Seward residents will soon be able to ice fish on Independence Landing during the winter.
During the Seward City Council’s Feb. 21 meeting, the board directed the city attorney to draft an ordinance to officially allow ice fishing.
The topic came up during an earlier meeting, when Councilmember John Singleton said he had heard police had stopped a father and son from ice fishing on a city lake.
Since then, Parks and Recreation Director Bob Core looked into rules in similar cities that have lakes and ponds. His findings in the agenda packet show David City does allow ice fishing, as Nebraska Game and Parks stocks trout in its lakes.
During the Feb. 21 meeting, Core said Game and Parks also stocked Independence Landing with trout that are meant to be fished out before they die in the spring.
“That was their intent,” Core said.
However, Core said swimming in the lake could be hazardous, as there are trees in the lake that were placed there for the fishes’ environment.
Core suggested the city make it clear ice fishers use the lake at their own risk because the city won’t inspect the ice before use.
Because the city will not allow swimming, boating and, at the moment, ice skating, Mayor Josh Eickmeier said the city would add signage to its lakes that would inform people what is and is not allowed to avoid confusion.
“It helps when you can point to a sign,” Eickmeier said.
