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Every winter, kids across Long Island put their cell phones down, grab their sleds and race for the nearest hill, ready to enjoy some fun in the snow. But this year? The grown-ups decided it was their turn. Instead of sleds, they grabbed fishing rods and ice drills — and headed straight for the lakes.
On Jan. 31, temperatures at MacArthur Airport plunged to 0°F, shattering the previous record low of 3°F for that date. For most people, that’s “stay under a blanket” weather. For ice anglers, it’s an invitation.
“Perfect weather to head to the lake,” said Matt Broderick of The Fisherman Magazine. “People think about ice fishing and say, maybe you’ve got to go upstate—or to another state. But here on Long Island, we’ve got ice. It’s a real thing.”
And Broderick’s right. After several mild winters that offered barely a week of safe ice, this season delivered nearly a full month. Nighttime temperatures dipped into the single digits and local lakes transformed into frozen playgrounds.
“You can almost drive a car on this ice,” Broderick joked. “But I don’t recommend it.”
More photos below
According to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, ice should be at least four inches thick before it’s considered safe for fishing. At Patchogue Lake, it measured an impressive 10 inches — more than enough for anglers to drill holes, drop lines and reel in yellow perch, bluegills, largemouth bass and chain pickerel.
“It’s very enjoyable outdoors — not to be cooped up inside. It’s kind of beautiful out here,” said Mike Fogg of Brookhaven.
Fogg advises newcomers to never fish alone and to bring proper safety equipment, including ice picks (just in case), a drill, a spud bar to check thickness and protective goggles.
For Broderick, though, the best part isn’t just the catch — it’s the community.
Each winter, as soon as the lakes freeze, he spots the same familiar faces venturing out onto the ice.
“It’s like a somewhat secret society,” he said. “Whether a lot of people know about it or not, these are die-hard fishermen who go all year long. I see the same people out there.”
No membership card needed.
Top: Matt Broderick of Medford shows off a yellow pirch he caught ice fishing on Patchogue Lake. (Credit: GLI/Nick Esposito)
