Often times, we associate the term “ice safety” with early ice fishing. The ice is thinner, winter’s teeth haven’t fully sunk in yet and areas may be kept open still by springs, inlets/outlets or even geese. While early and late season safety is top of mind, we need to think about ice safety every time we are on the ice.
Early Ice
Early ice is when folks are most often concerned about safety. Everyone is looking for that magical 4-inch mark for ice so they feel safe enough to venture out in search of their first fish of the season. While 4 inches is an excellent guideline for knowing when ice is safe to travel on foot, not all ice is created equally.
Anglers looking to hit the early ice need to make sure they have essential safety equipment. The critical pieces of equipment include ice picks, spud bar, and a long, strong safety rope. The new advancements in “float suits” or a life jacket is also another option that can give you added protection should the worst happen. Let’s break down how these pieces come into play.
Before hitting the ice, have your ice picks around your neck. Ice picks are a simple and cheap component to your safety equipment. They feature handles, a sharp blade, that will be hidden when not engaged but when pressure is applied become exposed and most models will have some sort of rope or other device holding them together. Having these around your neck and at the ready will allow you to claw your way out of the water and back onto solid ice. It’s also a good idea to have an extra pair in a community area, so you can slide or throw it to someone should they either not have their picks on or lose them.
The spud bar is the next piece of equipment. While this is slightly more expensive than the picks, a good spud bar can last you for decades. This is a long, solid bar that has a sharp point on the end of it. Many are 3-5 feet tall and will feature a strap and a grip on the top of the bar. As you walk your way across the ice, smash the spud bar into the ice immediately in front of you. If the spud bar doesn’t go through, continue to walk. If the spud bar goes through and/or water comes up, find a new direction or head back to shore.
When fishing early ice, there is always safety in numbers. Have a friend or several friends and make sure you all have picks and long safety ropes. Some people will tie themselves together, but once again having a long, strong rope in a community area such as a sled full of equipment is a good bet. If an angler does fall through, the rope can be thrown to them, and the other anglers can assist in the rescue while staying on a safe area.
No matter how confident you are in your safety equipment, there is no substitute for a proper mindset with safety being the most important factor of the trip. No matter how hot the bite is or how bad you want to bend the short rods, the fish will still be there tomorrow. Make sure you are.
Vehicle Dangers
Even when there may be 20 inches plus, ice can still be unsafe. The issue many anglers run into is once the ice becomes thick enough for ATVs, snowmobiles or even full-size vehicles is the feeling of invincibility. When behind the wheel of a powered machine, anglers feel like ice safety concerns are over. This is actually as dangerous if not more dangerous as walking on thin ice.
When fishing thin ice, anglers often trust their instincts and can feel out their environment. When in a vehicle, these instincts and feelings go away. Heaves, slush pockets, and even areas of thin ice or sometimes open water can quickly turn a wheeled vehicle into a boat. These hazards can develop as the ice season goes on and snow cover and drifting snow can cover them. Stick to the main trails and always know where you are on the lake at all times.
If you chose to drive on ice, keep your windows rolled down and seat belts off. If the vehicle goes through, there is often a period of time the vehicle will remain floating or stuck on the ice. Occupants can escape through open windows, even though the doors may not open. Having your seat belt off makes one last thing you have to think about and do when in full panic and survival mode.
It is also important to keep your speeds low when traveling on ice. Travel in the light and be wary of fog, blowing snow, or other situations your view could be impacted. Many drivers can be distracted by looking for waypoints, structure elements, or other fishing spots when driving. Have a passenger navigating to the spot you’re ready to catch fish. The driver should always be watching for potential hazards and making sure they are staying on traveled trails.
Late Ice
Late ice presents new challenges. While during the early ice season, the challenge was getting on, late ice the challenge can sometimes be getting off. The shorelines and accesses will be the first to become dangerous. A warm March day in the middle of the lake may seem fine, but often times the shorelines and accesses may be impossible to get off.
It is this time of year that the term “not all ice is created equal” really shows through. By now, the ice has faced warmups, hard freezes, heavy traffic, snow and maybe even rain. The 4 inches that held you after a hard freeze in December is not going to be safe come the late season. There is no magic number, but it is not a bad idea to double the guidelines you use when venturing out at the start of the season.
It is also important to note the small sloughs and lakes you got on first at the start of the season, are often going to be the first to go. This means it is often not a good idea to try to sneak onto one of these smaller lakes in the late season as the ice may be in significantly worse condition than the larger ones in the area.
Anglers also need to be aware of areas where water may be flowing on to the ice. Areas that have significant snow melt running onto them, inlets, and culverts are particularly dangerous as the ice may be severely deteriorated by the flowing water.
When you’re planning your late ice trips, while making sure you can get on safely is important, being able to get off is critical. Plan ahead and trust your gut. If you don’t think you can safely get off, that late ice action just isn’t worth it! Good fishing!
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