Mother Nature has been quite cooperative this past week in the area of making ice on North Dakota lakes, so that means a lot of anglers will start to get a little more serious about ice fishing.

Whether you are into traditional angling through the ice or if dark house spearing is more your bag, there are a few new regulations to take note of since last year.

First, the old regulation of a 12-inch hole being the largest hole an angler can fish through has been lifted. In essence, that means you can now fish through the same hole in which you spear.

But, possession of a spear counts toward the maximum number of lines you can have going at one time, four on most lakes during the ice fishing season.

And remember, when any hole larger than 10 inches in diameter is left for any reason, it must be marked with an object that is visible from at least 150 feet.

Man-made objects like lathe with the tips painted orange or ribbon tied at the top will work, as will tree branches or limbs - just something so people don't drive their vehicles over the hole.

And if you are spearing, it's a good idea to push the big chunks of ice back into the hole, again to keep someone from driving into them.

Also new to the fish guide and regulations book, it is now illegal to leave any part of a fish on the ice, on shore or in the water in any lake.

That means, if you like to fry up a little shore lunch fresh off the jig, you must make plans to dispose of the remains of the fish by taking them with you off the ice. But they will still count toward your daily limit.

Also, if you use fish attractants, you must be able to spray or dip them on your lure. You cannot, say, dump it down the hole.

And a reminder: if you plan to do some dark house spearing this winter, you must register with the game and fish department. You do it online by visiting http://gf.nd.gov and following the link.

The season for dark house spearing has been extended for two weeks. The season now closes March 15 and pike and non-game species are legal to take.

There also are 16 additional lakes that have been added to the list of legal waters to spear. All the available waters are: Eckelson Lake Complex, Barnes County; Devils Lake, Silver Lake, Benson County; Gascoyne, Kalina Dam, Spring Lake, Bowman County; Powers Lake, Burke County; Rice Lake, Emmons County; Juanita Lake, Foster County; Heart Butte (Tschida), Grant County; Sibley Lake, Griggs County; Blickensderfer, Hettinger County; Alkaline Lake, Cherry Lake, Etta/Alkaline Complex, Fresh Lake, Helen Lake, Horsehead Lake, Lake Josephine, Lake Williams, Round Lake, Kidder County; Diamond Lake, Flood Lake, LaMoure County; Beaver Lake, Logan County; Buffalo Lodge Lake, McHenry County; Clear Lake, Coldwater Lake, Dry/Goose Lake, McIntosh County; Crooked Lake, Long Lake, McLean County; Stanley Reservoir, Mountrail County; Lake Laretta, Stump Lake, Nelson County; Cavanaugh Lake, Devils Lake, Lake Irvine, Morrison Lake, Sweetwater Lake, Ramsey County; Lake Darling, Renville County; Grass Lake, Richland County; Carpenter Lake, Island Lake, School Section, Rolette County; Buffalo Lake, Sargent County; Patterson (Dickinson Reservoir), Stark County; North Tobiason Lake, Steele County; Coal Mine Lake, Sheridan County; Mallard Marsh, Spiritwood Lake, Sunday Lake, Stutsman County; Cottonwood Lake, Tioga Reservoir, Williams County; Lake Sakakawea from Garrison Dam to U.S. Highway 85 bridge at Williston and all tributaries upstream to the first vehicular crossing; and Lake Oahe from the South Dakota border to MacLean Bottoms boat ramp and all tributaries upstream to the first vehicular crossing.

(Reach reporter Brian Gehring at 250-8254 or brian.gehring@bismarcktribune.com.)