Last updated on January 16th, 2026 at 07:18 am
Ice Lakes – Sports Game Review
Ice Lakes is a Sports/Simulation game from Paradox Interactive AB, first launched in 9th September 2016.
It’s rated 4+ and currently has 591+ ratings on the App Store.
What Makes Ice Lakes Stand Out
IMPORTANT### Ice Lakes 3D graphics require devices with more than 1GB RAM, so please note that iPhone 4/4s, iPad 2/mini, iPod Touch 5 or older devices are NOT supported.
Ice Lakes is an ultimate ice fishing game with a sandbox approach to wintertime fishing. Rare subject, stunning graphics, realistic physics, fish behavior system, wide selection of fishing gear, different game modes in the various locations around the world, changing season, day time and weather conditions that also affect fish behavior makes Ice Lakes the ultimate ice fishing simulator.
Key Features:
- 21 open world maps
- 32 fish species
- 18 competition modes
- 18 tournaments
- Extensive statistics about everything
- Character customization
- Rod movement with or without inertia sensors
- Fish fights
- Changing weather and time of day (Morning, Noon, Evening and Night)
- Change of seasons (fall, winter, spring)
- Fish behavior engine. A fish AI and swarm system controlling each species
- Fishing equipment. Learn and master the use of dozens of jigs, rods, augers, baits and lures
- Encyclopedia about fish species and ice fishing in general
Game description
In this game you can roam freely in the beautiful open world maps and explore river, pond and lake locations in diverse environments. Dare to go deeper into the wild where no fisherman has gone before and find the biggest catches.
Finding the best fishing spots by learning the depth maps and bottom topology of each location is fun, but requires patience and dedication. Nothing wins the expectation of finding the best location or catching the biggest fish from each lake.
The real excitement starts when it is time to throw fishing lines into the water and start fishing! The right equipment for right conditions are as essential as is mastering the location. The realistic fish behavior system, fish AI and fish swarms for over 30 fish species makes this game a lifelike fishing experience. Fishing gear can be chosen from a wide selection of different jigs, rods, augers and baits. A perfect combination of equipment for different species depends on the season, but especially weather and daytime conditions. Controlling a rod and a jig in the water in a right way and at the right depth in Ice Lakes is a skill of its own. Rod and jig physics guarantees that fish react authentically to player's actions.
Fishing independently without time limits or competitors makes Ice Lakes a relaxing game to play and tune your fishing skills in the comfort of your home. On the other hand, lengthy tournaments and very customizable single competitions will test the player's skills and knowledge, but will reward them with new equipment and limitless fame.
This Sports game offers engaging gameplay and regular updates for mobile players.
Player Feedback
As a newer release, Ice Lakes is building its player community. Early feedback suggests .
Recent Updates & Development
Latest Update: 15th March 2018
Recent improvements include:
This app has been updated by Apple to display the Apple Watch app icon.
Battle Royale is a new exciting game mode. In Battle royale the player must stay inside the eye of the constantly moving storm and try to catch as many fish as possible within the time limit. All of the competition types and maps are also playable in the battle royale mode. The mode can be activated from the map selection just below the fish fight checkbox.
Completely reworked character customization is now live. Check the updated Player menu and try the new system with dozens of new items. Over 30 hats, almost 20 characters and 23 color variations makes it possible to create literally thousands of unique outfits. In addition, there is a completely new selection available in the Player menu, which is called Charms. There you can choose one of the new lucky charms or other decorations that will appear beside a fishing hole.
The minimap now follows the movement and turns with the player, which makes it much easier to navigate in the game.
Download & Availability
Ice Lakes is available through the official App Store for iOS devices.
Requirements: Requires iPhone 5s / iPad Air / iPad Air (Cellular) / iPad Mini 2 (Retina) / iPad Mini 2 (Retina, Cellular) / iPhone 6 / iPhone 6 Plus / iPad Air 2 / iPad Air 2 (Cellular) / iPad Mini 3 or later.
