(Fairbanks) – With Interior lakes and ponds beginning to freeze up, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G), Division of Sport Fish reminds ice anglers that any ice houses in the Tanana River drainage that are not removed daily from the ice must be registered with the department. This requirement includes portable ice fishing tents that are left out overnight.

Ice anglers can register their ice houses by phone or in person at ADF&G offices in Delta Junction (907-895-4632) or Fairbanks (907-459-7228).

Ice house owners will be issued a permit with a unique permit number. The ice house must have this permit number plainly displayed on the side and roof with the numbers at least 12 inches high and 1 inch wide in a color that contrasts with the background. A signed copy of the ice house permit must be kept in the ice house anytime the ice house is being used.

All registered ice houses are required to be removed from the ice no later than April 30^th.

Most Interior lakes and ponds have frozen over but ice on larger lakes is still marginal, said Tanana River drainage Assistant Area Management Biologist Brandy Baker in the ADF&G Delta Junction office.

Anglers should check ice thickness on any lake or pond they plan to fish on or place ice houses on before venturing onto the lake, Baker said. She recommends that anglers drill holes in the ice starting from shore and working their way farther out onto the lake to measure ice thickness.

Ice should be at least 4 inches thick to support the weight of a person, 6 inches thick to support a snowmachine, 8-12 inches thick to support cars and small trucks, and 12-15 inches thick to support larger pickup trucks. However, no ice is 100 percent safe, and ice anglers are advised to avoid off-colored snow or ice and areas around beaver and muskrat dens early in the season.

For additional information, contact the Fairbanks ADF&G office at (907) 459-7228 the Delta Junction office at (907) 895-4632.

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