ice fishing use caution

[outdoorgirl]

seems like it's that time of the year again to go ice fishing......please use caution when going onto the lakes....we had a guy fall threw the ice and drowned on lake flour in saranac lake yesterday he was 25 years old ...what do you consider safe ice ?

[fisherguy]

Sorry to hear that. Seems like that story can be all too common at times. If you know the lake and where any spring or currents are, 2-3 inches of good blue ice is lots for a person, 4 is more than enough for a snowmobile. YOu just have to keep checking the thickness if you are not sure. People get into trouble with weak honeycombed ice, current, springs, etc. For example one lake i fished over the break had 11 inches in the first spot i fished and 17 in the next. The only difference was that snow had drifted up at spot # 2 and insulated it so ice formed slower. Earlier on when there was only a few inches of ice, that could have been dangerous to someone who doesn't know to look for these things.

[Shaun_300]

ya i wouldnt think that many places south of here would be safe to walk out onto the ice yet. we have about a foot here now. fisherguy hit the nail on the head for icethickness. but i dont take my snowmobile out on the ice unless there is at least 6 inches. i dont want to risk losing my sled or my life.and once again, check the ice often, snow, beavers, any sort of current will affect the thickness of the ice.

[Mathews XT Man]

actually no ice is ever safe.... a resort was plowing its ice road in Northern Mn. a couple wekks ago with a track vehicle about the size of a van. The guy got into a channle and went through! only 3" of ice, hardly enough to walk on.

[VTbowman]

I just read in our local news paper that 2 men and a small boy went threw just north of the boarder, but in the the same bay I fish on here in NW Vermont. They were on a snow mobile but in an area known for thin ice. The 50 year old father managed to push his son back onto the ice, saving him, before he drown. His friend drown as well. Very sad.
A neighbor saw the whole thing but could not get out there fast enough.

Great, and I was planning on hauling a shanty out with my ATV next Wednesday about a mile south of where this happened...

[IowaDeerHunter]

Yeah the ice is never safe, depending where you are at on the lake. I think it works to be familiar with the lake. You never know when you could through, so you have to be prepared. I get nervous anytime we go on the ice, especially when you are sitting there and it cracks right through your hole.

[Shaun_300]

ya we have about 36" of ice up here by March. we have over a foot now. you can definetly never be too careful though.

[mathews4life]

Man that sounds dangerous. Too much for my liking. I'll stick to my boat and regular water and my trolling motor

[HuntingInMaine]

Be careful when taking little ones on the ice, no matter what the thickness. My youngest son was walking back to shore with his brother when he walked into an old hole that wasn't being used. He caught himself with his arms so he didn't go under, but certainly scared everyone there. His brother pulled him out (and will never let him forget he saved his life!LOL)

I am nervous on ice, so I need at least 8 inches before I will go out. We went ice fishing last saturday and there was a lot of noisy freezing going on.....freaked me out a little when a stress crack went right between my knees as I was bringing up my only fish of the day!!

Be careful and don't take any chances....there is no fish worth dying for!

[newhunter92]

I would have to say about 3-4 inches