Ice Fishing Coloring Page

This ice fishing coloring page shows two worlds at once. Up top, a girl with red braids sits on an upturned bucket on a frozen lake, holding a short rod. Down below, you can see right through the ice to the cold water, where four fish swim past her little red bobber.

Behind her stand a red fishing hut with a smoking chimney and a line of snowy pines. A thermos waits on the snow, and a small dog sits by the hole to see what she catches. Snowflakes drift across the sky, and the sun smiles down from the corner.

What makes this page fun

Kids like the cut away view. It lets them see something the girl can't. Ask your child which fish will find the bobber first. Bubbles rise from the fish, and water weeds sway along the sandy bottom. There is even a crack pattern drawn in the band of ice.

It's a medium page, good for ages 6 to 11. The largest spaces are simple, and small details like the braids and the hat take more care. Expect about 30 minutes from start to finish.

Ice fishing coloring page color ideas

Three layers run across the bottom half. Give each one a different blue. Keep the snow white, make the ice a very pale blue, and make the water much deeper. That simple change turns the page into a real cross section.

Her gear should stand out against all that cool color. A red hat, a yellow bucket and a teal coat look warm and cheerful. The fish can be real or silly. Orange and green feel natural, and hot pink will make your child laugh.

Pale sky, darker pines and a yellow sun finish the top half. A little orange glow in the hut window would be a nice touch, too.

Tips for icy colors

Use a white crayon first. Rub it over the snow near the trees, then color light blue on top. The wax pushes the blue away, and you get soft patches that look like drifts.

For the water, color in sideways strokes. Sideways marks suggest gentle ripples, while up and down marks look like rain. Go around the fish slowly, and leave the bubbles white.

The fishing line is very thin, so use a fine pencil near it. If the blue crosses the line, no harm done. Just trace it again with a dark pencil once the water is finished.

How ice fishing works

People fish through an opening cut in frozen water, using lines, hooks or spears. The hole is made with an ice saw, a chisel or a tool called an auger, which can be turned by hand or powered. Many anglers sit inside a small shelter. It might be called an ice shanty, a fish house or a bobhouse, and the name often depends on where you live or who taught you to fish. Some resorts even rent them out by the day. You can read more on the Ice fishing page. One rule for real life: never walk on ice unless an adult who knows the lake says it is safe.

Keep the story going

Ask your child to name the girl, the dog and each fish. Then write the next scene together. Does she catch something? Does the biggest fish steal the bobber? A short story of five sentences fits nicely on the back of the sheet.

For a fast science talk, fill a glass with water and float an ice cube in it. Kids can see that ice sits on top, just like in the picture.

More cold weather pages

A warm summer trip is waiting on the fishing trip coloring page. If your child loved the snowy hills, print the sledding coloring page next.

Questions