Richard Brace (left) of Cedar Rapids and his brother, Jim Brace of Winthrop, use a power auger and an electronic depth finder to locate a dropoff during an ice fishing trip in January 2011 at Twelve Mile Lake in Union County. (Orlan Love/The Gazette)

Iowa officials are reminding ice fishing enthusiasts to be careful with newly developed ice formed during a major snowstorm last week.

The state Department of Natural Resources says a minimum of 4 inches of quality ice is recommended for ice fishing. At least 5 inches of ice is recommended for snowmobiles and all-terrain vehicles.

DNR officials also recommend using small baits and a light line for catching finicky fish.

The snowstorm dumped several inches of snow around the state last week. It also ushered in low temperatures that left most lakes with a layer of ice.