Compatible with iPhone and iPad devices.
Player Experience Highlights
Community Insight:
Been playing g for many years now. Do wish they would up date to a version u can buy vexlar. But still fun nonetheless. Its nice to play since we love ice fishing.
This game is amazing but it needs more better graphics.
We hope the game developers see this its a great game it just needs a fish finder that would be great and more fish and tip ups bottom rigs and stuff like real ice fishing thank you.
You know Iv trued a lot of fishing games but this one is one of the best we love the variety of fish to catch and the graphics for a game are vary good.
For starters :if you dont like waiting you probably shouldnt play because it takes 1 to 4 minutes to catch a good size fish and if you like waiting for a good Fish then this is a good game for you and we fish in real life.
This is a great game, we had a friend buy it for us actually cause they wanted us to try it out with them. Ive been playing for awhile and feel like there should be an update for it. Some simple add ons. Like maybe new lures, or rod types, or maybe add a fish finder option. We think this game is already so comparable to actual ice fishing why not add just a few more to make it feel that much more genuine! We hope the developers of the game see this and hopefully are really bored this day and decide the same thing we have envisioned in our mind.
Its really fun but put in a underwater camera and lake trouts by w under water camera we mean a little sonars.
We would like to see some updates to it like some tip ups and some fish finders would be pretty cool but pretty solid game.
Us being from Wisconsin the most popular fish is walleye and we love walleye fishing we know you have walleye on pc and Muskie it would be great if you could add them to the game.
Its so fun! Especially whenever you can find a hotspot for giant fish like barracuda, and also how the fish are actually acting like real fish! Its like they are conscious.
We really like this game its a competitive fishing game and it it barely has any cons in our opinion best ice fishing game their is.
Hi guys we are Tom this game is really awesome for Mobile device or iPad a very beautiful. The best fishing game Ive played for any the devices. Very impressive game in our book is a hidden gem great job. Matter fact we have fish and games from our game console this game looks better than that those games. A perfect masterpiece.
Ive played a lot of ive played a lot of fishing and ice fishing games and this is probably the best one we have ever played.
This game is probably the best fishing game we have ever played great graphics and best game to pass time.
This fishing game is unbelievable! You can catch all kinds of fish from barrucuda to perch but there is one thing Id like to have, spot saving where you can save you spot to come back to and catch fish other than that its a really fun game! Thanks for making it.
It is fun an easy to learn how to play.
The best ice fishing game out there really fun and realistic.
Awesome game with incredible detail. Downloaded quickly even as a big file and we started playing right away. It works best on our iPad Pro first generation model. The phone display on the iPhone pro max is a little bit off, but its still playable. Huge file. Dont use on an older device, its a big memory and storage hog. Looking forward to updates to smooth out animations and display. Overall, a well done app and even kids enjoy it.
The game is good please keep up the good work one thing though the depth gauge is acting up where we fish in shallow water and the depth is like its deepest please fix the bug. On steam can you update the lures and new fish and maps to mobile please.thank you for the game.
We love this game and have been playing it for a while but it would be nice if you could add stuff like a flasher, tip ups, or an underwater camera, we love the game though just some ideas.
Ive tried a lot of fishing apps. As ironic as it is to fish inside on a device, this is by far the most vast and variable experience Ive encountered. Lots of water to be explored. Lots of lure/bait/scent combos to illicit particular fish. Different seasons, different modes and tons of tournaments. We get a nice knee jerk response every time a big one bites, its also the suspense of not knowing exactly whats on the other end. Having never ice fished proper before, this has us wanting to try our luck in the real word and helps to get an understanding of what goes into the sport. Thanks for putting together a nice platform to experience it virtually before heading into the icy tundra.
They should add more fish like catfish and salt water bass.
The game is cool but we thank that they should make it wear you can run in first person.
