan. 27 festival featured a variety of educational stations for participants to cycle through as they walked across frozen Lake Elmore, including demonstrations on ice safety, fish identification, knot tying, hole punching and -set up tip-up — a device used to hold ice fishing bait in place of a hand-held fishing pole. The Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department reserved the event for those without a fishing license and gave free gear to anyone who didn’t bring their own, said Corey Hart, an education specialist for the department.
“It’s really just about encouraging people to fish,” he said.
The crowd included families with young children, experienced anglers, locals and visitors, all there for a day on the ice. A steady snowfall covered the trees surrounding the lake and prompted fishermen to take advantage of the free hot chocolate.
“I think this event is awesome,” said Colin Reynolds, adding shortly, “It gets a good crowd, and it gets people out and participating in a pretty traditional activity, and everything has a blast.”
“It’s really great for the kids, you know. They don’t care if they catch someone, they just want to be out here,” he said.
Warmer temperatures have raised safety concerns on the ice recently, after three men last year fell and drowned during a tournament on Lake Champlain. Fishermen should take precautions to avoid accidents, said Ali Thomas, director of the outreach division at the Fish & Wildlife Department.
“Especially this year, don’t take places that are always safe for granted,” he said. “Make sure you talk to the local bait shops, talk to the local fishermen and check the ice as you approach it, and as you move through it, because it may not be the same kind of strength as it has been in the past year.”
The ice on Lake Elmore was 12 inches thick Saturday, Hart said, 8 inches above the safety minimum.
Thomas said bigger concerns about ice conditions shouldn’t stop anglers from getting out on the ice. He encourages anglers to check the thickness of the ice, dress appropriately and bring rescue equipment such as ice picks and a rope.
“Everything involves risk, and the benefits and the safety (of ice fishing) are really incredible,” he said. “Certainly they will be more able to overcome the possible risks involved.”
Volunteers from Let’s Go Fishing, a state-affiliated educational program, were on the ice that afternoon, helping people set up and operate 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 the surface, it’s a silly fishing festival, but to me it means a lot more than that,” Thomas said. “I think it’s a great example of the Vermont community coming together, learning about the outdoors that we care about and hopefully promoting a greater appreciation of not only the outdoors but a really historic and important activity.”
