Well, I walked off the ice today

[blackdog1101]

I went out to fish a small western metro lake today, and the ice just seemed weird to me. I'm sure it was all in my head, I'm sure the ice was safe, but I just couldn't get past how it looked. I was out for about 30 minutes, and there were areas where the ice was normal frozen snow on top and nice ice below. About 12" thick. But then there were areas where there would be a crack running through the ice, and the exact other side of the crack was black ice. This side of the crack was white, the other side was black, all within an inch of each other. Lots of cracks, lots of white and black. It made me feel afraid to step across the cracks, and I just couldn't get it into my head that it was all good ice.

I fish early season with 4" of ice, and I fish late season with waders where you have to wade out to the ice, I've fished when we've had to lay planks to get out to the ice. If there were other people out there I probably wouldn't have chickened out, but there was no one else out on the lake. This is the first time where my head said it was safe but my belly said "NO." So I walked back off.

Went to another lake with other people out, and fished there instead.

[leech~~]

When on ice you should always go with your gut. There is always safety in numbers when on ice. Good call today.

[dan z]

Felt weird for me also, but there were others out also so I fished

[CAMAN]

I stopped ice fishing after warm rains like this when I went to a set of holes I had fished the day before and there was a 6 foot diameter hole instead. And to make matters worse the ice around it was completely black so that hole was nearly invisible. The only thing that kept me from walking into it was a small crack i noticed that mysteriously ended and began again on the other side of the hole. Someone out at night wouldn't have had a chance.

[bobbymalone]

But then there were areas where there would be a crack running through the ice, and the exact other side of the crack was black ice. This side of the crack was white, the other side was black, all within an inch of each other. Lots of cracks, lots of white and black. It made me feel afraid to step across the cracks, and I just couldn't get it into my head that it was all good ice.

Huh. That's weird. I think I would have turned around too.

[forcedtowork]

Good Decison,always go with what your gut tells you, better to have walked off then carried off in a bag.

[kelly-p]

Quote:

But then there were areas where there would be a crack running through the ice, and the exact other side of the crack was black ice. This side of the crack was white, the other side was black, all within an inch of each other. Lots of cracks, lots of white and black. It made me feel afraid to step across the cracks, and I just couldn't get it into my head that it was all good ice.

My theory of what you saw.

The white ice is where it froze when there was snow falling. Kind of like slush freezing. Then that broke up into the white chunks that you saw. The open water in between the chunks of white ice then froze with out snow falling making black ice. Black ice is much stronger then white ice so when the ice expands and contracts with the tempature changes it contracted during a cold spell and cracked just inside the white/weaker ice. The ice sheet on URL will move about 12 feet when the temps go from -20 to +20.

When I saw the Topic that you walked off I feared that you sank a vehicle and walked off. I'm happy you are safe and sound. AND DRY!

[BartmanMN]

Two years ago I fished Mille lacs in the rain the week after Christmas and had to drive off the lake with around 3-4 inches of standing water and you could see through the ice. driving off i had to drive through deep puddles that looked like busted up ice, but they weren't . Major pucker.

[bobberdown69]

good decision i remember when i was fishing on a lake and it rained i had good ice before that ,and i went out the next day and had 4 inches of ice where i was,so i turned around and left,better to be safe then sorry.

[dairyman]

I remember some years ago having to pull permanents off the ice with pickups----we were pushing ice and water that was up to the bumpers. We had to tie the houses down to the trailers to make it up the access. I threw a rope over the top of a house but never made it over. I asked a fellow to give me a boost up to the top of the house to get the rope the rest of the way over the house.-----He gave me a boost and I flew over the house and hit the ice and broke my arm. It was an experience that I won't forget. The wife told my son to "watch out for your dad"----He said "I did mom, I watched him go over the house" He had to drive me to the hospital------------What a day that was!!!!