Does anyone else worry . . .

[Steve Foss]

. . . that when fishing first ice in shelter with a Buddy heater on the ice you are weakening the ice so much (you know how that puddle always forms on the ice in front of the heater) that it'll break on you?

I'm often on 3-4 inches of ice to start the season, and it's always given me pause.

[jwmiller33]

another reason to go with the mr buddy heater as opposed to the big buddy

[sarcasm intended]

[Steve Foss]

I have a DynaGlo, an 8-year-old Menards-bought knockoff of the smaller Budder heater. Puts out 8,000 btus. As the puddle in front of it gets deeper and wider on 3 inches of ice, I imagine the ice cracking and me and the whole shelter kissing the world goodbye.

[BrdHunter01]

the sunflower sits higher off the ice... But I wait until at least 5-6 inches. Makes me feel so much safer

[randyfaas]

After seeing some of those spearing holes on 3-4" of ice, I think you'd be ok as long as you stayed out of the puddle...or just put a piece of insulation of some sort under your heater for peace of mind.

[NCLaker]

It really isn't that cold out ... I would go with a colman lantern hung from the support poles and dress warm. Should keep you warm enough and shouldn't melt much ice.

[Will]

I keep a pop can in the portable and use it to prop up the mr heater cooker, no more puddle.

[Ed Carlson]

Carry a lite rubber truck floor mat (avoid plastic or PVC mats as they freeze and crack), set the heater on it..heat reflects up and away from the ice and snow.....puddle is gone...no worries.

[gritsnham]

I know how you feel steve it forms that big puddle and then the ice is almost crystal clear! Always makes me wonder how long you should sit in that one spot on early ice...

[Steve Foss]

On early ice, I'm watching pike tip-ups all day and switching to walleyes for the last hour or two. So I usually just move the Otter over 10 feet or so when the puddle gets wide/deep, and make sure I pull it over to a fresh spot before drilling holes for the evening 'eye bite.

So it's not really a problem.

I just wondered if any of you guys had the same strange thoughts I sometimes get out on the ice.

[Will]

Definately, kinda like a big crack that goes from one side of the hole to the other.

[river rat316]

I just wondered if any of you guys had the same strange thoughts I sometimes get out on the ice.

Lord I hope not, we got rid of most people that had those thoughts along time ago

[riverrat56]

I just leave the heater at home until theres a few feet of ice...

[stifler51]

worry about it weaken the ice, AHAHAHAHA go look at like page 3 with "First day out" post, the guy posted pics of him spear fishing on 2-3 inches of ice, with a 2x3 foot hole in front of him.... crazy

heres the pic

[fish with teeth]

i carry a 2' by 2' piece of 1/4 in plywood to put in front of the heater so thar doesnt happen. it also gets real slippery with all of that water. almost fell a couple of times. i also have pieces to put under my feet when im sitting, less slippery and keeps my feet off the ice.

[dougger222]

A few years ago the puddle on 2 inches on LOW sure got me nervous. Enough so we retreated back the safety of 5 inches. It was a neat feeling to be fishing on ice that was open water the day before. Will I do it again? NO.

One year took the wheeled house out with about 5 inches. Left for LOW and had my brother and a couple friends watch over the house. With a full hundred pounder they cranked it up and fished for a few days. It got warm and there was 3 inches of ice under the house. Luckily an old friend from school pulled the house to better ice with his atv. If left how it was the house would have gone down. That was a 15K BTU turned way up. With free propane and the run of the place my brother wanted to fish in 80 degree heat. Will I ever let my brother look after the house? NO.

[g_anoka]

The only time I was really scared is one evening out on 4 inches of ice it started raining. It didn't take long before the water on top of the ice seemed thicker then the ice. Not sure if it actually weakened the ice, but I didn't stick around to find out.

[MikeEiden]

Man that ice looks to thin for my likings! I'ld be affraid to drop the thermos thinking it would go through. As for the puddle just think...if you have 1/2" of water that was probably almost an inch worth of ice!

That spear hole still freaks me out!

[wolfman-k]

I also use a small piece of plywwod with 2X2" about 3" long 'legs' screwed into each corner; no more ice-melt under the BigBuddy.

[Gordie]

I'm alot like stifler I spear and I start out with 3 inches of ice under me last year I couldnt leave my perm in one spot because the water kept comming up so I would mark the hole with branches and move the houseand the next day move it back over the same hole or sometimes cut a new hole I think I only did that once. it was only like that for a couple of days then I didn't have any problems.