how come they dont post something up for ice fishers?

[JAbbe]

every year we have people driving threw lakes with new trucks/cars and houses.. how come they dont have a broad casting or something or you could check the dnr site or something for lakes you can drive on and areas to stay away?

i guess either way you will always have sum dummies..

i just seen a guy drive all the way a crossed lake Washington the other day from one side to the other.. and i know in some spots there was less thnen 10 inches ahaha.. crazy guy

[bogwalker]

Too many lawyers.

[g_anoka]

I think it would be to hard to keep updated with the changing conditions of many lakes.

[Wanderer]

The media reports the current ice conditions and safe thicknesses quite a bit - if you look for it.

But with that, yeah, its a lawyer's game. Who can I hold resposnsible for telling my client he could drive out there?

Some people just don't have judgement skills.

[leech~~]

every year we have people driving threw lakes with new trucks/cars and houses.. how come they dont have a broad casting or something or you could check the dnr site or something for lakes you can drive on and areas to stay away?

i guess either way you will always have sum dummies..

i just seen a guy drive all the way a crossed lake Washington the other day from one side to the other.. and i know in some spots there was less thnen 10 inches ahaha.. crazy guy

With 10,000+ lakes it would be to costly to collect, keep,and update all the data that would be needed. Plus the DNR does not want to be libel for telling someone the ice is safe since they say it is never safe!

[Getanet]

Too many lakes too. Can you imagine trying to keep current ice conditions on 10,000+ lakes.

But yes, the main problem is people would sue if someone died, got hurt or lost a vehicle on a lake the DNR said was safe.

[Todd_J]

Liability, pure and simple. Any sort of "official" announcement about safety puts that agency/organization at a HUGE risk for litigation. The DNR, NOAA, or other government agencies that have the manpower to conduct such a huge undertaking are not going to take on that risk. Even our "home-grow" ice report are very very careful about stating disclaimers related to the information presented.

The media will only report that the "ice is not safe" because there is no downside to it. Once the ice is safe, they shift to reports featuring ice-fishing events, feature-packed icehouses, and "the big one". They will never come out and say it is safe.

To those (like you mentioned) that do not use common sense, accept huge risks, and demonstrate poor judgment, I say "get out of my end of the pool."

[Outfitter17]

Why would you need someone else to tell you it's safe or not safe? If you are not sure check the ice every 50-100 ft. or so. Why would you assume that just because a lake is froze over it's ok to take a $35,000 truck and $18,000 house on it?

Up where I ice fish on Lower manitou and the surrounding lakes, we have to check the ice early in the season and late in the season ourselves. There isn't anyone else out here to do it nor would I want to really trust anyone else during early and late ice.

Remember, when you go through the ice - the guy that told you it was ok isn't going to repair all the damage to your stuff that sitting 20' under water, you are. Take some responsibility into your own hands at this time of the year and make sure you are going onto good ice when you go.

[Todd_J]

Why would you need someone else to tell you it's safe or not safe? If you are not sure check the ice every 50-100 ft. or so. Why would you assume that just because a lake is froze over it's ok to take a $35,000 truck and $18,000 house on it?

Up where I ice fish on Lower manitou and the surrounding lakes, we have to check the ice early in the season and late in the season ourselves. There isn't anyone else out here to do it nor would I want to really trust anyone else during early and late ice.

Remember, when you go through the ice - the guy that told you it was ok isn't going to repair all the damage to your stuff that sitting 20' under water, you are. Take some responsibility into your own hands at this time of the year and make sure you are going onto good ice when you go.

+1

[joneshat11]

Why would you need someone else to tell you it's safe or not safe? If you are not sure check the ice every 50-100 ft. or so. Why would you assume that just because a lake is froze over it's ok to take a $35,000 truck and $18,000 house on it?

Up where I ice fish on Lower manitou and the surrounding lakes, we have to check the ice early in the season and late in the season ourselves. There isn't anyone else out here to do it nor would I want to really trust anyone else during early and late ice.

Remember, when you go through the ice - the guy that told you it was ok isn't going to repair all the damage to your stuff that sitting 20' under water, you are. Take some responsibility into your own hands at this time of the year and make sure you are going onto good ice when you go.

Rightly said Outfitter!! To many people are follow the leaders in this sport and assume ice is safe just because people are out there. THATS WHY YOU CANNOT GO BY DATES ON CALENDAR, FOLLOW TRACKS, READ REPORTS, TRUST YOUR ICE SUIT, OR GO BY WHAT ANYONE ELSE SAYS INCLUDING YOUR LOCAL NEWS. Even if someone else is out there they may have taken a different route than you. THE ONLY TO BE SAFE IS TO CHECK FOR YOURSELF!!!

[gill man]

It would be about impossible to do it, not to mention the liability. Think of how many lakes have necked down, or spring areas that you can't drive on all year. No way the DNR could tell you which lakes, and which parts of which lakes are okay to drive on.

Like the others have said - if somebody went through on a lake where they were told it was safe, it would cause big lawsuit problems.

gill man

[Jeremy airjer W]

Because you should be smart enough to do it yourself (not you specifically but those that choose to venture out onto the ice)! There should be some common sense, experience, and good judgment before heading out.

Why is everything somebody else's responsibility?

[minnbowhunter]

Because you should be smart enough to do it yourself (not you specifically but those that choose to venture out onto the ice)! There should be some common sense, experience, and good judgment before heading out.

Why is everything somebody else's responsibility?

Can I get an AMEN?

[Gator Slayer]

Originally Posted By: airjer

Because you should be smart enough to do it yourself (not you specifically but those that choose to venture out onto the ice)! There should be some common sense, experience, and good judgment before heading out.

Why is everything somebody else's responsibility?

Can I get an AMEN?

Amen and "pass the minnows"

[MNice]

AMEN

[DinnerPail]

AMEN

[Swill]

AMEN, and pass the beer!

[JimBuck]

I'm here for the beer. Amen.

[cold one sd]

I'm the last person that will drive on the ice because someone else says it is safe. This is when the pucker facter takes over with me.

[Northlander]

Because you should be smart enough to do it yourself (not you specifically but those that choose to venture out onto the ice)! There should be some common sense, experience, and good judgment before heading out.

Why is everything somebody else's responsibility?

EXACTLY! Well said man!

[mr_jman]

Well Said. There really would be no way of doing this. To each their own! Nobody is saying you have to drive on the lake or go fishing at all. Everyone who goes out SHOULD understand the risk and be prepaired for the consequences. Another thought is ice may be safe for a little 4 cylinder car but not for a full size truck. Kinda hard to say a lake is "safe" or "unsafe" when ice can change from one spot to another so quickly!

Just like a larger deeper boat can handle more waves than a small 12' shallow bottom duck boat. Yet both may be used for fishing by different people! Whose to say when the lake is safe or unsafe to have a boat out on!

[KyleM.]

Too many people watching "Ice Road Truckers" and a light bulb goes off that it's safe to do anything on the ice. kinda like a popular comedian said, "you can't fix stupid."