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.

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.

angler ice fishing lake trout

Dress properly this winter and nothing will stop you. Gord Pyzer caught this lake trout fishing outside at -28°C temperature. (Photo credit: Gord Pyzer)

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.  

angler ice fishing whitefish

When you wear a neck protector, heat can’t escape from around your body so you stay warm and comfortable. (Photo credit: Gord Pyzer)

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.

angler ice fishing black crappie

(Photo credit: Gord Pyzer)

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.

angler ice fishing lake trout

Layering your clothing keeps your body so warm that you can handle fish with your bare hands and smile about it. (Photo credit: Gord Pyzer)

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.

angler ice fishing lake trout

Wearing multiple layers of clothing lets you remove a covering when the weather is pleasant so you don’t overheat and trap excess moisture. (Photo credit: Gord Pyzer)

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.

More on that shortly.

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

Don’t Be Afraid Of Muskies

Muskies are fish of 10,000 casts and are found in large bodies of water in Northwestern Ontario.

Top 10 Ice Fishing Lakes

Every kind of fish and experience—Ontario ice fishing is some of the best in the world.

10 Facts About Lake of the Woods

10 facts amazing about this massive Northwest Ontario Lake!

Predicting Lake Thickness

When Will Ontario Lakes Freeze Over This Winter?

Ontario Brook Trout

Fish these 10 sweet spots.

Ten Mile Lake Lodge

Enjoy Northern hospitality fishing for splake, brook trout and lake trout

3 Great Ontario Walleye Destinations

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

Don't Forget The Umbrella

It's raining smallmouth bass, walleye, and northern pike here in Northern Ontario

Top 5 Flies for Smallmouth Bass

The inside scoop on bass flies from the hosts of The New Fly Fisher.

5 Deadliest Fishing Lures

Use these lures when ice fishing for lake trout in Northern Ontario.

Top 5 Wet flies for Brook Trout

Fly Fishers describe their favourite brookie flies.

The Ontario Fall Crappie Hunt

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

Experiencing Prince Edward County - The Angler’s Way

Walleye fishing on the world-famous Bay of Quinte.

Top 5 Musky Destinations in Ontario

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

Wind, Cloud & Walleye

How Weather is Important to Walleye Anglers

Ontario Experience

Drive-to Fishing at Waterfalls Lodge

Big Boat Portaging

Fishing on Lady Evelyn Lake in Northeastern Ontario

Big Moose Camp

Big Moose Camp is a four-season resort on Lake Nosbonsing just 3 hours north of Toronto.

Summer Fishing Patterns for Multi-Species

Bob Izumi discusses tips for different species and how to catch them when summer temperatures soar.

Smoked Fish: A Do-It-Yourself Delicacy

Catching and eating fish from the cold, clear waters is one of the perks of living in Northern Ontario.