Scary Ice Fishing outings?

[SkitterPopper]

I have two experiences where I was wondering if I would come out alive.

The first one was on Gun Club Lake back in the 80's. We used to catch some nice crappie and northerns down there. We have had some good luck so me and my father decided to invite some neighbors down there for some good fishing. We were set up and started to fish. We had one hole close to the creek mouth as we always did good there for pike. I was walking over to this hole as I saw the bobber start dancing. I was 3 or 4 steps away from the hole and the ice gave out. I went down like a rock! My father sees this and starts to walk towards me to see what he could do. Well he was about 10 steps from me and he went through. Now we are both in the drink and everyone else is backing away. They then realized that they had to get us out. They raced to shore and retrieved a long branch and stuck it out to us. They pulled us both out of the drink and then was the hard part, walking 1 mile back to the truck when the temps were in the teens.

The other time was on Mille Lacs. My uncle lives 6 miles from the access we use for getting to our shacks. We decieded to go back to the house and eat dinner. We then got sucked into a few games on Hold'Em. Well it was around midnight and we decieded to go sleep in the shacks in hope of a night or early morning bite. While we were playing cards it began to snow and it really snowed. We started down the road to Mille Lacs and I could bearly see my hood of my pickup. I was thinking about turning around but I do not think that was a option. We got to the lake and proceded down the access only to get high sided by a pile of snow. After 45 minutes of shovling we were off. It was still snowing and blowing and the visibilty was zero. To this day I still do not know how we found the shacks but we did. I think someone was watching from above and helped us navigate our way.

[leech~~]

Now were getting some good ones! Thanks Ozzie & Hopkins I do fish out by Spirit a few times a year during the week just because there isn't all the noise and have ran into just what your talking about. But, I always go by sled pulling a porty, so the crack jumping part isn't quite as bad. There was one night I had to drive all the way to shore to get around it although!

[Bucksnort101]

Had two of them. First was many years ago in my younger days. Was on a lake in early November on about 3 inches of ice. Temps were nearing 70 degrees or so and you could see the stress on the ice as you walked along. It was bad enough we were out there on foot (we did have life jackets on), ut we saw a truck driving on the ice along shore, not for long through. It went through an bottomed out. That truck sat there for three weeks before the ice was thick enough for a wrecker to pull it out.

Second time was tooling accross a like at midnight on the way out to do some Crappie fishing. We were doing about 60 MPH accross the lake, again young a stupid, when we saw a large area of blackness in front of us, open water!!! Hit the brakes and turned the car sideways to stop in time. Came pretty darn close to a December midnight swim that night.

[leech~~]

(Bump) Since a lot of Hunting is coming to an end, and more guys are thinking about Ice fishing now. I thought I would start this one back up!

[CrowRiverRat83]

I can relate to all the stories about Mille Lacs. I was in my perm also around New Years that year with all the rain and warm temps. Luckily I was only about half a mile offshore and rode my wheeler out.

And how do you like them Mille Lacs whiteouts! Does anyone remember the weekend of the Arctic Blast sled get together 2 years ago? Couldnt see 20ft in front of the truck all day and night. Blowin probably 40mph or more. The resort had to come rescue myself and the gf in the morning. I had a drift level with my drivers side mirror that morning!

[Ed Carlson]

I preach ice safety and here is one reason I do. I may have posted a short version of this before, if so, I apologize for re-posting it...and if it varies' a bit..well...I'm older now and this is how I remember it today...I tried for a while to forget it.

Boise De Sioux Cave Ice Incident

I had been walking back into a not heavily used bend in the Boise De Sioux River to chase some walleye on foot. The spot historically did very well early in the season and I planned to fish 4 hours and off again with a couple of eaters for the pan.

Due to late season discharges from the White Rock Dam water levels were high at freeze up and remained high, I expected it. I assumed all would be as I left it several night before.

I approached my access point and all looked well, I had fished the area a few nights earlier and my tracks were visible on the snow and ice as were my old holes just up stream. I made the assumption the conditions were the same, this would soon prove to have been very unwise.

I needed to step down a bank to reach the ice so I left my pail and hand auger up on the bank to be retrieved once I got on the ice.

I stepped down and onto the ice and reached up to get my pail and ....BANG...CRACK...down I go. I hear a sound like hundreds of giant doors being slammed and the next thing I knew I was flat on my face chest deep in water with a large slab of ice pinning me to the river bank. As the ice fell it washed water up the bank and that was the water I felt on my chest, the wash soon receded to my waist level.

