Ice fishing, because of our mild marine climate, isn't a mainstream winter activity here.

However, where latitude, elevation and/or polar winds combine their influence, it's the pursuit du jour for hardcore anglers or the afflicted in need of a topically applied treatment for cabin fever.

When a winter nor'easter blows strong here long enough for a solid ice cap to form, lakes Terrell, Fazon (both after waterfowl season) and Wiser are appropriate waters on which to venture.

But nine years out of every 10, Northwest Washington residents must go farther afield to find ice fishing opportunities.

And because fishing on a frozen surface is not commonplace here, both mental as well as practical preparations are probably in order.

Whether it's in anticipation of an upcoming road trip or the sudden onset of a backyard option, here's an ice fishing primer.

SAFETY ON ICE

All permutations of the cliché about being on thin ice aside, venturing onto ice covered water-bodies is inherently unsafe and therefore serious business.

As with many other outdoors recreational endeavors, situational awareness and sound judgment are critical to personal safety.

When going onto ice for any reason including fishing:

? Buddy up even at a distance. It's recommended never to go on an ice excursion alone, but if you do, stay within sight of other people.

? Leave an "ice fishing" plan, detailing itinerary and return time information, with a responsible third party.

? Be a good judge of ice. The strongest ice forms clear and solid; however freeze ups occur differentially nearshore first, then towards the middle later. And throughout the season an ice sheet's condition changes continuously, influenced by ongoing physical conditions both above and below its surface. Cursory visual examinations should never be the sole evaluator of its strength and weight-bearing limits. A lake's ice sheet also can be porous from repeated thaw/freeze or snowfall episodes as well as other influences. Thickness can vary across even on a relatively small water body. Off-color or white ice as well as sheets with lots of air bubbles should be considered suspect. River and stream ice is never trustworthy.

? Check your footings. Before venturing very far onto any ice-covered water body, make an initial check of its thickness and repeat this every 150 feet. A cordless drill, a wood bit and tape measure will accomplish this. Recommendations differ on ice thickness considered sufficient to safely bear pedestrians or vehicles. In the U.S., experts say clear, solid ice should be at least 4 inches thick for limited pedestrian activity and a minimum of 9 inches for vehicles. Canadian authorities suggest thicknesses of 6 inches and 18 inches, for those respective uses.

? Stay away from certain locales on a lake's frozen surface such as areas off streams (both inlets and outlets), above known underwater springs, around docks or anywhere vegetation or woody debris is seen or known to be in water. Ice often is the thinnest and weakest in those areas. Also avoid areas of severely fractured or cracked ice and in lakes that have them for fish survival, aeration units, operating or not.

? Spread out your group once you're on the ice, don't clump together and be sparing when drilling holes for fishing.

? The U.S. Coast Guard and other agencies recommend carrying certain emergency gear with you including a self-extraction device (a pair of handspikes, screw drivers, ice picks tied together) on your person as well as a flotation device (inner tube) or PFD. Besides these things, you may want to have in your vehicle alternate warming gear (blankets, chemical warmers) as well as a readily available throw rope.

? Know self extraction and rescue techniques either off thin ice (sprawl, spread your weight, on the ice) or from the water in a full-blown break through and immersion. It will not only benefit you, it likely may save someone else's life since survival time in cold water is measured in minutes. If you are present when another person goes in, you become a first responder and for starters you do not want to suffer the same experience or fate. But at the same time, their immediate extraction from the water and treatment for hypothermia is crucial.

For more details about ice, ice safety and rescue, check the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources website at www.dnr.state.mn.us/safety/ice/index.html.

TIP OF THE ICE GEAR

As is the case with every other angling style, an ice fishing experience can be as expensive or as cheap as you want to make it.

But besides warm clothing, a hand tool to make the hole in the ice, and the aforementioned safety devices, at the bare minimum, the only other things you need are a length of line, a few sinkers and some bait or a few lures.

However, on the way to going "all in" for an ice fishing stint, here are some suggested additions to your ice fishing ensemble that you can add as your budget allows:

? an auger: If you want to graduate from a spud bar or chisel to a round hole drilling device, a manual brace and bit type auger is the next level. They're fairly inexpensive and will easily drill 4 1/2- to 8-inch diameter holes in ice up to a foot thick. Add in extra blades and a leverage pipe. Power drills probably aren't a good investment here.

? A shelter: An enclosure gives you "staying" power on the ice. Usually the purpose built ones are most convenient, but a jerry-rigged tarp for a wind screen or sun reflector will work.

? A heater: Good outside insulated clothing will go a long way to ensuring comfort, but heating devices will make a frigid day's fishing stint downright pleasurable. Those radiating in the infrared spectrum will work outside, but check to make sure any heater you buy can be safely used in an enclosure or area with limited air circulation.

