MISSOURI VALLEY, Iowa (AP) — DeSoto National Wildlife Refuge is reopening all public roads to allow ice fishing access on DeSoto Lake. When conditions permit, DeSoto Lake is open to ice fishing from Jan. 2 through the end of February each year – the time period between the fall and spring bird migrations. Anglers must determine for themselves whether the surface ice is thick enough for safe fishing. A general guideline is a minimum of 4 inches of clear and solid ice for foot travel and ice fishing.

If there are waterfowl using the lake in January and February, ice fishing may be barred from small areas of the lake. DeSoto National Wildlife Refuge sits 25 miles north of Omaha, Nebraska, on U.S. Highway 30, between Missouri Valley, Iowa, and Blair, Nebraska.