The bulk of the ice weight was on my legs and my right leg had a lot of pain radiating down the length from my knee to my foot. This was not good, at the time I suspected it was broken. My left leg could move a bit and I began to look for a hand hold to pull myself up with and found a branch to grab near me. First a attempts to pull free yielded no results, stuck tight and I can hear more BANGS and CRACKS the ice was still settling.

I had a minute now to consider my situation a bit, .....ah...not so good...nobody knew I was here, the temperature was falling well below 0 and may hit -10 tonight, my odds were not good and lessening by the minute.

My left leg was the most free so I concentrated on wiggling it as much as I could, as I arched my back to try to lighten the ice weight on my legs, this did give me enough space to get my leg up a foot or so, and then I rested. I then tried it with the right leg, and all I got was a hell of a lot of pain for my efforts.

This is when an image flashed in my head of the very real chance I may be a goner here and freeze to death or die of hypothermia half frozen into the river. To this day I remember that particular moment very well.

I made several more attempts to wiggle my leg free and my left leg was as free now as it could get without my right leg being free. My branch I clung to was solid and I was getting weaker and starting to shiver violently.

This is when "fate", or God, stepped in, BANG..CRASH...and the ice fell another 6" in the center of the river, and the ice slid down about that much on the bank and my leg. I pulled with what I had and my right leg came free but was basically dead weight...but I skidded up the bank dragging it behind me.

After dragging myself up the bank to the top near my pail and ice auger I begun to rub my legs to get some circulation flowing and tried to establish if my right leg was broken or not. I could wiggle my toes so I pulled myself up and tried some weight on it...it was beat up preaty bad but appeared to be in one piece.

Now with the help of my hand auger I used it as a crutch and worked my way back the 300 yards through the trees to my blazer. Started it up and found my thermos of coffee and shook like a leaf trying to get some of the hot coffee in me. I lived about 6 miles away so I got home and in a warm shower in 20 minutes or so.

From that point on, I look at ice safety in a whole new light. There is no such thing as too much safety, never assume anything, never....ever.... assume anything.

[leech~~]

So Ed, have you ever gone back to that spot again?

[lindy rig]

It was early December, me and a buddy had the itch to get ice fishing. He was staying at his boss' place on lake Minnetonka and told me I should come out. I had never been on the lake before. I was somewhat concerned if there was enough ice so he drilled several holes and confirmed 5-6".

Headed out after dark on my snowmobile and as we were slowing down to the spot the ice gave way. We both jumped off and were soon swimming, trying to claw our way back onto the ice. After a short struggle we both stood there in disbelief and started running back to shore. Our clothes were frozen solid by the time we got back, but alive. The darkness made it extra frightening.

I still have anxiety every time I hit the ice. New lakes are much worse. Sometimes I think it is slowly getting better, hopefully it is.

[leech~~]

Minnetonka is bad for having thin and open spots late in the year! If you want some thick ice to be safe on, try Red or LOW in late Feb, you will have about 3 feet! Get back on that horse and ride lindy rig!

[deadeye]

I had a pretty rough day once when I was living up in Ely.

We had decided to go on a BWCAW stream trout ice fishing trip to break the boredom in late January. The trip included crossing a creek (not a good idea but we had done it in early December when going into a further lake to go for walleyes and it was solid).

Well, as it turns out the creek had amped up the flow because when I was crossed it this time I got 95% across and I went through. Somehow I was able to flop my self onto the bank with my legs underwater and grab a branch to pull myself out. This whole process was compounded by the fact that I had snowshoes on.

Finally on the bank, I caught my breath and tried to figure out what just happened. Just for curiosity, I grabbed a stick and checked the depth where I went through. It was about chest deep so I would have been able to stand up, but I would have been in big trouble as it was 5 feet straight down from the bank.

We decided that the best plan of action was to head to our spot and build a fire since it was much closer than walking back. Probably should have gone back anyway but hindsight is 20/20.

I decided that I was going to break a new trail on shore instead of following the creek anymore. Major pita since the snow was around 3 feet deep, but it was better than going through the creek again.

We finally got to the entrance to the lake and I had to get back on the ice. It was a narrow spot but it was the only way onto the lake and it was at least triple the width of the creek. Given the amount of traffic on the snowshoe path I thought for sure it was fine. Well, I was wrong.

As we were finally getting into the opening to the lake I felt a rumble and the ice gave out again. I jumped with all I had and somehow escaped going in. It would have been really bad because it was now more like 100 yards to shore and 30 feet deep. The friend I was with couldn't believe how far I jumped and neither could I (mind you I had still had snowshoes on).

