The warmest December in decades has made driving safer, heating homes less expensive and winter in general, a good deal shorter. On the downside the lack of snow and cold weather has severely curtailed many outdoor activities.

Ice fishermen in particular are getting a bit stir crazy, and the constant pacing back and forth to check outside thermometers and look for snowflakes, checking weather reports on every radio and TV station, and persistent grumbling and whining is wearing heavily on family nerves – er, so I’ve heard from other wives and children.

A few lakes have ice thick enough to fish on, while others are still questionable. Don’t assume that the presence of a fisherman, snowmobile, or even an ice shanty on a certain lake makes every section of that waterway safe to venture out ice fishing. Use an auger or ice chisel at frequent intervals to test ice thickness when you first visit a favorite location on that special ice fishing lake.

Meanwhile, put the extra hours to good use. If a buddy called tonight and wanted to go ice fishing tomorrow morning, would you know where all your gear is located? More importantly, are you sure it’s all in working order? Changing lines and performing makeshift repairs in the middle of a frozen lake in chilling temperatures and a cold wind isn’t the best way to start the ice fishing season. An hour or so checking, repairing, and refurbishing all your ice fishing equipment inside a nice warm house will generally make winter outings more enjoyable and productive.

Handlines are the simplest rigs to check and fix up, so that’s a good place to start. Since most handlining is done for small-game fish such as smelt or perch, the outfit’s components are fairly basic and inexpensive. The line itself is generally monofilament in 8- to 12-pound test, and this must be checked thoroughly for knots, kinks, or abrasions. Problems near the end of a line may be trimmed off, but mono is available in large spools at inexpensive prices, so if a line is 2 or 3 years old, it’s just as well to replace it entirely.

Handlines should be attached to a plastic spool or a thin, 6-inch wooden holder, v-notched at both ends to hold the line in place during storage and travel. Wet, cold conditions often numb hands and stiffen fingers, and youngsters tend to get excited, so often a handline is fumbled and dropped. Invariably the rig finds its way into the open ice fishing hole, and would sink and be lost if not for the buoyant plastic spool or wooden holder, so be sure to tie the line to its holder with a solid, non-slip knot.

Sharpen all hooks, unless the point or barb is bent or the hook is corroded, and then tie on a new hook. If gold- or brass-plated hooks can be purchased, use these on smelt lines. The extra flash seems to attract the fish and occasionally a smelt or perch will even bite a bare gold hook. Size No. 8 to 12 hooks are small enough for smelt, but large enough to hold a larger trout or salmon if one should grab the piece of cut bait on the hand-line.

Check the small split-shot sinker and make sure it is secure 8-12 inches above the hook. A sinker gets the bait down quicker and keeps the line straight so any nibbles or strikes make the line movement more obvious. If sinkers in use are made of lead, discard them and replace each with a sinker made from non-toxic material.

Tip-ups, often referred to as traps, are the most common piece of ice fishing gear and should be checked over and fixed up next. Consisting of a reel to hold line, a flag system attached to a trip-trigger, and a wooden or plastic frame to suspend the rig in and over a hole drilled in the ice, tip-up failure leads to missed strikes or, worse yet, lost fish. Since anything from an 8-inch perch to an 18-pound togue to a 28-pound muskie might test a trap, each and every component needs to be dependable.

Each line, leader, and connecting knot must be checked for integrity, and replaced or retied at any sign of wear or weakness. Hone each hook and secure each sinker. Closely inspect the trigger mechanism, trip arm, flag post, and all connections to assure smooth action. Give all sections a spray of water repellant or rust protectant, and wipe off any excess.

After years of travel, assembly, and cold-weather use, tip-up flags get worn and torn, and may need repair or replacement. It’s no job at all to cut new flags of plastic or cloth and glue, sew, or tape them in place. Most new traps have red or orange flags, but many veteran ice drillers replace old flags with new black ones since the dark color shows up better against the white snow and ice.

Check over the knapsack or pack basket that’s used to transport tip-ups, scoops, and small gear, and give special attention to the harness and carrying straps. Make sure to have extra hooks and sinkers in several sizes, leader material, some jigs and small lures, and an ice scoop in your traveling larder. If there’s room, add a hook degouger, tape measure, minnow net, matches, flashlight, and extra set of gloves, small first-aid kit, and a short jigging rod for certain outings.

Ice anglers would do well to carry a sharp belt or folding knife, a sharpening stone and a small diamond steel, and a multi-purpose tool. For comfort’s sake, toss in a few chemical hand warmers, some packets of cocoa, cider, or soup mix, tea or coffee bags, and of course an insulated container of hot water.

Don’t forget to take a few minutes and put an edge on your ice chisel and sharpen the edges of the ice auger. Replace or refinish the center cutting point of the power auger to ease drilling and save muscle strain. A sharp ice-cutting tool will make the work of opening up a dozen fishing holes safer and easier.

Heavy-duty plastic tote sleds are great for pulling gear and equipment for two or three anglers from shore to the fishing site when a snowmobile isn’t available. Spend some time cleaning the bottom of the sled and then apply a coating of car wax and buff it. You won’t believe how smoothly the loaded sled will scoot over any ice or snow conditions.

Sportsmen should also make sure their ice fishing machinery is in dependable working order. Gas ice augers, 4-wheelers, and snowmobiles might need a tune-up, so get them to a good small engine mechanic at least a week before any outing is planned. If you’re able to do minor upkeep like changing spark plugs, filters, and belts, have at it, but save yourself angst, time, and money by letting an expert deal with major tune-ups.

Nothing will cut short or ruin an ice fishing outing quicker than poor gear or faulty equipment. Don’t wait until the last minute to check your gear over, because it’s usually too early or too late for a store to be open for replacement parts. Take some time and check things over now, because there will be ice to be chiseled and fish to be caught next week.

Oh, and don’t forget it’s a new year and you need a new fishing license! Dress warm, think safety, and set the hook hard when that big one makes that first run.