Thru the ICE, Four wheeler and all!

[mjhowe]

Well, there are those who have gone thru and those that are gonna...I now am a former.

February 26th, on a lake that is known for good ice, ya just never know where or when you might go thru, you have to be ready no matter what. The ice in MT has been very weird this year, all of Feb was above normal temps and very sunny. And this was a warm day with no wind so that made it a lot less dangerous...

Spent all day slamming jumbo perch, and when it was time to go, we discovered the one small pressure ridge we had to cross had grown considerably. Started to look for a different way to get off the ice. The whole shore had had sun on it all day...All we could do was look for the best way to go and hope for the best. Got about 150 yards from shore...and thru we went!!!!

Your first reaction is, "I gotta get out of the water"!!! I swam away from the quad and started to try to climb up onto the ice. Every time I tried it kept breaking, and my partner was having the same trouble. FINALLY, I broke enough ice away where I could start swimming, and once horizontal, I was able to get up on the ice. George did the same but as soon as he got up, it broke and we were in again.

I turned around and saw the quad was floating so I swam over to it and as I grabbed onto it I could feel some bottom below me, I was able to stand up in chest deep water. I yelled to George and he swam over to me, grabbed his ice house and got his ice picks out. He swam back to the edge and pulled himself right up and out. I got everything unhooked, pushed both portables up onto the ice, then he tossed me his picks and I pulled myself out. We got to shore with out going thru again. Had to leave the quad overnight and went out the next morning and with the help of some friends, a winch and some chest waders we got it right out.

LESSONS LEARNED---WEAR ICE PICKS!! I cannot stress this enough, without those $4 items, you will wear yourself out trying to swim onto the ice. I am going to sew them to the collar of my coat so I am NEVER on ice again without them, no matter how good the ice.

#2- If you know the ice is marginal, send a scout first. I should have walked the ice first and saved putting the quad through. And I should have been solo on the machine, one of us should have been walking and prepared for the worst.

#3 and perhaps most important, KNOW WHAT YOU WILL DO WHEN IT HAPPENS TO YOU!!! I have played this scenario out in my head a gazillion times and I was able to keep my head...when I couldnt climb out, I knew I had to make some space so i could start swimming, until I was swimming and horizontal, there was no way out. Of course, the picks make that a moot point. Have a gameplan!!! If you panic, you put yourself and whoever is trying to help you at risk...

Especially now when the ice is getting marginal everywhere, be smart, think ahead and be prepared. Another friend of mine went thru a lake yesterday, he was all alone, spent about 1/2 hour in the water and has a very expensive ambulance ride and emergeny room visit because of it.

Is it worth it????

The one positive thing that has come from this, I now KNOW, I can go thru and survive it, by keeping a cool head and being prepared....but that doesnt give me the right to be stupid about it, thats what I must remember...

[wall eyell be]

good post

glad to hear you and George and your gear all got out OK

[ChuckN]

Wow! Good to hear you are safe and sound.

My wife and I were putting out new duck houses on a slough the other day and as I was driving the ATV across the open basin of the pond, I saw what appeared to be a small patch of open water. It was. About 1'x1' and I could see the bottom. I could not believe it, it has been quite cold with some snow on the ground/lakes yet.

The springs and current in lakes are taking their toll, this is a dangerous time of the year!! Use extreme caution!

[Dan Thiem]

I went through this year also. I'm glad you said something about picks. I didn't have any but by using my auger I was able to pull myself back up on the ice. I'll be sure to wear mine from now on.

Also, your point of keeping a clear head and staying somewhat calm is a very good idea. When I went through I couldn't touch either but I wasn't too far from shore. I remembered to turn around and go back where I came. I guess the ice was thicker where I already was.

Glad to hear you made it out alright! You must be living right!

[Captain B.R.K]

Glad you are here to tell us about it. Funny that the smallest and cheapest things in life are those that are dearest and most important to our lives.

[MinnesotaMuskie]

The best news of all...You are around to write about this.

Thank you for sharing with us...it puts this possibilty back into the front of our minds...be prepared.

[Fisher Dave]

I'm glad you guys got out without any major health incidents.. we can never be too careful.

I had an experience a couple years back in mid-winter in northern Minnesota in an area known for good ice.. My partner and myself pulled to our location on our ATV's, my partner pulled the Jiffy off the rack and threw it over his shoulder to walk a short distance to drill holes... I dont think he made it 10 steps and he took a plunge. We had 2 feet of ice under our ATV's, there couldnt have been 2 inches where he went threw.

I ended up tossing him the end of a tow strap and tied it off to the wheeler.. clinched my teeth and hit the throttle.

The ironic part was my partner lost hold of the auger and lost it in the lake.. He came back later in the day with a scuba suit and retrieved the auger... I refused to take part in the auger rescue... but he still has the auger to this day... I dont have a doubt in my mind that I would just have donated the auger to the *lake god* myself.

[Ed Carlson]

Good post and great tips.

The ice is deteriorating quickly all over the region. River ice is done, stay off it.

Many ND, SD and many WESTERN MN lakes are not safe either. I am done on the ice for the year now. Maybe I'll live to fish another ice-season that way.

[luckyc]

Glad to hear you made it out OK, another thing I learned is a necessity for ice fishing are ice cleats. This winter one of my fishing partners was walking towards us and stepped on a car track that had melted and refroze. Down he went and landed right on his knee, split his knee cap in half. Needless to say, he's still on crutches.

[Giant_Jackpot]

How about carrying this into the open water season? I took on a new years resolution that this would be the year I start wearing my life jacket whenever the big motor is running…………….

[so haaad]

Does anyone bring along a life jacket during late season ice? They might not keep you much warmer if you would go in, but they would keep you afloat.

[The Grebe]

My 3 sons and I are all avid ice fishermen...I've been through the ice afew times and the older I get, the less I want to experience it again!

Would'nt mind taking a dunking with the nice looking ladies at the White Bear Lake Polar Bear Club though! But, again I digress.

The boys hav'nt been through yet and I hope they never are, still you can never be to safe...a couple of seasons ago, I bought them each a set of the florescent orange ice picks as stocking stuffers at Christmas and I hope they keep them handy....mine go with me and are close at hand on early and late ice.