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Ice Fishing question

FrancFFrancF Member Posts: 35,278 ✭✭✭
edited December 2003 in General Discussion
I have never had the joy of trying it. But I have always wondered how do you know when it is safe to walk on snow covered ice? Or how do you know were the thin spots are so you don't fall in by accident?

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Comments

  • dcon12dcon12 Member Posts: 31,935 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I have never ice fished either but when I want ice I just go to the freezer....

    "Right is Right, even is everyone is against it, and wrong is wrong, even if everyone is for it"
  • FrancFFrancF Member Posts: 35,278 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    [;)] I knew that was going to be said- good one!

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  • woodsrunnerwoodsrunner Member Posts: 5,378 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    I thought you lived in Southern California.

    Does this mean HeII has frozen over??[:o)]

    Woods

    It's better to die on your feet, than to live on your knees.
  • woodsrunnerwoodsrunner Member Posts: 5,378 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    To answer your question. Here we wait for at least a month of sub freezing temps. By then the ice is pretty much thick and solid. We also avoid water near inlets or outlets to the waters we are fishing. Running water doesn't freeze fully.

    Woods

    It's better to die on your feet, than to live on your knees.
  • FrancFFrancF Member Posts: 35,278 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by woodsrunner
    I thought you lived in Southern California.

    Does this mean HeII has frozen over??[:o)]


    Central CA [:)] on the monteray bay (for the old army guys 35 mins North of the old Fort Ord)

    There are a few lakes in the sierras like silver lake and a few others
    that will freeze over in the winter, and I had seen guys out ice fishing. Just wondered how they figure out whats safe.


    Thanks Woods! [:D]

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  • agloreaglore Member Posts: 6,012
    edited November -1
    1" of ice will support a child. 2" will support an adult. Carry an ice spud so you can tap the ice ahead of you as your walking on it. Stay off ice that is close to the beach if it is in an area with grass or weeds. Have a partner walk ahead of you.[:)] Ice gets 4-5 feet thick around these parts so we don't worry too much. 5" will support a small vehicle like a pick-up.

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  • wizard78wizard78 Member Posts: 3,144
    edited November -1
    LOL, I know you didn't mean it that way but "have a partner walk ahead of you" is a great idea.[:D] [8D]

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  • jonkjonk Member Posts: 10,121
    edited November -1
    Well, if there are a bunch of other suckers out there.... safe enough! On lake erie, I have seen it not freeze all winter, and other years freeze thick enough to drive cars out to the islands. Personally I like 3 inches. I always tap ahead, don't drill too many holes where I fish (pain when your foot goes through one!) and wear a life jacket under my coat. That way I might freeze but at least won't sink!

    "...hit your enemy in the belly, and kick him when he is down, and boil his prisoners in oil- if you take any- and torture his women and children. Then people will keep clear of you..." -Admiral of the Fleet Lord Fisher, speaking at the Hague Peace Conf
  • HappyNanoqHappyNanoq Member Posts: 12,023
    edited November -1
    Ice Fishin' ??!!??
    What kind of bait do you use for that.?

    Nah.. kiddin'.


    Use a stick/poker to test with - some use a handdriven drill to check the exact thickness after they checked it with the stick/poker.



    Don't do anything that I've allready done - That'd be just plain STOOOOOOPID.
  • intercessorintercessor Member Posts: 436 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I personally like at least four inches before I start fishing. I bore my first hole a few feet out from shore as a test, then bore a couple of more on my way out to the spot I want to fish. I really enjoy fishing through the ice. Winter fish just seem to taste better, or maybe it's just that it's been awhile since fresh fish that makes them taste so good. We use wax worms aroujd here for bait.
  • concealedG36concealedG36 Member Posts: 3,566 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    I usually start fishing the shallow water as soon as the ice is 1" thick. I won't go out on the Great Lakes unless there is at least 8" of ice, though.

