What ice thickness is safe?

[luv2fish]

I have posted a few times on here this fall. I am very excited to start my first year of ice fishing. I have most of my gear (again, tons of thanks to this board for all the info). But I have 1 question that is lurking in the back of my head. How much ice do I need to be safe? Walking? ATV? Car?

I plan on taking out my young son, so I REALLY want to make sure we do safe things.

Thanks!

[Eric Wettschreck]

The DNR has a real good explanation of this on their web site.

The thing to really remember is that no ice is really safe ice. Nothing is guaranteed. Know the lake you're on as there may be spots that have a good foot and a half of ice, and 5 feet away have 2 inches of ice.

[hanson]

luv2fish-

I kind of have my own guidelines and tend to err on the very conservative side. Typically, I will never be the 1st to walk on the ice, the 1st to snowmobile on the ice, or the 1st to drive on the ice.

Anyway, for walking I'll do 3-4 inches of ice. I'm not the kind of guy that likes it when the ice sags underneath me. Snowmobiling, I'll need 7-8 inches for sure. To drive my truck, 18" of good ice and I am comfortable. The one thing I don't want to do is recover my vehicle from the bottom of the lake so I'll snowmobile until there are vehicles all over the place and then I'm good to go.

[bmc2b]

From the DNR:

http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/safety/ice/index.html

[Bob Horn]

No ice is "safe". Just use you good judgement and don`t be the first out. I think Hanson has good guidelines. Remember at first ice DON`T FORGET YOUR ICE PICKS!!!

[Jim Hudson]

Great question.. and the page from the DNR does explain it quite well.. But remember, these numbers are for optimum ice conditions, ie good clear solid ice!! So many other variables come into play when we venture out onto the ice. Especially early and late ice. Cracks, heaves, snow depth, slush, standing water, currents, etc etc all can reak havoc on ice conditions.

One thing I would suggest is, always be prepared for the worst!! Carry safety gear (ice picks, PFD, a throw rope, and a spud bar to check ice thickness) and have a game plan for if you or someone does go through. And always try to fish with someone. These things are crucial during early ice and late ice conditions, but on some bodies of water, everyday you venture out you need to read ice conditions!!

And as Bob mentioned, no ice should be considered "safe".

Good luck this ice season!!

[ryan johnson]

I can get out there om 2.5 inces of ice,but I always take alot of percautions..I have a rope tied to me,and i take my spud bar to test the ice every couple of feet....i fish in areas with alot of current,so very quickly the ice can change thickness, even in an area that you walked over a few hours ago..so always be cautious even when you walk back down your same trail, on the way home..

[TurnUpTheFishing]

I dont have a snowmobile or wheeler so I hike it until the ice is atleast 14", then I will consider driving. I would never imagine driving on 8" of ice!

[Jim Hudson]

Last season, during a late night adventure, my snowmobile took a dive. So as I start walking the 2 mile trek back to shore, I see a truck come driving my way. A guy I seen parked about a mile out from shore earlier in the day. Mind you, this is early season where I was fishing on 9 inches of ice that was four days old. The guy keeps coming, I try to make him stop, but he continues.

As he gets about 50 yards from me, the ice starts popping, cracking, spidering. I thought for sure the truck was going through, taking me with it!! Well he stops this older Ford F-150 1/2 ton, gets out and asks if I need help.... After informing him of the ice thickness and him telling me he was fishing on over a foot, we hurry up and tow my snowmobile to shore.

Kicker of the story... As we riding back into shore, he tells me... "Oh yeah, probably not a good thing that I have 150 gallons of diesel fuel in my box while driving out here". CRAZY!!!!!

So, I found out that 9 inches of ice can hold up a lot of weight. But still, you wont find me riding a car let alone a truck on 8 or 9 inches of ice!! Over a foot, I still like my snowmobile!!

[Captain B.R.K]

JKH431 .....that is quite the story, very lucky on that adventure.

Be very safe especially if you are taking a younger one on the ice. Wait until there is significant ice thickness on the lake before you venture out. DON'T EVER think that wearing a life jacket on the ice is a stupid thing to do. LOOKS don't win you friends,contest,etc.; they save lives ....get the picture??

I'm with Hanson, I'm never one to venture 1st out onto the ice or to my favorite hole. NO ice on one lake is the same so be careful on those first outtings of the year.

[fishercat]

We have a bay over here on Lake Champlain where I've seen 14" of good clear ice turn into a gaint margarita over night with the help of a strong north wind ! Just goes to show yeah, there are no guarantees where ice is concerned !

[Lost]

Hanson is too daring for my taste. I won't even walk on the ice until it's about 6 inches. I may be missing out on some good fishing but I'd rather not take the chance. If someone else wants to go out there and drill holes, I'll cast from shore and try to get the lures in the holes.

Driving out there I usually wait until it's 18 inches and I see plenty of people out there driving.

Don't have a sled or 4-wheeler so I'm hoofin' it until I'm comfy with the driving possibility.

[hanson]

I think 4" is plenty safe for walking but it is still not a comfortable feeling. It is pretty cool to look through that ice and see what is below you while you are walking across it.

We went out to Devil's Lake, ND mid-December last year for some perch fishing. When we arrived, we found out that 90 some percent of the lake was still open water but a few of the bays were accessbile with 4" of ice. Our trip seamed like a bust but we were able to switch gears and got on a really good pike bite. Thank god I brought my bucket of tip-ups with.

For those of you who know Devil's Lake, it is full of freshwater shrimp. When you auger holes, a couple dozen shrimp come up with your slush. When you are walking across bare ice at night carrying a lantern, you can see these shrimp right under the ice scurrying all over the place. Freaky!

I guess the more experience you have with different ice conditions, the more comfortable you'll be on the ice and know when you are pushing your luck. I've crossed cracks on Lake of the Woods, crossed pressure ridges on bridges, driven through 6-10" of water (on top of the ice), walked through water to get onto the ice, been stuck more than I care to remember, but have never come close to dropping my truck through.

[riverrat56]

If you are normal and don't like to fish in constant worry wait till 4 in to walk out, I will go out on about 2 but then again this in water only about 4 ft deep and I know the lake real well and take many safty percautions (rope, picks, life jacket) We wait till about 9 - 10 to pull out the big house with the quad, and then to about a foot or more of good ice for our small trucks and cars, dad won't drive out till there is 16 and a plowed road.....but he missed alot of good fishing time.....

My guidelines for "Safe" would be

3 1/2 + for walking

8+ for quad of sled

14+ for trucks

This is for good clear ice, always remeber that no ice is ever safe and always be aware and plan for something bad, the time you don't something will go wrong.

[icecold]

river rat, your dad got to be how ever old he is now by being smart and not walking out on thin ice,