Do you measure ice thickness with a tape measure?

[thorson]

Seeing the posts about how thick the ice is before you would go on it always gets me to wondering about how people measure how thick it is. I always use a tape measure to measure it....

[TiNK3R]

My scoop has a ruler on it, I use that as I'm pulling the slush out.

[Glockwinger]

My scoop has a ruler on it, I use that as I'm pulling the slush out.

I also use the scoop ruler on early ice. When you get to late season on Upper Red, yeah, you gotta use the tape measure for the 4 feet of ice up there...and yes you need an extention.

[schr0563]

Measuring with a tape measure, or ruler on a scoop, is the only way to know for sure what the ice thickness is.

Every year I venture out on 6+ inches of solid ice to the cries that it can't possibly be safe because it has only been frozen for a short time. Those making the claim never bother to check it themselves and therefor miss out on the best fishing of the season.

Unfortunately, it goes the other way too, when some people assume that it is thicker than it really is and don't bother to measure it. This has led to many cold baths and even some deaths.

Point is - measure your ice! Know exactly what you are standing on

[Gissert]

Tape measure for me, especially on early ice.

[merkman]

I used to use a tape measure, but I picked up a couple extra square wooden yardsticks at the great MN get together this year and I am going to attach a small metal tab to the bottom so I can get very accurate ice thicknesses.

It is the same idea as the scoop, without the scoop.

[bigbad401]

My ice scoop with the ruler on it. It is a little off of what a tape measure is, but it is close enough.

[bgreen82]

on early ice when i am deciding if it wanna go out, ill drill a hole and put my hand in an L shape with my thumb resting on top of the ice. generally if i feel the bottom of the hole all the way down my pointer and middle finger, ill get out and do some fishing. for driving out, im waiting until i see multiple vehicles bigger than mine before i go.

[mole]

Ice scoop with ruler.

[McGurk]

After 16", does it really matter? If you stick your long handled ice scoop in and don't hook the bottom before your hand gets wet, I think you're safe. At that point, I use my auger as a gauge!

[timjones]

Early ice when I am walking out I will bust holes every so often with the spud bar and measure with the ruler on my scoop. If the ice is clear and no snow cover I don't have to poke a hole so often because you can usually judge how thick the ice is by the depth of the cracks.

[JimJim]

I used to use a tape measure, but I picked up a couple extra square wooden yardsticks at the great MN get together this year and I am going to attach a small metal tab to the bottom so I can get very accurate ice thicknesses.

It is the same idea as the scoop, without the scoop.

I use the same thing. I used some polyurethane on mine and it still looks like new after many years of use.

[stifler51]

i have a Hawg Trough that i bring out on the boat and in the porti, i just shove that down the hole.

[broken_line]

like this! 7:30 this morning

[MN Shutterbug]

You're getting close broken_line.

[broken_line]

in about 1.5 feet of water with hip boots on?

[peerchking]

early ice I use a 1" paddle bit (wood) with an extetion on my cordles drill. I take differant color sharpies to make marks at 2-3-4-5-6-7-8 inch marks. it just makes a little hole and i'll drill every ten or twenty feet

[Dooley87]

Early ice when your checking it with a spud bar i will chisel through and hook the top edge of the chisel on the bottom of the ice and I have the inches marked on the side of the handle starting from the top of the chisel.

If I know its safe and im drilling holes I have one of those hockey stick ice scoops with the wooden handle and it has a measuring tape on the side of it.

[jigginjim]

I use a 1x2" with a 3' nail to check thickness. Gets better reading, chipped edges gives a poor reing.

[Brad B]

I took one of my metal handled scoops and started at the base of the handle where it hooks to the scoop and marked a line every inch and then just drill a hole and place scoop against the bottom of the ice.

[walleyeslayr]

Use the hook from your scoop handle to catch the bottom of the ice, then slide your hand down down to the top of the ice, remove, and measure. (If your scoop handle isn't marked).

[Cliff Wagenbach]

I screwed a 2" "L" shaped metal tab onto the end of the handle of my Big Dipper ice scoop which has a ruler already printed on it.

Just push the handle down the hole, pull the "L" shaped tab up tight to the bottom of the hole and read the ice depth!

Cliff