Curiosity?!?!?

[student]

I was just curious as to how many of us have taken the "plunge"? I took mine this weekend and don't recommend it. I guess we walked across spring and the one inch of ice that looked decent, didn't quite like it. Just curious.

[student]

I guess i should make it clear that there was anywhere from 8 to ten inches on the rest of the lake, we just happened to find the wet spot.

[Wables]

I have been through twice. Once ice skating and once trapping. You know how they say that the third times the charm? I hope not.

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Wables

[LaVoi]

How did you guys get out. I hope I never have to exprience that.

[Guest]

Last winter, I went through on foot twice and once in a truck. Not a good time.

[Steve Foss]

Never have while ice fishing. Have once while walking a river in January (to the waist) and twice while hunting (one leg to the thigh both times, luckily).

The idea of going through all the way on a river and being swept downstream of the hole and looking up through the ice at a blue sky while I'm drowning fills me with terror.

[student]

I was actually quite suprised at how simple it was. I just kicked as i SLOWLY pulled myself back onto the ice. My buddy was already out. As he went down he put his arms straight out and somehow rolled back on to the ice. I swear he wasn't in the water at all. On the other hand, i was wet. But i'll tell you what, the otter sled that we had all our gear in floated like a charm. We had two vexs, an auger (because the ice was supposed to be ten inches thick), and all of our other gear. We were very lucky.

[Matt D]

Yep, I've gone through once and that was enough for me. I was January, 1991, about 15 below outside, and 8:00 at night. There was about 2 ft. of ice except for the 4 ft. square hole I jumped into in my boxers! Ahhhhh, the foolishness of youth provided me with enough education to decide I never want to have it happen by accident, ever!

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Best FISHES,
Matt

[ackotz]

Not to say "I told you so", but that's what happens in weather like this winter has brought us.
It really isn't worth dying for.
If you only fall in to water 3' deep, it's only a laughing matter to us adults, but there are those people who don't even pay attention to their kids (i.e, the girl who died and her brother who's in ICU from carbon monoxide poisoning), who could easily step on thin ice and die...(i.e, the 7 kids thru the ice in Massachusetts, 4 died yesterday)...

Be careful, be patient...(not necessarily in that order)--AK

[Crawlerman]

St-- yeah. Which is why I will NEVER venture onto a Frozen river; even if it's the coldest year on record, and is around a "slow" bend. An eddy or patchy of current even then could screw you over.

[Mykal]

Good to see you are alive Andy. Still fishing out on Andersens reef on the Big Pond? Went through on Waconia many years back in a car. 4 of us were coming back from the fish house in February and ventured off the main road. dropped through the first layer of ice up to the doors. Had to roll the windows down and jump out. Thank God there was another layer below to keep us from plunging to the bottom. Never want to go through that again!

[CorynTracySellHomes]

I went through once while in High School on a river over my head....went downstream probably 10 ft and found another hole to go through....I had nightmares for two years straight from that stupid night!!!!!!!!

Cory Frantzick

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[BLACKJACK]

About 20 years ago I was out pheasant hunting some cattail fringes on a small lake and went thru up to my nipples. Did a pushup to get out, using my gun to spread the weight, headed for the truck and home to a hot shower. The worst part is that I had already went thru on thin ice closer to shore, dumped out my hip boots and kept on going - I knew there were pheasants there! Young and dumb!

[Scoot]

Been through three times- twice when I was young and once a couple of years ago. The first two were not too bad- hip deep and popped out right away. The last one scared the heck outta me. I had a rope along and my buddy pulled me out- I'd still be there if he hadn't. If I'd have been alone, I would have very possibly not lived. Lesson learned.
Scoot

[Guest]

Been through seriously twice.....once while hunting didn't even know I was on a drainage ditch, until too late....winter of 1993-1994......it was 20 some below. For those who say "when you go under you don't know how to get back up"...well I dissagree, I could see the bright hole to get up, it just takes forever to get there....when I came up, I ejected shells as I ran for the truck....it was a cold 9 mile drive back, and my clothes were shed as I ran up the driveway into the house.
2nd time was on a bemidji area lake and we were foolish enough to head out after "slab crappies:", well we got out, fished for a couple of hours and I picked up a 13.5 inchand 15.5 inchcrappie (both are on my wall), now this was before Red Lake became such a hot place.
On the way out, we broke through about chest deep. It was cold but not miserable, when my buddy yells "hey, just crawl on the ice to disperse your weight" Well, if I ever meet the guy who gave this advice!!! After only 3 short crawls, my elbows and knees fell through and put me all the way in the water, finally I swam to shore.....dumb things I tell ya. I am glad I was young.
Just be safe out there.