Please don't do this.

[BobT]

Here’s a topic I think could be worthwhile addressing.

I was out on a lake this past Saturday and the owner of a dark house near my fishing location had placed two huge blocks of ice onto the lake that he removed from his spearing hole. This is not only more work than it’s worth, it presents a very real danger to anyone traveling on the lake after the house has been relocated, especially after dark.

I have never spent any real time spearing but my father enjoyed the activity. He always taught me that it was far easier to just push the block under the ice than to lift it out. He also stressed how dangerous it was for others when the blocks are left out on the ice; in particular when driving on the ice at night or in low visibility conditions.

Back in the early ‘70s my parents were snowmobiling with some friends across a lake after dark one time when one of the sleds connected with about a 2’x 4’ block. The sled tumbled end-over-end a half-dozen times. Fortunately my parents’ friend suffered only minor bruises. My understanding is that he was traveling at over 70mph which was also irresponsible but even at 30mph it would be quite a jolt to say the least.

Please, just use your spear or chisel and push those blocks down under the ice to float away instead of working to lift them out onto the surface. You’ll save your back and possibly a life.

Bob

[LaVoi]

I will add that if someone insists on removing the block to not only mark the hole when you leave but also clearly mark the block of ice. I agree though, no reason not to push the block under the hole.

[RipJigger]

I've found in my 20+yrs of spearing that when blocks are pushed under it spooks the fish, something about it makes them extremly cautious about coming into your decoy.But I strongly reccomend that you either put them back into the hole when you move or remove them completly and make sure that you mark the hole with something,an old christmas tree works well just make sure that you pick it up after the hole freezes shut

[DEADhead]

a buddy of mine from work broke his back hitting one of these spear hole ice blocks on his snowmobile. It wasn't pretty, and he got away "lucky" with just the broken back.

I am also not a fan of people leaving their spear hole blocks on the ice. I worry about them when I ride on lakes too...

[bowhntr]

well maybe snowmobilers shouldnt be cruising around the ice houses stay away and use the rest of the lake. It always seems that they think the best snow is by all of the ice houses and right around prime fishing time. just my .02

[vitalshot5]

bwhtr for your first post your pretty negative...if you read the post it states not to leave them there when the ice houses are removed. it states nothing about riding snowmobiles around the houses.

[minnow_03]

Whenever I have pulled a block of ice out, I have made sure to put it back in when I am done. They are impossible to see when they are drifted over. Probabally not as much of a problem this year with the little snow we have, but none the less, put it back.

[Lindy Lee]

I don't spear or know the rules, but I thought the law on spearing requires you to remove the ice block then put it back in the hole when done and mark it so nobody walks into the open water. That would stink to be walking of the lake under the moonlight and fall into a spear hole that was not filled in.

[fisherking01]

Wow, that's a statement of ignorance. Snowmobilers have every right to use a lake as well as fishermen. I've been both, and know that there are obstacles around houses and respect the fishermen to the point of staying away when I'm snowmobiling. What about the 12 year old kid who is riding near houses, learning about riding, and fishing with grandpa. Exactly what happened in 92 on a lake I was fishing. He was not looking for obstacles, and couldn't have seen the ice blocks, as they were covered with snow. Ice blocks on the lake are a hazard and should be broken down at least. If someone has the energy to make the hole, remove the ice chunk, they should have the energy,(or ambition) to remove the hazard. Once the ice is out of the hole, it is easy to break down with a chisel. Not doing so is just plain lazy.

[Mike89]

the one thing I can say is, once the block has been on the ice for a shor while, take your chisel and it will break up. I push mine under the ice early and then with gas aufer we cut them up small and pull them. they too break up nice. no matter what ice chunks are bad for all.

Mike89, MDAA member and officer

[The Grebe]

About 10 years ago, I let my brother take my snowmobile for a spin around the lake. He has minimal experience on a sled and that was maybe his 3 or 4 time on one (Mine) he was tooling along in a straight line, going halffast, but not flat out and he hit one of those chunks of ice from a spear house that was covered with snow.

