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ice fishing

American  

noun

  1. the act or practice of fishing through a hole cut in the ice.


ice fishing British  

noun

  1. a form of fishing in which a line is lowered through a hole made in a frozen lake, river, etc

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of ice fishing

First recorded in 1745–55

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

There are standout restaurants, plenty of outdoor recreation—from ice fishing in the winter to lakeside lounging in the summer—and a general sense that you don’t need much of a plan to enjoy yourself.

From Salon • Mar. 31, 2026

Upper Red Lake is considered one of Minnesota’s premier ice fishing lakes, but the ice remains thin amid higher-than-normal temperatures.

From Seattle Times • Dec. 19, 2023

A pair of men ice fishing on a frozen lake in Nowthen, Minnesota, were rescued with a dog last week after the ice gave way.

From Washington Times • Dec. 9, 2023

In Finland, he goes ice fishing and tastes reindeer meat.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 20, 2023

“Yeah. We used to take the Johnson boat north in summer, but we sold it when we left Minnesota. We’d go ice fishing for winter break, too. Not much of that here, I guess.”

From "Merci Suárez Changes Gears" by Meg Medina