Author Topic: Fell thru Hamlin!!!! (Read 2652 times)

icechaser · « **on:** Jan 27, 2015, 12:59 PM »

DO NOT FISH HAMLIN!!!-I just fell THRU!- in about12'of water-my gear is still on the ice-I'm bringing atoboggan+ a spotter to see if I can recover it-the shelf broke w./all the snow- only 10-12" of it here-but enough!- B E SAFE!!!!!!! I spudded before I set up flags- not as I was walking back to the shack- went almost completely in- didn't have time for hand spikes-my jiffy scoop saved me!-You are WARNED!!!

Ravo Himself · « **Reply #1 on:** Jan 27, 2015, 01:02 PM »

Glad you're alright. Gear can always be replaced if need be. Not your life. Watch your step when you go back out

thndrvlly · « **Reply #2 on:** Jan 27, 2015, 01:06 PM »

that is scary, glad you made it out ok, just goes to show ya, it can happen. gd lk getting your gear.

BWB-ice · « **Reply #3 on:** Jan 27, 2015, 01:21 PM »

WHOW!!! Not good!
Glad to hear you got out and are ok...
BE CAREFUL getting your gear and good luck!
......Scary stuff......Wow!.........

fishville · « **Reply #4 on:** Jan 27, 2015, 02:03 PM »

That sucks. Good luck with the gear recovery. Do you think you found a spring or did you find a big hole cut before the storm?

icechaser · « **Reply #5 on:** Jan 27, 2015, 02:57 PM »

Got all my gear back except one tip-up- And the thing is; I was set up right by the launch on the side near shore thinking the middle would shelve+crack! please do not try to retrieve the tilt: you WILL go through!-There isn't even crust enough on top near it to slide the toboggan close enough to grab it w/ a crab net!-Also you can now see cracks+ holes forming in the middle-I would stay clear for a few days! It seems the to have just shelved off in pieces due to the weight of the snow. However as I was setting up the flags I got this nice 23" pickerel right before I fell in- the fishing would have been great!-But I still got a flag and a fish-my life and almost all of my stuff back-my jiiffyscoop is pretty mangled from using it to save myself though-hope gary's got a few left in stock!-I'd stay clear of anything shy of the northwest for a few to let this stiff freeze back-Stay dry+ above the ice all!-

camo man · « **Reply #6 on:** Jan 27, 2015, 03:03 PM »

Glad to hear you are OK .stay safe.

icechaser · « **Reply #7 on:** Jan 27, 2015, 03:08 PM »

Oh yeah-BTW- I WAS REALLY freaked out when it happened; but kept my cool enough to get myself out of the situation.-I told someone where I was going; but really I was out there solo-no-one in sight& if I went completely down+couldn't get myself back up-there was no one there who was going to do it for me. So that is something serious to ponder as I warm up w/ a nice singlemalt to get the feeling back in the toes.

mrip · « **Reply #8 on:** Jan 27, 2015, 03:40 PM »

Glad you are ok

edinct · « **Reply #9 on:** Jan 27, 2015, 04:16 PM »

Glad to hear you are okay, that is a big fear of mine, even with safety gear, you just never know.

weneric · « **Reply #10 on:** Jan 27, 2015, 04:28 PM »

relieved to hear you are ok. a lesson for everyone that ice fishes. if it can happen to such an experienced fisherman as icechaser, it can happen to any of us. be safe . we dont want anyone to die out there

eiderz · « **Reply #11 on:** Jan 27, 2015, 04:40 PM »

First and foremost glad you made it.

If the tipup you left is close to shore it will be an irresitable attraction to someone else who may not be so lucky. Any way you could use a softwater rod to toss a plug and snag it?

BWB-ice · « **Reply #12 on:** Jan 27, 2015, 05:28 PM »

icechaser,
Only you, could go thru the ice...almost loose your life...manage to save yourself...and still report on a caught fish!!

You DA MAN!!!
Seriously, glad you're OK and managed to get out...even without spikes. Quick thinking using your spoon.
Bet that singlemalt never tasted so good!!!!

