While some will curse the cold for the way it increases heating bills, others are anxiously waiting for it to freeze over Iowa’s lakes and rivers. Mick Klemesrud of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources says those who like to fish through the ice can’t wait. He says we’re just starting to get some ice forming on lakes and rivers now. He says ice anglers tend to be passionate and sometimes push the envelope in getting onto the ice. Klemesrud says it’s not worth it to push your luck to tread on thin ice. He says they recommend about four inches of ice before people go out, because he says ice can vary greatly in its thickness. Warm winter weather in recent years has melted the hopes of ice fishermen, but Klemesrud says the prospects this winter look good. He says it looks like it’s going to be a normal year. He says some of the lakes “lock up” recently when the temperatures dropped, but that melted off. He says he hopes they have a good year with lots of ice fishing. He says ice fishing has become a big event. He says you’ll see lots of shacks and people siting on buckets on lakes all over the state. He says it has become a social activity. The top two actors in the popular “Grumpy Old Men” movie have died, but Klemesrud says their passion for ice fishing showcased in the flick lives on. He says “Grump Old Men” did expose a new generation to ice fishing. When things to finally freeze over, Klemesrud says you should take along a life jacket, 50 feet of rope and ice picks for self rescue.