How To Dress Really Warm On The Ice This Winter

Check out these essential tips for experienced ice anglers, or those new to the sport.
gpyzer-icefishing-walleye.jpg

The secret to enjoying your days on the ice in the splendour of Northern Ontario isn’t necessarily measured by the number of fish you catch. Rather, it is the fun you have with your family and friends. But let’s be honest, you can’t enjoy a day of ice fishing if you’re cold. So, let’s change that right now because, trust me, I know a thing or two about staying warm. And it doesn’t involve pouring hot coffee into a cup and dipping your frozen fingers into the steaming liquid to thaw them out. I’ve been there — done that — and it isn’t fun.

One Is Good, Two Is Better

Fortunately, with today’s modern insulated clothing options, it has never been easier to be comfortable ice fishing. But there are some real secrets to staying warm and the first one is remembering that if one pair of long underwear is good, two pairs are better. Try it just once this winter and you’ll shake your head in amazement, wondering why you haven’t been doubling up all along.  

The first pair of long johns that I put next to my skin is soft light high-tech and heat-retentive, while the second pair is the same old-fashioned woollen long johns that you probably wore as a kid. Remember the scratchy Stanfields that were so itchy you couldn’t keep still? Tug a pair of those over the first soft layer and you’ll feel the heat build up immediately. It is the layering effect you hear survival experts talk about and nothing beats wool for the second set.

The Gator

The other thing you will feel immediately is a layer of heat emanating from your back and neck. You want to stop that warmth from escaping and the best way to do it is by wearing a fleece-lined neck warmer. The best I’ve ever found is the plush FXR Excursion Ice Pro Neck Gator which is so wide and high you can pull it up to cover your ears and face. Now, tug on a loose hoody.  

Bibs And Turtlenecks

For the lower half of my body, I typically choose between two options, depending on the air temperature outside. If it is really cold — below -20° C  or -5 °F — I like to wear a pair of jogging pants over my long johns and under my snowmobile bibs. They’re light and roomy and while they don't add much in terms of warmth, the layering effect works wonders. When it is above -20°C, on the other hand, I simply pull my bibs over the twin pair of long johns that I am wearing. I know it sounds counterintuitive not to wear jogging pants, but today’s high-tech insulated snowmobile bibs are amazingly wind-resistant, waterproof, and warm, so the space between your long johns and bibs is an excellent form of insulation.

I use those same air temperature parameters to guide me in completing the top half of my body. Below -20°C I tug on a thick wool turtleneck sweater — so there are four loose heat-trapping layers — before donning my snowmobile jacket from which I have removed the liner. Above the threshold, however, I will leave the liner in place and the sweater at home. The role of the jacket is to block the wind when I am fishing but especially when I am travelling on the machine.

Now, I am sure you’re wondering: what about your head, hands and toes? These are the body parts that typically get cold first, linger like icicles the longest and ruin a day on the ice faster than anything else. Well, we’re going to devote Part 2 to those tender details. In the meantime, just remember that your head, hands and toes are your heat exchangers. So, when you dress as I’ve explained, you force your body to send excess heat to these terminal areas, keeping them much warmer than they would otherwise be if your body was cold.

To read Part 2 Click Here

About Gord Pyzer

Gord Pyzer is the fishing editor of Outdoor Canada magazine and field editor of In-Fisherman magazine. He is the co-host of the Real Fishing Radio Show and host of Fish Talk With The Doc.

Recommended Articles

Talon Lake Lunge

This 3500-acre lake holds trophy muskies and should not be ignored!

Top 5 Baits for Smallmouth and Largemouth Bass

What baits do you use to target bass? Find out why these 5 are the best!

Musky Mayhem in the Kawarthas

Top notch musky fishing on Buckhorn Lake can be found in the heart of the Kawarthas.

Ontario Brook Trout

Fish these 10 sweet spots.

Top 5 Musky Destinations in Ontario

The Musky Hunter shows you where to land the best musky in Ontario waters.

Long Nose Gar

A Fish for the Bucket List

Catching Ontario Walleye

Pro Tips for Bait and Walley Presentations

Top 8 Places to Ice Fish in Ontario

Ice fishing in Ontario offers diverse catches in serene winter settings.

Walleye on Lake Temiskaming

Fish'n Canada heads to Lake Temiskaming to tackle Ontario Walleye.

3 Great Ontario Walleye Destinations

Karl of Extreme Angler recommends must do walleye lakes in Ontario.

Lakers of Lower Manitou: Fishing Just North of the U.S. Border

Fantastic Lake Trout Fishing at Manitou Weather Station.

Fly-in Fishing

Why You Need to Book a Fly-in Fishing Trip

Five Brook Trout Flies

What flies to bring when fishing for brook trout.

3 Must Fish Ontario Hotspots for Smallmouth Bass

Everyone has a bucket list for something. Die-hard bass anglers have many.

5 Reasons To Go Fishing In The Fall

Tips for catching Ontario trophies.

The Best Brook Trout Fishing

Discover world class fishing in Northern Ontario—home of the world record brook trout!

The Ontario Fall Crappie Hunt

Ontario's 400,000 lakes are home to a variety of fish species.

Top 10 Streamers for Ontario Brook Trout

Big Brook Trout get that way by eating lots of smaller fish which is why streamers work well.

Big Hook Camps

Walleye and Pike Fishing in Beautiful Canadian Wilderness

Heat Wave? Cold Front? No Problem.

Learn how weather patterns can affect fishing techniques and strategies.