# Ice Fishing Derby

> Ice fishing tournament simulation with survival and resource management elements. (iPhone/iPad app by Pishtech LLC.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ice-fishing-derby/id932395061 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [Pishtech LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/502142612)
- Category: Games, Sports, Casual, Sports
- Price: Free with in-app purchases
- Rating: 4.40/5 from 379 App Store ratings · 118 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 12+
- Requires: iOS 12.0 · 29 MB
- Languages: American English
- Released: 2014-11-05
- Data updated: 2026-08-16
- Monetization: free with in-app purchases
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ice-fishing-derby/id932395061/reviews.md

## What is Ice Fishing Derby?

The free version of Ice Fishing Derby: It's a five day fishing derby with a twist.  The forecast for the first day is pretty nice, but it's going to get much, much colder as the days go by.  Start each day at the bait shop to get the tackle you need.  Catch bluegills, crappie, perch, walleyes and northern pike.  At the end of each day you'll collect cash at the weigh-in for the fish you've caught.  Be sure to earn enough to pay for a portable shelter and heater or you're not likely to survive.  Start with some basic gear and catch some panfish, then work your way up to catching the bigger fish.  Once you have the necessities you might get yourself a sonar flasher or even an underwater camera system so you can see what's happening under the ice.  Your goal is simple: Survive the tournament, and earn as much money as possible.  Other fishermen may offer you some interesting trades out on the lake, but be careful what deals you accept!

The game is free but in-app purchases unlock a few items in the bait shop and give you the option of starting each tournament with more money.

Note: Some people have had problems running the previous version of the game due to a bug in iOS 8.0.  Either updating your device to iOS 8.1 or updating the game to 1.06 should fix it.  If you have any trouble with the game, please email us at support@pishtech.com and we'll be happy to help.

## Key features

- Five-day fishing tournament
- Progressively colder weather
- Bait shop for tackle
- Catch various fish species
- Cash rewards at weigh-in
- Gear upgrades (shelter, heater, sonar)
- Trade with other fishermen

## Pricing and in-app purchases

Base price: Free.

**One-time purchases**

| Purchase | Price | Type |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unlock all items in bait shop | $1.49 | one-time |
| Unlock all store items, start each tournament with $100 | $2.99 | one-time |
| Unlock all store items, start each tournament with $300 | $3.99 | one-time |
| Unlock all store items, start each tournament with $1000 | $6.99 | one-time |


## What do users think of Ice Fishing Derby?

Overall sentiment: positive

**Pros**

- 🎣 Great ice fishing game
- 🕹️ Fun and simple gameplay
- 👍 Charming atmosphere and dialogue
- 🕰️ Enjoyable time-killer

**Cons**

- 🐛 Occasional bugs and crashes
- 💰 Paywall for better equipment
- 🔁 Repetitive gameplay after a while
- ❄️ Heater mechanic not working as expected

**Commonly reported bugs**

- Game crashing when continuing past day 2
- No sound despite volume being turned up
- Inability to start a new game

**Most requested features**

- More fish species to catch
- Ability to choose fishing locations
- Multiplayer or competitive modes
- Infinite or extended gameplay mode
- Graphical and content updates

## Recent user reviews (10 of 118)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ice-fishing-derby/id932395061/reviews.md

### 5/5 — Fishing

*2026-04-10, version 151*

Very nice and fun

### 5/5 — Great game

*2025-12-03, version 151*

This game is great and I enjoy every minute of it. But if there was an update even a small one to add a couple new species or challenges it would definitely spice things up. Thanks

### 5/5 — Been playing for nearly 8 years

*2025-11-20*

I remember the whole back half of the bus we’d all compete with eachother trying to one up eachother. Yet all these years later one of the only games I play on my phone can’t wait for ice fishing derby 2! Don’t rush it perfection takes time.

**Developer response:** Thanks so much for that review, and encouragement! IFD2 is now available! I didn't cut corners to rush it, but I did average close to 90 hours per week this fall to get it ready for release by winter. I hope you'll check it out! I'll be adding tip-ups and some other features in updates coming soon.

### 4/5 — Please make a gamepass to start with 35$

*2025-11-18*

I want to start with the second tier gear but u don’t want to have to start with 100 dollars as it feels like too much to start with

**Developer response:** I agree that starting with too much money can take some of the fun out of the game. Ice Fishing Derby 2 is out now, and the starting money varies between Open Derbies and Pro Derbies. Pro Derbies on different lakes start with different amounts, and those derbies rotate through 20 different lakes, so layers need to adjust their shopping strategy based on the budget and the species of fish in the lake. I hope you'll check out the new game!

### 4/5 — I like the game but more fish needed

*2025-10-19, version 151*

I love playing this game but we need more fish. Fish to add bass,musky,catfish,and pirch. Thank you if you do add more fish.

### 4/5 — Ice fishing derby

*2025-07-12, version 151*

I don’t like that it makes you start a new game every five times

### 5/5 — Best phone game of time

*2025-06-20, version 151*

I been playing this game on and off for the last 10+ years and love every minute of it. If this game ever gets deleted from the store, I will be very sad.