    Some people like to carry a couple of screwdrivers in their hands if walking on questionable ice. If you fall through you can use them like ice-picks to pull yourself out.

    I can't wait until ice-fishing season!!

    G36



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  • firechieffirechief Member Posts: 605 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I love to ice fish, but have not done so for a couple of years. Another good suggestion is to pull a small sled for your gear. We had one fixed up with a 5 gal bucket and some sides that would fold down. We would tie the sled to our waist and leave our hands free in case of and accident. I like the screw driver tip.





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  • NOSLEEPNOSLEEP Member Posts: 4,526
    edited November -1
    You must be careful, and its best to know the area you intend to fish.
    4 inches of ice is safe to walk on only. 10 inches and you are ok for
    a car or a truck. Be aware of any moving water like streams or
    canals as moving water will have much thinner ice over it, if at all
    unless its very cold. Yesterday I was ice fishing on a reservoir for
    walleye. There was 12" of ice so far, but I will not drive my
    diesel truck on it till it is at least 16" thick. At that time we
    can ice camp on the water with many trucks in the same area. And
    have never had a problem. You also want to be careful of weed
    patches under the ice, When the sun shines on the ice and is reflected
    by the weeds it can reduce the ice quality dramatically and I have
    witnessed vehicles going through just a short piece from were my
    truck was parked. always drill a hole close to shore to determine how
    thick the ice is before venturing out.
    Also the ice thickness lessens the farther out you get.
    Here it can be very cold and normally by christmas we have at least
    2 ft of ice on the prairie and in the mountains.
  • Travis HallamTravis Hallam Member Posts: 1,044 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Another thing to watch for is pressure ridges. They develope when the ice shifts and bust open. Known a few people to drive into them. Also becareful if using a small propane heater. I was cooking on one inside of a small portable Ice house. My boy (10 at the time) stated feeling ill and could not walk. When I got up to move I realized we had been suffering from carbon monoxide exposure. We ended up allright but had some good headaches. Known this to happen to others as well.

    Mad Dog
  • dakotashooter2dakotashooter2 Member Posts: 6,186
    edited November -1
    Some of you guys make me shudder. I won't even walk on a lake until it is at least 6". I have seen as much as 4-5" of variation in ice thickness even in shallow currentless bays. Walking on 1" and driving on 5"??????? Been nice knowing you. Acouple of inches may hold somw weight on narrow stretches such a small rivers and creeks but will experience a lot of "flex" stress on larger areas. A few things to consider. Not all ice is the same. 6" of ice developed at temps just below freezing is not nearly as strong as 6" of ice developed at temps in the single digit or sub-zero. Snow acts as an insulator on ice. If early ice (1 or 2") gets covered with a heavy blanket of snow it takes longer for ice to thicken and harden. Current, wind action and springs can all effect ice thickness. It has been my experience that the "suggested" ice thickness guidelines are a bit on the light side except maybe in the far north. While a few may see a dunk in ice cold water as an unpleasant experience it can turn deadly very quickly even in shallow water. Always give yourself some cushion because in a lot of cases it won't be your own carelessness that causes problems but that of the idiot, and there are plenty of them, who decideds to walk up behind you and talk to you (while your standing on an inch or so of ice) or the guy who is going to park his truck next to yours ( sitting on 6")and KerPlunk.
  • stickmanstickman Member Posts: 11 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    DRIVING ON 5 INCHES!!!!!??????? R U nuts????? Check Minnesotas DNR webpage...you CAN walk on one inch...you CAN drive an ATV on 6....and you CAN drive a vehicle on 12 inches....notice the lack of a very special word...SHOULD!!!! For safetys sake you should wait for thicker ice...unless you want to give the rescue boys a little work out.
  • select-fireselect-fire Member Posts: 69,453 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Tried it one time. Bored a hole with one of those augers. Ice was thick. I hit a stump and had to re-drill. Was so sweaty I got cold, then dropped part of the bait in the hole. Only thing I caught that day was a cold.
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