Back to the Utah State Aggies Newsfeed

Warm winter, thin ice force Utah fishing tournament to cancel on 2,000 anglers

Nearly 2,000 anglers will be grounded this month as thin ice has forced the state to cancel a popular ice fishing tournament at central Utah’s Fish Lake.

The ice at Fish Lake, normally 18 inches to 2 feet thick by this time of year, was less than 5 inches in some spots, according to DWR fishing reports. That’s not thick enough for a small group of anglers to safely fish — much less for 2,000 people, Hepworth said.

In most years, a cold spell in December or January creates an even layer of ice that thickens as winter goes on.