### 5/5 — Really good game

*2025-05-21*

I’ve been playing this game for years and don’t get tired of it. Honestly anytime I get bored I’ll play, or I’ll play while actually ice fishing. It’s almost addictive, it’s very fun to try and beat you high score. Overall 10/10 game.

### 5/5 — Drop the new game!!!!

*2025-02-24*

The wait is killing me! I can’t wait to see ice fishing derby 2 come out, I’ve played this game since it came out. 5stars all over!!

**Developer response:** Thanks so much! I'm hoping I can have it ready to release before the end of the year. It's a long wait, but it's a lot of work as a solo developer. Update: It's out! It took a crazy amount of work this fall to get there, but Ice Fishing Derby 2 is available now! I hope you'll check it out! I'd love to get some more reviews for it, too!

### 5/5 — Make it longer

*2025-02-19*

It’s a great game and i love it but it would be better in the next one if we can fish much longer than 5 in games days which are 15 minutes long

**Developer response:** The sequel will probably have some longer format options, but also a short version for those who like a quick game. Thanks for your review!

Update: The sequel (Ice Fishing Derby 2) is now out! It does have a Free Fishing mode where you can fish as long as you want and keep your gear, plus casual Open Derbies and more challenging Pro Derbies. I hope you'll check it out!

## Frequently asked questions about Ice Fishing Derby

### What is Ice Fishing Derby?

Ice Fishing Derby is a free-to-play game where you compete in a five-day ice fishing tournament. The game features progressively colder weather, requiring you to manage resources and upgrade your gear to survive and earn money by catching various fish species.

### What are the main features of the game?

Key features include a five-day tournament with challenging weather, a bait shop for purchasing tackle, the ability to catch multiple fish types, cash rewards from weigh-ins, and opportunities to upgrade essential gear like shelters and heaters. You can also interact with other fishermen through trades.

### How much does Ice Fishing Derby cost?

The game is free to download and play. However, it offers in-app purchases that allow you to unlock certain items in the bait shop and start tournaments with more in-game money.

### What are the compatibility requirements for Ice Fishing Derby?

The game is available on mobile devices. A note in the description mentions that users experiencing issues on iOS 8.0 should update their device to iOS 8.1 or the game to version 1.06.

### What is the goal of Ice Fishing Derby?

The primary goal is to survive the tournament by managing your resources, especially against the increasingly cold weather, and to earn as much money as possible. This involves strategically catching fish, upgrading your equipment, and potentially making smart trades with other anglers.

## Version history (last 5 releases)

### 151 — 2025-02-13

Fix for bug when resuming saved game

### 1.50 — 2025-02-10

Minor bug fixes

### 1.40 — 2022-11-01

Cosmetic and minor fixes, updates to newer systems

### 1.34 — 2021-11-24

Cosmetic improvements, bug fixes, update to current libraries

### 1.10 — 2016-02-18

This app has been updated by Apple to display the Apple Watch app icon.

Fix for bug in previous release that kept the game from playing

## Apps similar to Ice Fishing Derby

| App | Rating | Price | Category |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
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| [Let's Fish:Sport Fishing Games](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lets-fishsport-fishing-games/id768152194) | 4.4 (8,566) | Free | Games |
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| [Idle Fish 2: Fishing Tycoon](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/idle-fish-2-fishing-tycoon/id1534396279) | 4.8 (5,666) | Free | Games |
| [Hooked Inc: Fishing Games](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hooked-inc-fishing-games/id1436213906) | 4.7 (500,235) | Free | Games |
| [Ace Fishing: Wild Catch](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ace-fishing-wild-catch/id694972182) | 4.6 (4,830) | Free | Games |

## More apps by Pishtech LLC

- [My Fishing Advisor](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/my-fishing-advisor/id502142609)
- [Ice Fishing Derby Premium](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ice-fishing-derby-premium/id652138155)
- [Fly Fishing Simulator](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/fly-fishing-simulator/id886195140)
- [Fly Fishing Simulator HD](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/fly-fishing-simulator-hd/id1187773953)
- [Letteremix](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/letteremix/id1387576821)

All apps by Pishtech LLC: https://appshunter.io/developer/502142612

## Related topics

[ice fishing games](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/ice-fishing-games) · [fishing simulator ice](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/fishing-simulator-ice) · [ice fishing derby](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/ice-fishing-derby) · [ice fishing](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/ice-fishing) · [ice fishing derby premium](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/ice-fishing-derby-premium) · [ice fishing derby 2](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/ice-fishing-derby-2) · [icebreaker fishing](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/icebreaker-fishing) · [ice fishing game](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/ice-fishing-game) · [free fishing apps ice](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/free-fishing-apps-ice) · [fly fishing simulator](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/fly-fishing-simulator) · [ice fishing live](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/ice-fishing-live)

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*Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-08-16.*