Winter in North Dakota can be challenging, but it also brings great experiences and traditions. Dakota Datebook joins the celebration of winter as we recognize Vinterfest!
As winter settles in, an age-old tradition breaks through the snow and ice. Ice fishing has been a popular winter pastime across the Midwest, especially in North Dakota, dating back to before the territory became a state. One longtime ice fisherman described the hobby as “an alien nation...a world of stinking fish slime and propane gas fumes, crystalline nights and arctic landscapes, peppermint schnapps and beef jerky sandwiches, hopeful kids and stoic men, thundering ice and frostbitten toes, lethargic fish and ancient urges.”
Despite this less-than-appealing description, local winter and ice festivals have been celebrating the hobby for decades. A North Dakota newspaper from 1908 reported that ice fishing “is a great sport these days and quite a number are at it. The fish seem to taste better at this time of the year.” The joy shared in this communal activity seems to be what keeps people coming back to the ice. As the hobby grew in popularity, local papers began posting fishing regulation updates, acceptable fishing days, closed ponds, and weather conditions.
Since the 1970s, advancements in clothing, boots, tech, tools, and shelters have made ice fishing more accessible to beginners and novice fishermen.
A particularly popular spot for ice fishing is Devils Lake, along with many other local spots scattered across North Dakota. Fishermen can expect to catch walleye, perch, and northern pike from these lakes. North Dakota Game and Fish provides fishing licenses, as well as updated regulations, guides, resources, and more. These resources offer access to a tradition that has been bringing families together across generations. To learn more about the history of ice fishing in North Dakota and the greater Midwest, check out the resources in the State Archives library collection!
Dakota Datebook by Olivia Burmeister
Sources:
- A Hard-Water World; Ice Fishing and Why We Do It by Greg Breining from the State Archives Library collection: 799.122 B835h 2008
- Walking on Water by Lin Enger and Glenn Tornell from the State Archives Library collection: 700.122 W186
