Unwritten Rules of Ice Fishing

What are some things that you feel are important as far as courtesy when ice fishing?

Unwritten rule (maybe it's written), but to at least keep some watch on your tip ups. I've seen tip ups with flags up for over 30 minutes. I'm sure most of you have as well.

You guys must fish on lakes filled with jerks. I am guessing maybe 14 out of 15 people I meet on the ice are very polite and respectful. Then you will have that one group of 4 drunks causing a ruckus or the random guy that sets up right on you. Most people give courtesy.

Unfortunately, I have to agree with BM12's assessment. It really is a shame. I was saying that to a non-ice angler the other day and they couldn't believe it.

Be a great helpful guy on the ice and act like a 4 year old when on the internet. It seems 95% of the people I meet on the ice are respectful and great all around people, then I read these posts and there no shortage of people nagging about everything and everybody.

Don't plop your permanent shack over the best structure on the lake and then expect everyone to stay 50 yards away.

First and foremost...if you see someone in need of help, by all means help them out. I've helped people get unstuck and refused the $20 offered to me for doing so. I've also been the recipient of help getting unstuck...a few times. Also agree with the auger issue. If someone's auger won't fire up and it's reasonably close, offer to pop some holes, or allow them to borrow your auger if they ask. That has also happened to me a few times. I'd also offer to pop some holes for someone using a hand auger if the ice is thick and you can tell it's taking them a while...especially if they have kids with them. It's all karma. Plus it makes you feel good about yourself lol.

help people if you can.don't let your dog piss on my pop up tent.and if there a whole lake open don't set up right next to me.

you don't own the lake I don't own the lake. treat each other with respect. see someone in need you must help them next time it might be you. we all have been there. two years ago I stopped to pull someone out of a drift and they put me on the spot they just left from was my best day of the whole season!!

All the ice fishing secrets i have learned have been from other anglers on the ice. The proof was right in front of me. They show me what they are using then they show me all the fish they have caught. So now i always make nice with everyone cuz it makes fishing a whole lot easier on me and i catch more fish too! So this season come fish right next to me and spill your guts! Lmfao!!!!

I've been the beneficiary of being helped out big time-twice. Once when my truck was stuck on the Rainbow Flowage. Amazing how total strangers just came over and worked their tails off the shovel me out. Then, since I was naive, they explained to me the whole slowly go in and back out slowly repeatedly when making new tracks. I had gone off the main road and that's when things went bad. Then, last year in the U.P when I was stuck pretty bad, a guy tries to help pull my truck with his car and some rope I think. Doesn't work, so he leaves to get a couple of guys, one who brings a truck and a chain to pull me out. Total acts of kindness when I was in a really bad spot both times. So, the unwritten rule to help others when they are down, even if they've done something kind of dumb, like me trying to push through all that snow or going off the main road ....that's cool stuff.