Ice-bound angler rescued in NW Minn.

[BrdHunter01]

PERHAM, Minn. -- An angler from northwestern Minnesota is recovering after getting stranded on Little Pine Lake north of Perham on Saturday night.

KBRF-AM reports that 27-year-old Michael Huber of Glyndon had to chop the ice to get out into the lake on Saturday, but the water froze over again a few hours later.

His boat motor failed and he couldn't get back to shore, so rescue crews from the Otter Tail County sheriff's office and other agencies used their cold water rescue gear to go get him.

It happened about 7:30 p.m. Saturday. Huber wasn't hurt and was treated and released by an ambulance crew at the scene.

The news release from the sheriff's office notes that Huber decline to say if the walleyes were biting.

Boat motor? I though it was ice fihing season? LOL

I sure hope their biting

[Bottle Fish]

I seen that report as well. I just want to know how much that is going to cost him for the rescue.

[jwmiller33]

What would he get fined for?

[DTro]

I've been very nearly in the same situation. Sometimes those things happen when you love to fish.

[waterbound]

He won't get fined for anything because there is nothing to fine him for. He probably will get stuck with the bill for his rescue though because it costs a lot of money to do a rescue like that.

[jwmiller33]

so this guy must not of had a trolling motor either?? or at least a working one...

[waterbound]

I suppose not...makes a good case for bringing oars with.

[DAWBSKI]

That is just the most ...........

[wplatehunter]

Little Pine is not a large lake, and has shallow shore lines.

[JBMasterAngler]

I guess I don't really know the boat laws very well, but doesn't the law require you to have an oar/paddle in the boat?

[wplatehunter]

I don't think so, but I could be wrong.

[bak2MN]

I dont think there is a law but thats where common sense kicks in.

[JeffB]

With a decent size boat one man and a paddle is pretty worthless with any kind of wind.

[JBMasterAngler]

I'd take my chances paddling instead of having to flip the bill for a rescue At the very least you can use the paddle to break the ice.

[schweady]

From a first-hand eyewitness source: the guy was too busy frantically smashing ice with his sunflower heater's propane tank to paddle. (Wouldn't you use that for HEAT, instead?) He also may have been hampered in his efforts by a misplaced plug: slush was flowing over the transom on the pull to shore and the bilge pump ran water for 15-20 minutes after being pulled in.

Looking forward to the photos to come out in the media.

I'm thinking guys are going to be lining up early for a chance at having this guy guide them around Little Pine next fall/winter.

[The_King48]

Maybe there should be a law of not going out onto a lake in a boat if u need to break the ice to get to open water.... Just seems like common sense to me... Just to many things can go wrong... Just saying!!

[waterbound]

Maybe there should be a law of not going out onto a lake in a boat if u need to break the ice to get to open water.... Just seems like common sense to me... Just to many things can go wrong... Just saying!!

We have an awful lot of laws already and I don't think adding another one would help. If somebody wants to go out and bust their way through ice to open water they should be able to. And if they need to be rescued they should foot the bill for being stupid.

[lungdeflator]

no no more laws. this was pretty stupid though. if he couldnt break the ice, was it thick enough to walk on??

[jwmiller33]

i think the reason he was stranded was because the motor wouldnt start, not because he couldnt break the ice.

[jdog]

jw hit it this is kind of a stupid thread i mean does anyone do this (in a normal year)duck hunting yes quite a bit is it on the news no cause the average duck hunter is prepared so you get one guy that freaks out its now news

[ajfresh]

I talked with a guy on the rescue team and what schweady said is also what i was told. I have thought about dragging the jon boat out but now i'll think twice.

[gill man]

I don't know if I would be too hard on the guy. Breaking ice at the boat landing is pretty common practice for musky fishermen and other guys that fish out of a boat right up until the lakes freeze over.

Now, for the most part, I would think that you could just man up and walk your way to shore if it wasn't far. BUT, if he broke ice for 50 yards and wasn't able to touch bottom, or get back through quickly, I guess I can't blame the guy for calling to get rescued.

Seems silly, but would you want to risk being in water that temp for who knows, 2 minutes, 5 minutes, 10 minutes?

We certainly don't need a law about not breaking thin ice at boat landings...

gill man