Free Ice Fishing Day

When

@ -

Where

Silver Lake State Park 20 State Park Beach Road, Barnard, VT 05031 Visit Website | 802-505-5562 | Corey.Hart@vermont.gov

Who

Kinder, Kids, Tweens, Teens, All Ages

Details

Parking: Yes

Saturday, January 25, 2025 is Vermont’s next free ice fishing day - a day when anyone, resident or nonresident, may go fish legal Vermont waters without a fishing license.

Come to a FREE Ice Fishing Festival to learn ice fishing basics, from tip-ups to filleting fish. Vermont Fish & Wildlife staff will be there to help everyone enjoy a winter day ice fishing with friends. Tom's Bait and Tackle is generously donating all bait needed for the day -- that's about about 5,000 maggots and 240 minnows!

Where: Silver Lake State Park, 20 State Park Beach Rd, Barnard, VT 05031 | map

When: Saturday, January 25, 2025 - 11:00 am to 3:00 pm

Event Schedule:

11:00 am - Registration Opens (Pre-register online now (recommended) or register at the event)
11:00 am to 3:00 pm - Fun Family Activities
Fish & Wildlife staff and Let's Go Fishing volunteers will help new ice anglers learn the basics of winter ice fishing through a variety of educational stations. After completing the stations participants will have the opportunity to borrow a rod and fish!

Stations Include:

Hole Drilling Demos
Tip-up Techniques
Jigging Techniques
Ice Safety
Fish Identification and Regulations Explained
Knot-tying Know-how and tackle craft

Plus enjoy a fish fry and cocoa (bring your own mug if you can)!

Bring your own ice fishing equipment or you can borrow ours. Be sure to dress warmly (in layers is the best) and wear winter boots. Yaktraxs or ice cleats are also a great idea for traction.

For more information, contact Corey Hart (Corey.Hart@vermont.gov) by email or call 802-505-5562.

Can't make it? View a virtual ice fishing clinic and find great spots for beginners, here: https://vtfishandwildlife.com/...

Reviews

1 review

August 11, 2009
"This is a great park because It's small, easily walkable from any campsite to the cute little beach. It has a beach with a cool new playground with stuff to do for both toddlers and bigger kids. There are nature tours and programs to attend. It's always been clean and wellcared for. You can rent various peddlepaddle boats and tool around the very cute Silver Lake, and even reach the funky, wellstocked general store that also prepares and serves up breakfast, sandwiches, burgers, ice cream and more along with local organic produce. Close to cute Woodstock, and not terribly far from the Montshire Museum so you've got options if it rains. One thing the individual sites are pretty close to each other, so if privacy is paramount, you might not be as happy here as other places."
- crankycheryl