With ice starting to form on shallower lakes, the itch for fishing is getting stronger.  Safe ice will generally be said to be 4'' of clear ice to walk on.  What tools can you use to make your first outing safer?   Here are some key items that you should have with you to minimize the risk.  

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HT Enterprise makes the Ice Safety Picks. These handy units will allow you to get out if fall through the ice. Simply make sure they are accessible by your hands and use them to get a purchase on the ice and get to safety. These are a must have for early season ice.

Yaktracks Ice cleats.  These are a essential part of everyones ice fishing kit.  Slip them over your boots to keep traction on the ultra smooth early ice.

Muck Boots Arctic Ice with ice traction. These muck boots are amazing for the whole season. Available in either Mid (-40c rated) or High (-50c) versions. These are sure to keep you standing on bare ice.

Rapala Ice Chisel. Use this handy tool to check the ice thickness as you head out on the ice. Also a great tool for opening up previous days holes.

Ice scoops are an essential part of measuring ice thickness. Drill a whole in the ice and use the scoop to hook on the bottom side of the ice to measure the thickness. Many different scoops are on the market. Check out the ones by Rapala.