Not So Friendly Reminder to Get Your Shanties Off the Ice in NH

Ice fishing was a world that I knew nothing about until I attended the Great Meredith Rotary Ice Fishing Derby back in 2018. What a blast! It's an excuse to get outside and breathe some brisk winter air and make a ton of new friends atop a ginormous frozen lake. At least, that's how I interpreted the day. Of course, it gets very competitive between the fishermen and fisherwomen.

Kaylee Hunkins via Facebook

BTW: the date for the 2023 Great Meredith Rotary Ice Fishing Derby is set for February 11th and 12 (more info here).

The weather has been even more inconsistent and WACKIER this year than normal. That can make things dangerous on the ice. The last thing you want is for your bob, skid, ice or fish, house or shanty, whatever you call it, to go crashing through thin ice. Exhibit A:

NH Enhanced 9-1-1 via Facebook

New Hampshire Fish and Game states that ice shanties must be removed from the ice no later than the end of the day on April 1. They go on to explain that the law is in place to ensure that bob houses and their contents do not get left behind on shore or fall through the ice and become a hazard to boaters.

A post on NH Enhanced 9-1-1 says:

"Remember to use all precautions, including monitoring ice thickness"

So what will happen to you if you leave your shanty out on the ice past April 1st or you burn it on the ice (omg! people do that?)? You could get charged a big fat fine, lose your fishing license for a year, or BOTH.

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