This is our favorite game a few suggestions you cant buy coins with really money and its kinda hard to get coins when your doing the free fishing so if you could update it and make it so we can buy coins or make it more easier to get coins in the free fishing we would love that.
Please continue to update the game and then this game would be even better.
Love this game. It is by far our favorite game on the App Store. We are hoping you guys update the game. Would love new maps, new tournaments, and new equipment. Also if u were able to play a tournament again your friends, that would be awesome!!! We have loved your game for years. Please, Im begging you, add new stuff. Ive played every tournament and on the verge of uninstalling it. Its been so long since an update. Please add new features and game modes. Upgrade the graphics alittle. This game has the potential to be the #1 sports game. Please UPDATE.
This is easily the best fishing game for iOS. We wish we could change the temperature mode to farenhight though.
Although it could use a update maybe a flasher or under water camera. New specie such as lake trout all in all great game.
We are HOOKED on this game pretty realistic. Sensitivity of ice rods jigging brings back great memories. Could use updates in future ice huts, ATV or snowmobile on ice if you ever ice fished get this app.
Awesome game really captures ice fishing.
Love this game so much, extremely addicting and is just over all great. Very fun and worth it.
There needs to be a way to earn money a little bit easier and when we were in a tournament when the was only 5 min left the game froze so we tried it again but the game froze again.
Cant stop playing this app download it now.
Quite frankly, probably one of the best fishing games we have played over the years. Controls are good, lures and fish species are great. Tournaments are a good blend of time and difficulty. Would highly recommend.
This game is perfect for us it costs money but is very worth it and there is little to no lag we have an iPhone 6 and it works perfectly we got this game a few years ago and we still play it. Would recommend especially for people who live in warmer climates who cant go ice fishing.
You literally have to get this game! Its probably one of the best mobile game ever our opinion! Maybe? We dont know but get the game and it least try it, or else a spider will crawl in your mouth tonight and youll feel a spider crawling around in you.
This game is the best you could catch pike perch carp eel and many more… And the game graphics are great.
We have been playing this game for many years and we love it but the only thing we would do to the game is add tips or pointers if you aren't catching any fish.
We like this game so much its so fun play it all the time.
You guys need to put bobbers in the is game so its easier to know if we get a bite.
Love this game. Please keep updates coming.
Such an enjoyable IOS experience! We think this is the best fishing game in the App Store. We could play it for hours. The open ended world is fun to explore in free fishing, the subtle changes in manipulating the jigs for catching fish, the environment, basically everything you could want in a game. A must buy! Weeks and weeks of fishing bliss! Excellent job, Team Ice Lakes.
But When will the new update with the walleye and muskie come.
Love this game but want to see Tip ups and multiplayer player on mobile.
It does not crash and it is very good content and well we like it.
We have been looking for a good ice fishing game and this is bye far the best one. The only thing is we would like to see tip-up fishing.
Absolutely love this game, Ive been looking for a good ice fishing game and they are few and far between. The only thing we would like to see is some sort of tip up fishing, maybe a shanty where you can look out at tip ups and still jig. Still the game is very fun, very good variety of fish you can catch, lots of lures and rods. Great game, would recommend to anyone that likes to ice fish.
Most realistic fishing game in the App Store. Full stop. No IAP, compete in fishing tourneys for in-game currency. Buy endless gear and customization options with currency. So fun. 5 stars.
Great game overall but it needs multiplayer so you can play with friends.
We think this game is really good for it being on a device and you are able to play it anywhere but there is some things we dont like about the game like you have to move around a lot to even find fish so we think we would be good if they made it easier to catch fish but over all the baits and lures and rods are good.
User feedback from Apple App Store
App Details
- Version: 1.9.5
- Size: 1,464.66 MB
- iOS: 7.0 or later
- Languages: EN
- Content Advisory:
- Developer: Paradox Interactive AB
Last updated: 15th March 2018 | Genre: Sports, Simulation | Developer: Paradox Interactive AB