With temperatures sticking below the freezing point, lakes and rivers are soon to be completely iced over.

That'll open up the surfaces to ice fishing, with anglers looking to get their holes dug quickly to catch fish while they're still active and near the surface.

Caution should be taken, as some lakes won't yet have thick enough ice for people to walk on.

Sport Fish Specialist with the Ministry of Environment Murray Koob detailed just how thick it'll need to get before you can walk out onto the ice.

"For most of the province it's still a ways away, a lot of the larger lakes are still open, and some of the smaller lakes may have ice. We really say if you need to take all precautions and put safety first, make sure the ice is thick enough before you go out - as a general rule of thumb, we say about 10 centimeters of nice, clear ice for walking conditions."

For people looking to bring a cabin onto the ice by driving out there, a bit more time may be needed.

"30 centimeters of good, clear ice for supporting the vehicle. Always check that ice thickness before you go out and as you're traveling out. Especially early ice, you may have parts of the ice that are thinner than the others," said Koob, "so it's always good to check as you're traveling."

Fish stocks seem to be holding on well as winter arrives, meaning a good haul is possible once people can get on the lakes.

"As a general rule, things are pretty good provincially. It'll vary from lake to lake obviously, certain lakes have stronger populations than others," said Koob, "Just based on habitats and that sort of thing. But as a rule, populations are holding up fairly well in the province."

Koob noted that some lakes may have reduced limits, and reminded anyone going fishing to brush up on any rules and regulations they'll need to know.