As the weather cools down, the water bodies are covered with thin ice and ice-fishing enthusiasts are getting ready to go fishing. Officials of the Department of Environmental Protection urge ice-fishing enthusiasts not to take risks and to take care of their safety.

Not all bodies of water freeze the same – ice thickness can vary in flowing, multi-vortexed bodies of water, so it is often risky to climb on the ice. 

The rules for recreational fishing in inland waters require that ice fishing is carried out with the means to be used in the event of a break-up. All ice anglers, regardless of the thickness of the ice or other circumstances, must carry two spikes connected by a flexible joint. 

Many manufacturers' spikes are designed to be hung around the neck at a height that allows them to be quickly removed from the liner in the event of an accident, so spikes must be kept within easy reach at all times - not in a pocket or, worse, in a tackle box. ]

Environmentalists advise anglers to use a pick when walking on the ice and to always assess the thickness of the ice. 

Ice is only allowed on frozen bodies of water when its condition does not pose a risk to life or health. It is forbidden to climb on the ice if it is too thin or if the Lithuanian Hydrometeorological Service warns of a dangerous ice condition.