Vermont state law requires that ice fishing shanties must be removed from the ice before the ice becomes unsafe or ice loses its ability to support the shanty out of the water, or before the last Sunday in March (the 31st this year), whichever comes first.

The same Vermont law requires the name and address of the owner to be on the ice shanty.

“This is a good year to have a portable ice shanty, rather than a structure you leave on the ice overnight,” said Vermont’s Chief Game Warden David LeCours. “The last Sunday in March is the 31st, and with the fluctuating weather we’ve been having, that could be too late to be out on the ice. In order to comply with the law, you must remove your shanty before then if ice conditions look like they will deteriorate.”

The fine for leaving your ice fishing shanty on the ice can be up to $1,000, and shanties may not be left at state fishing access areas.