We ended up making it to the spot and got a fire going. I got warm and dried out so I was ok, but I was kinda freaking out because we eventually had to go back. The sad thing is that out on the lake we barely made it through the ice with the hand auger because it was so thick.

Going back we took a different route and got back just fine. I was lucky and learned my lesson with how ice can change. Even when its nice and solid early the snow can do weird stuff to it. Now I avoid any current at all cost and if Im going in somewhere like that I take the chisel with and test the whole way.

[wplatehunter]

I found out last year that Ford trucks can fly. It was late in the season, and we were taking the house off the lake. There were large cracks in the ice that I did not want to drive over. The only way to get around them was to try and drive over the ice road. The banks on the sides of the road were about 3' high. I thought they would be soft, so I gave the truck some gas so I would not get stuck. The banks were rock hard, and the truck cleared the road, but the fish house trailer landed in the middle road. That was a rough ride.

[Craigums]

These stories freak me out, I don't think Ill be driving on any lakes this year now

[machohorn]

I was about 10, staying at my uncles we went to get some Nort's on a lake about 20 miles north. This was back when you could take a sled into Boundry Waters from winton. -30 temps calm and lots of snow. He had his 57 chev all warmed up ready to go in the morning, Snow machines loaded and off we went. Got to the access and the carb was frose on 1 sled and the boggie wheels were froze on the other. We took them off at the access and put them by the heat in the car, when they thawed off we went 20+ miles. we hit slush on the way out but made it through OK fished for about 5 hours then headed back, We hit the slush big time. it was over a foot thick and very long. We pushed and puled, finally I told my uncle I cant feel my feet. He found some instant energy pushed one sled on top, said we are only taking this one home so get on, he cut my boots off ( very cheap early model of the pack boots) theywere froze solid and my toes were turning black. Luckily he had a dry pair of sox and slipped them on. rode back behind him the remaining 19 miles, jumped in the car and headed home. The sauna was hot and I sat in there for over an hour with my feet in a bucket. It took almost 3 days b4 my aunt could get the liners out of my boots, lost 4 toe nails and still pay to this day with cold feet when it get under 40+ f. I just recieved my camo mukluks so I am hoping that it's true what they say about them being the warmest boot made .

[deadeye]

That slush is a true nightmare. People always asked why I like big paddle tracks and studs. That is it right there. Even if you do get through there is a good chance that your gonna get froze up anyway. Makes for a real long walk out.

I has my truck freeze to the ice in slushy conditions on Burntside up in Ely and that was a real mess to get undone.

[leech~~]

These stories freak me out, I don't think Ill be driving on any lakes this year now

Craigums, the best thing about this post, it can give ideas to others of what to do if these things happen to them. It could save lives. But also, for those not to freaked out, are pretty cool!

[ChuckN]

I found out last year that Ford trucks can fly. It was late in the season, and we were taking the house off the lake. There were large cracks in the ice that I did not want to drive over. The only way to get around them was to try and drive over the ice road. The banks on the sides of the road were about 3' high. I thought they would be soft, so I gave the truck some gas so I would not get stuck. The banks were rock hard, and the truck cleared the road, but the fish house trailer landed in the middle road. That was a rough ride.

...note to self....don't buy anything other than a small LakeMaster chip from this guy....

[wplatehunter]

Thanks ChuckN. Don't worry I sold the truck.

[pegleg]

What about the fish house? Are the springs shot? I broke a couple of springs doing what you did and they are tough to replace out on the ice.

[Jim43]

Was 1975 or 76 and we were around 14 to 15 and dad took me and my brother and a buddy of his out to Forest Lake to set up my Dads Fish house. Was mid to late December and the ice was not thick enough to drive on yet as there was only between 6 to 8 inches of clear no snow ice. Was really slippery to.

We start getting everything together on the ice on sleds to haul it out the fish house and get about 1000 ft out from the landing when this van comes driving out off the landing and drives straight at us. We could see the pressure wave in the ice coming at us and my dad hollered to us all to run. We all ran as quick as we could away from the sleds while the van just kept on going right past us to a spot about 1/4 mile out. We could still see the ice moving from the his weight all the way out there. We get back to our sleds and fish house and decide it was to early set up the house yet. The ice all cracked up where the van drove past us and we had to walk quite a ways out the way find good ice to walk back in on.

Needless to say, we were all scared afraid that van was about to take us down with it. Never did find out if they made it back or not.