? Tip up v. fishing rod: A plain hand line works quite well but requires concentration and full-time attention. Tip ups are purpose-built ice fishing tools but have limited application for the investment and sometimes they might not be sensitive enough to trip on winter bites. To move up from a hand line, consider getting either a short fixed length or telescoping rod. Also kids' fishing rods are inexpensive and make good ice shelter poles. If you plan to jig lures, a rod with stiffer action is a must.

? Purpose-built fish finders: Because of their tendency to school up or congregate in certain areas, some holes, relatively speaking, may be absolutely fishless or there could be long waits between bites. Small fishfinders may save you the wait by letting you know immediately if there's anyone down there.

? Backup warm clothes: As with any outdoors endeavor, a layered approach to clothing is best so if the excursion starts out sunny and turns windy or cold, having the additional pull ons will mean the difference between staying and having to leave. Don't forget waterproof, wool or lined gloves. Insulated canvas coveralls or a U.S. Coast Guard certified survival suit are good backup garbs.

? Baits and lures: Try the selection of manufactured preformed or molded products usually pinched into small offerings. Larvae of various types (grubs and chunks of worm also work well. Small spoons and leaded jigs can be worked successfully, too. Be mindful of the ban on leaden fishing tackle in effect for some Washington waters now.

Besides the above bigger ticket items, a dipper for clearing ice from the hole, a whistle or noise device, a stool or chair, a sled or plastic toboggan are handy too.

'TIS THE SEASON FOR SOME

An ice cover doesn't change the basic fishing regs governing a lake. Before boring a hole and wetting a line, check the special rules sections for eastside or westside lakes in the Fishing in Washington regulations pamphlet.

If the lake you're intending to fish is not among the listed waters it is open year-round under the general or statewide rules (bag, size and other terms) for various fish species found on pages 26-27 of the booklet.

Waters with winter month openings or differential angling rules for summer and winter months will be found in the special rules sections.

For an ice fishing starter, look to these waters.

? Fish Lake, north of Leavenworth, is known for its large perch.

? Palmer Lake, north of Loomis, is renowned for its burbot or freshwater lings.

? Sidley Lake, east of Oroville, is a trouting mecca stocked with rainbows.

? Patterson Lake, southwest of Winthrop, has trout and shivering warmwater fishes.

? Big and Lower Green Lakes, northwest of Omak is another differential season lake that yields rainbows.

? Williams Lake, north of Colville, for its stocked rainbow.

? Sullivan Lake, northeast of Ione, has a variety of fish including burbot and as well as a trio of trouts from brown to silver including rainbow.

In British Columbia, both latitude and elevation conspire to provide a significant number of waters for ice fishing. As with those in Washington, B.C.'s lakes are subject to a variety of legal fishing regimes, so a check of the B.C. Ministry of the Forest, Lands and Natural Resource Operations Fisheries Branch regulations are a must.

North of the border the Merritt/Kamloops, Princeton/Aspen Grove and Penticton/Kelowna areas are within reasonably easy winter forays. Allison Lake, Otter Lake, Osprey Lake and Yellow Lake are lakes with which to start.

For Washington regs online: wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/regulations/ .

For British Columbia freshwater regs online: env.gov.bc.ca/fw/fish/regulations/ .

OKANOGAN'S FROSTED FISHING CONTEST

Enjoy the Saturday, Feb. 18 Northwest Ice Fishing Festival at Sidley Lake. It's sponsored by north Okanogan businesses and fraternal organizations and is headquartered at the Molson Grange north of Oroville-Toroda Creek Road east of Oroville.

There a morning pancake feed plus hot beverages and afternoon gourmet foods at lake side.

Registration and fishing starts at 8 a.m. and stops at 4 p.m. Anglers may keep two Sidley or Molson lakes trout.

In addition, there is skiing and sledding nearby at Sitzmark Ski Area near Havillah plus dogsled rides and snowmobiling.

RAZOR NEW YEAR

Two winter personal use razor clam digs on Pacific Coast beaches are tentatively set to take place Jan. 20-21 and Feb. 18-19, provided marine toxin levels remain in check (below action levels for public health).

For the January opportunity Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis and Mocrocks beaches will be open, while the February option only involves Long Beach, Twin Harbors and Mocrocks beaches.

These will be PM or evening digs (clamming allowed between noon and midnight) with slack ebb occurring around sunset.

Also 2011 annual versions of licenses allowing razor clam harvest are still good.

Kalaloch Beach remains closed for these digs but the National Park Service has announced that an early April dig will take place.

After tallying the total personal use take through the February dig to determine the remaining allowable harvest under resource protection and treaty allocation agreements, state shellfish managers will announce late winter/spring digging opportunities around the first of March. .

Doug Huddle, the Bellingham Herald's outdoors correspondent since 1983, has written a weekly fishing and hunting column that now appears Sundays. Read his blog and contact him at http://pblogs.bellinghamherald.com/outdoors/.