Safe Ice [Note from Admin: No Such Thing]

[mymaro]

What exactly do u guys classify as safe ice how thick

i think 3 inches and black ice would be the safest

my mom just flipped out because i told her i was goin ice fishing on a lil pond thats 7 ft deep with 3 inches of black ice and she siad i shouldnt go untill thier a minimum of 6 inches maybe

[Deitz Dittrich]

Ice is never "safe"... I believe the DNR says that 4" is considered safe for ice angling, skating, cross country skiing. I myself have been on 3" before, just be safe. Always... ALWAYS bring ice picks, a life jacket is a good idea. And either a friend or a cell phone. I will not usually go alone on early ice!

[Eric Wettschreck]

Personally, I wait for 4" of GOOD ICE. Not just ice, good hard ice without a lot of air bubbles. I make plenty of holes as I walk just to make sure it's not getting thin on me.

As said before, don't go alone and bring picks and a life jacket.

[slick814]

I'm there with boilerguy. I won't be on ice that isn't at leat 4" thick. Even then it's checking with a spud here and there, picks ready, taking things very slowly.

I see that BDR & Matt Johnson went out already and have a few pics posted. definitely NOT FOR ME!! I won't tell someone that they shouldn't go, their life is their own business, but with 4 kids, I try to take as many precautions as I possibly can.

Always know that no ice is ever truly safe having grown up on in the Northern part of MN, I can tell you about many folks killed in January & Feburary on the ice, and of course there were those who said, "I Can't believe they went through, the ice should be safe enough to drive a Semi on"... well, not in that spot, not at that speed with that much weight, etc...

remeber condidiopnts don't always remain identical across a body of water. there may be 14" of ice on one place, but only 3 in another.

JUst be as safe as you can and enjoy yourself.

[Wayne Ek]

Deitz, it's Wayne... How was turkey day? We have 3 to 4 inches of ice on some of the lakes, the others are still showing large amounts of open water. We had 8 to 9 portables out on Pelican and got a few panfish. I like to carry picks, a good sharp spud bar and the past couple of years a big boat bumper, with 50 feet of rope wrapped around it. If you make one wrap of tape around the bumper and rope it will stay wrapped tight all year. Deitz, if you get time during winter break, give me a call, we will try to get out and ice some fishies.

[Tom Wilson]

Gentlemen (and I mean all of you)

If you have never had the pleasure of spending 41 minutes in 33 degree water and having to be rescued by over 30 people from fire and rescue then you have no idea what your playing with. You are playing with your life. The lake I went in on froze over the day after we went in. Had there been ice we would have died. DEAD. Your hands and feet get so cold at around the 12 minute mark that you can't help but cry. Your arms start to lock up and your legs cramp so badly that you can no longer kick them back and forth. Your nuts ache like they're in a vise, your stomach cramps up so bad, but you can't curl up. At around 20-25 minutes it all starts to go away, because you lose feeling in your whole body. Thats when it really hurts, because its then that you start to succumb to the whole event. The mind games start then and you start to come to the realization that you won't ever get to see your wife and kids again. I promise you that unless you have experienced this yourself that you truly cannot and I mean CAN NOT understand. I still vividly remember what it feels like to start to give up and realize I'm gonna die. I remember even more the pain in my heart of not getting home to see my baby girl. You take what you want out of this, and you do whatever you want--but I promise you--when you have spent your 40+ minutes holding on to a thin sheet of ice that keeps breaking off every time you start to get out, and your fingers have no feeling and no strength, and you slowly look around hoping that help is coming--you will wish that you had not ruined you're life for a few stinking panfish. I am not knocking ice fishing guys, but those fish are not worth your life--those fish are not worth your girlfriend, wife, or kids crying at your funeral. Wait until the ice is thick enough to support your weight. As Deitz said there is no SAFE ice, but 2-3 inches is thick enough to get you killed. Think about this guys--My help came in 41 minutes--will your's

[Bob Clausen]

Thanks, Tom for sharing your voice of wisdom. I spent about 40 seconds in freezing water when I fell through the ice in my late 20's and I can affirm how quickly all of your body parts start to react. Funny thing, the thing I remember most was the incredibly loud involuntary gasp that came from me when the cold water hit my body. I've had the front end of a truck drop through 18" ice and have drilled holes through 11" and 4" of early ice within 100yd. of each other. Safe ice is the ice you made it off. Any other ice not in a glass has risk. I take risks every day in my work but almost always with calculation and my "escape" plan ready. Please do the same for your sakes and the sake of those who need your presence. Nuff said!

[The_Duckslayer]

I fell through out goose hunting once. I was in the water for about 40 to 45 minutes. I got out on my own finally! It was shallow enough that I could stand up but it was above my waist line! I can attest that it is a truly scary feeling, especially since I was there alone and the guy that dropped me off was at least an hour from getting to the blind that I was going to meet him at so he would not have known that I was missing for another 15 minutes and if he left right away to find me it would have been an hour before he got back. I was finally able to jump up onto the ice laying spread eagle and not go through. I looked back and that one and a half foot wide by 30 foot section of open water could have been my demise. I also DO NOT go out onto the ice till it is at least 4 inches thick. Just my .02 worth. Have a good one and N Joy the Hunt././Jimbo

[Deitz Dittrich]

Wayne-thanks so much for the invite. I just may take you up on that! You have my e-mail. lets keep in touch!

[M.T. Bucket]

I'm a wuss. I want 5-6" just in case the thickness isn't uniform. Typically all that requires is to sit out the first weekend when all of the guinea pigs go out. 7 days later (provided freezing weather of course) and I can relax a little more out there.

[Mudcat21]

I'm with Bucket.....You other fella's can run around on early ice and take the chance of not coming back to your wife and kids. Give me 6" of good ice

[Captain B.R.K]

BUCKET I wouldn't call yourself a "wuss" for not wanting 6" of ice on the lake before you venture out. I'm the same as you and want something that I can feel more comfortable on than thinking each step could be my last step. I like a more uniform sheet of ice than patches of 6" of ice here and there.

Rather to play it safe than play it dumb!!