[wplatehunter]

What about the fish house? Are the springs shot? I broke a couple of springs doing what you did and they are tough to replace out on the ice.

I think the springs are ok. It pulled fine going back to the cabin, but that's only a little over a mile. The next morning there was a flat tire.

[leech~~]

Jim43, is your Avatar a picture of when you were 14 or 15? Or are you just trying to let your kids have some thin ice stories like your Dad? That looks like some pretty clean ice there!

[Ed Carlson]

So Ed, have you ever gone back to that spot again?

Oh..ya...many times. But if the river may have dropped, I'm checking for cave ice before putting myself on the ice.

I assume far less now...knowing is much safer.

[MN Shutterbug]

With age, comes wisdom.

[crappiekid]

Glock, I was on Mille Lacs that same time with my fish house and 4 wheeler but we were out on the 4 mile bar on the south end. We also got up in the middle of the night to see our holes were about double the size they should be. We packed everything up and pulled the fish house off our spot and waited until daylight. Going off the lake was scary because the water was all the way up to the 4 wheelers floor board. There were waves on top of the ice. We crossed 2 bridges on the way out and only crossed 1 going in so I don't how we crossed the crack without a bridge. Never so happy to see Brandts Resort.

Glock And Pegleg I was there too on Mille Lacs that wonderful rainy weekend! Wow that was scary. My Brother in Law and I were out of Brandts resort as well, say sloppys... Fishing was good we had a 6.5 X 12 wheel house that we pulled out with my Grizzly. Went back to shore for the utility trailer and portables. Got all set up. Few beers, ate good meal then the snow. Snow turned to drizzle, drizzle turned to rain! OMG did it rain. I think we had about 8-10" of decent ice. Some Snow one ice turned to slush then to water. The ice had several cracks in it as i remember so we had to watch carefully on the way out. As the night went on and the rain got harder out holes also started to swirl to the point it was pulling line from the rattle reels. (even with a bobber attached). At about 1 am water started to come into the back doors of the fish house. Our fish holes were getting bigger than the catch cover holes. (we drilled 8" holes keep in mind) My grandpa always said to never leave the lake that late at night when a situation like this was present. BUT with the water nearly 8" deep on the ice and a GPS we freaked and decided to head for Brandts. we decided to jack up the wheel house and pull ahead away from the growing holes. As i jacked up the house a fricken eel pout i caught at 5pm swam between my boots and scared the sh-t out of me! We hooked up to utility trailer nad headed for shore. We let the GPS navigate for us. (Thank god we had bramdts locked in and saved) As we drove off the utility trailer and grizzly were actually creating waves that were crashinf into the waves on the water on top of the ice. When the two met it made a 6' splash into the air alongside of the wheeler. Yup we were scared sh-tless. Thought this was it. To make matters worse his battery was weakening on the Garmin. I kept thinking that the Grizzly was going to get wet somehow and stall out. Steam was coming from underneath when the water was hitting the motor and the pipes to muffler! We had to zig zag all the way back to shore looking for the 2 bridges to cross the cracks that were already out there. As we got closer to shore we cam across other rentals jerry had out. People standing in there truck boxes on top of cars etc. When we got to shore THANK GOD at about 4 am we saw the cars / trucks that did not drive out parked on the lake near shore. The cars had water running into their doors. The trucks including mine had water right up to the doors. I drove my truck up the big hill at brands and slammed 6 bush light's and thanked god that i could get back out the next weekend! It is amazing how many people i run into over time that was up at mille lacs that weekend! I have experienced a lot of red lake stuff and even fallen in a coule times on late ice but this was the worst. Something about 10 inches of water on top of 10 inches of ice that freaks a person out!!!!! Be safe out there!

[bmc2b]

Not life or death, but......last year I was out for a few hours one day that it was about -10 with my porty. Packing up when done, I went to strap the cover on it with my bungee, and the plastic clip on the opposite side broke. It came flying back and smacked me at the top of my nose/forhead. My face was cold, and it didnt really hurt, so I kept packing up. Pretty soon, my vision was off, I wasnt sure what was going on, so I took my glove off and felt my face. I had a welt on my lower forhead/top of my nose sticking out about an inch and a half. I said to myself, "$h;t, that is goona leave a mark." I held pressure as best I could as I got back home. Sure enough, as the welt resorbed, I ended up with 2 black eyes for about 5 weeks. I had to explain it 30 times a day to all my clients the whole time. The more I thought about it, if it had been a half inch either way, I probably would have lost an eye. I never thought I'd be glad to have 2 black eyes. Scary enough for me, beware of bungees.....