Walking, the only safe way this year.

[Bluka]

I love ice fishing,but I also realized that the ice wont be thick enough to drive on anytime soon. So, walking is slow but it safer. I walk a lot while fishing. This might be the first year Ive lost weight in the winter.

Its a good, bad thing this year. It makes every fish more precious no matter what you catch.

[randallt]

A little extra exercise never hurt anyone.

[Zoobert]

Last year was a slow freeze with all the snow, year before that was a great freeze (crazy cold) - I'm okay with a mild winter this year (I only walk anyhow, to my spots), it saves on the snowblowing and shoveling. :-)

[cavalierowner]

I would love to be able to always walk out, but with a heart condition I don't like to do it too much.

Where I fish there's 15" of ice from the point I drive onto the ice to where I fish so it's safer for me to drive than walk with a heart condition. That's enough ice for my car and portable in the trunk. I know, no ice is safe, but then the streets aren't safe either, especially after a snowfall or after the bars close. The point for me is, check the ice yourself...don't just assume it's safe because someone else is driving on it.

[CrewJones]

i liked at the beginning of the season when I cold strap my skates on and blow by the clump of house on the lake.

If i had any kind of health issue I would drive out to, maybe I shouldn't be thinking that guys is a lazy [PoorWordUsage] mo fo, and I should be thinking that poor guy has a health problem maybe I should let him know where the fish are biting..

[fishersofmen]

I'm driving quite a bit now and loving it. I don't mind walking but would much rather drive when possible.

[Crappiechopper]

There's 16 inches of ice where I fish, 40 minutes north of the metro. As far as I know people drove on 16" last year and the year before that.

[gurkster]

Yeah - Walk and ATV/Snowmobile only for me this year on the metro area lakes. To me driving on is not worth the risk this year.

[SkitterPopper]

Quote:

There's 16 inches of ice where I fish, 40 minutes north of the metro. As far as I know people drove on 16" last year and the year before that.

I would trust 16" too if it was uniform across the lake. The key word is UNIFORM. This has been a weird year for ice. I would be very careful if you do venture out.

Here is what ice can hold if you have a good 24". 60 tons on ice!

[B-man715]

Plenty of good ice to drive on. Just use your head and talk to the bait shops and locals.

"Good Ice" is stronger than most people think. I found out on accident that 10.5" will hold up a 3/4 ton and wheelhouse just fine.............

This was a few weeks ago, everywhere I checked had 13", but where I plopped down had a little extra snow which made a huge difference.......

I wonder what the least is I could drive on??? 9", 8", 7"???? LOL

[paceman]

Everytime I think the ice is good for driving a vehicle falls through. This past saturday 2 vehicles went through on area lakes.

[herefish101]

Skitterpopper said it best when he said "UNIFORM" ice. The problem this year is certain areas in most lakes froze early and kept getting thicker, certain areas froze late and are thinner, so driving a car, wheeler, sled, or anything that will cover ground faster than you can check the ice will put you in danger.