He struck it a glancing blow and for about 30 yards he looked like a backlash in a level wind reel! Luckily the sled stayed upright, he hung on and all ended well...no damage to him, or the sled, but a few inches one way could have spelled big trouble!

[Surface Tension]

bowhntr, welcome to HSO/FM. No one will disagree that you should keep a distance from anglers when out sledding.

The topic is about removing the ice block from the ice when your done spearing.

Pushing the block under the ice or replacing it back to the hole is the sensible thing to do. Then mark the old spearing site with and pine boughs.

Although overdriving your headlights isn't good either but those ice blocks and pressure ridges are hard to see, even in some daylight conditions.

[bowhntr]

sorry if anyone took offense to my post. Its just frustrating when theres a whole lake to use and they have to fly by you. I was out on wbl lake on sunday and some goofball drilled about ten holes outside of his house at 7 pm and then left. what for who knows but obviously he has no respect.

[schweady]

Usually that translates to either "Thanks for fishin' too close," or "Here's for makin' all that racket right around prime time."

[cwmn]

If your driving on the ice no matter vehicle type, you and you alone are responsible for your safety. If your kid is driving on the ice you and you alone are responsible for your kid's safety.

Is it important for fishermen to not leave obsticles on the ice? SURE! But it is more important to practice persanal responsability and to ensure that people you are responsible for do the same.

I have driven on many lakes in my time and have never had a problem picking out un-safe areas to stay away from, because I drive slow and I watch where I am going.

Driving on ice is always dangerous, you must expect problems and by ready to deal with them.

Sorry about the sermon, and the spelling.

CW

[Macgyver55]

Quote:

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Is it important for fishermen to not leave obsticles on the ice? SURE! But it is more important to practice personal responsibility and to ensure that people you are responsible for do the same.

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I'd have to say its equally important to not leave hazzards on the ice as it is to watch for them. Neither party should bear any more or less responsibility.

Practicing personal responsibility also means not leaving hazzards behind no matter what they might be.

[The_Duckslayer]

Quote:

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I'd have to say its equally important to not leave hazzards on the ice as it is to watch for them. Neither party should bear any more or less responsibility.

Practicing personal responsibility also means not leaving hazzards behind no matter what they might be.

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I concur! We are all responsible for each other out there. Why do anything that would possibly put a fellow sprotsperson in danger? Take care and N Joy the Hunt././Jimbo

[BobT]

Quote:

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I have driven on many lakes in my time and have never had a problem picking out un-safe areas to stay away from, because I drive slow and I watch where I am going.

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So then it would be okay if people started randomly leaving bolders out on the highway? My guess is, NOT! A large 20cu.ft. chunk of ice or an 8sq.ft. open spearing hole is not a normal item to find while driving on the lake. It's dangerous enough without creating hazards ourselves. Add a fresh snowfall, wind, drifts, and darkness and seeing these things can become quite difficult. You may have been fortunate not to have encountered any problems....YET. Best be careful how boaldly one speaks as it can come back and bite hard someday.

Bob

[Jameson]

Warning! Their are many of these ice blocks laying all over Zumbra lake this year. I was out yesterday and saw possibly 100 spear holes with ice chunks near them. I think that there is/was a couple of very active spearers on the lake this year. I have never seen so many chunks of ice laying next to spear holes!

[The Grebe]

CWMN...lets switch this around abit, if a box of nails fell out of a contractors truck on the highway, would it be the motorists responsibility to avoid them, not knowing they were there?

How about if someone left a blown spare tire and rim laying on the shoulder at night where you couldn't see it and you had to pull over for an emergency stop? I guess any piece of junk for that matter?

How about glass, or buried barbed wire under the snow in an area used by others?

There are alot of hypothical senarios, but I believe the onus of original responsibility lies with originator of the potential hazard.

Under normal conditions, we are responsible for our driving on the ice, or anywhere for that matter, with any kind of conveyance, but when someone throws a hidden, unforseen and unexpected hazard into the mix, they have jeopardized and compromised normal operations and they are responsible for doing so.