As ice begins to form on the surface of many lakes in the region, I wanted to check on a couple of locations that are very popular with ice fishers. I traveled to Banks Lake to see what the ice conditions were in a couple of spots. At the bottom end of the lake, I often see quite a few ice huts out on the ice in two different places. Sometimes there are huts just outside the marina. They set up just above the jetty. I don’t think this is the best place to find the whitefish, and maybe it’s good for perch and trout. When the ice finally gets thick enough for safe travel, most of the ice huts are out at the top end the first island. This is where the serious whitefish anglers settle in. Right now, there is just ice along the edges and a thin layer in protected bays. There is ice in the marina, and I can see where people are throwing rocks on the surface to test its thickness. We need a lot more cold weather and windless days before ice fishing is possible on Banks—at either end.