God Bless!!

icechaser · « **Reply #13 on:** Jan 27, 2015, 05:39 PM »

Yes its pretty close to shore; but in a really bad spot to retreive-First thing when I got home I painted up a sign out of a wood board+ bolted it to a tree by the launch in red+black saying-Danger! Unsafe ice!-But I will definitely be there at first light to get her back-Took a peek when I brought the sign ladder+cordless to the launch+ it still hadn't tripped!-I figured out why Hamlin is such a dangerous place to fish: It is the headwater of the Quinnipiac river&the river flows through it. So- during a heavy snowstorm such as this-the river hits the fresh snowpack+ starts to flow OVER it. This rips Hamlin apart pretty quickly.-Last blizzard I fished w/ my brother hit as we were on the ice. This time the snow hit hard at night& gave the river some time to flow over the pond+ break it up. When I went back out it was all wet+opened up in a few spots out there. Be EXTRA careful in ANY riverine impoundment after a big storm! Just because it looks like a pond; doesn't mean itdoesn't have a pretty good current moving through.-As a final thought I want to figure outa way to affix safety spikes to the wrist w/ a sheath of sorts so they'll work when I needthem; but not impede me while setting up-I'm thinking surgical tubing over the spikes maybe?-Stay safe all+ good fishing.

Blowin Holes · « **Reply #14 on:** Jan 27, 2015, 05:53 PM »

holy moly man. Glad youre alive! and thanks for the heads up

Dobbler · « **Reply #15 on:** Jan 27, 2015, 06:33 PM »

Very happy to see the outcome was on a positive note. Spent all day plowing a pond making sure it's ready for skating tomorrow. Talking about sketchy, can here the cracks underneath the truck and water making the snow into a heavy wye slush on the edges.

Penn920 · « **Reply #16 on:** Jan 27, 2015, 07:36 PM »

Icechaser where abouts on the pond were you fishing again? I know that pond like the back of my hand. There's some sections that don't freeze well like near the birdhouse out back where the river comes in, to the back corner where that pump house is.

icechaser · « **Reply #17 on:** Jan 27, 2015, 08:30 PM »

I know that the outlet to the left is thinner; the far left shore still had open spots in the brush last week; & the back part just never freezes!- So I tried toplay it "safe": I was literally right off the launch- only50-75' out to the right in front of the condo's: usually the thickest/safest part of the pond-But not today- whole place is shot-I really; really; really hope everyone believes me& stays off Hamlin for a few- these cold days+nights coming will help us all out for the weekend; but I'm catching up on work around the house 'till Saturday. Probably take me that long to warm back up-

lure loon · « **Reply #18 on:** Jan 28, 2015, 11:57 AM »

POINT NOTED ,, THANK YOU . GLAD YOUR OK ..

68 TROUT · « **Reply #19 on:** Jan 30, 2015, 02:28 PM »

Icechaser:
Yes, Thank God you are all right...
I went through 2 years ago and was very lucky to have
a rope , a friend and an EMT, to save my sorry butt...
You might want to post a sign stating what happened
and not to try to retrieve the tip up?

??
Once again, glad you are okay and would like to have a beer
with you sometime !!
Tight Lines

halfhooked · « **Reply #20 on:** Jan 30, 2015, 03:07 PM »

I have been trough 4 times in my life and got out keeping your head is number one but as I am not as young as I once was 3 years ago I got an Arctic armour plus suit warm water proof and it floats

fishndog · « **Reply #21 on:** Jan 30, 2015, 03:08 PM »

great ending to a scary story! so glad ya made it out.

icechaser · « **Reply #22 on:** Jan 30, 2015, 04:35 PM »

Too late!-Took the toboggan out yesterday morning w/ a hammer+chisel-noticed when I went the next morning- the tip up was just out of sight from the launch+ obscured from the condo's due to the tall brush along shore there-So I let it freeze in until Thursday morning-propelled myself along the ice w/ the handspikes-got upclose enough to chisel it out+ carefully chipped away to free the tilt-

-about ten yds. of line out-no minnow-When I freed it there was still 6+" of water under the thin crust that had formed.-After the light snow: you can't even see the spot where I went thru-Sign I put by the launch says: !Danger!-Unsafe Ice!-still there& I haven't seen anyone on the pond since.-I told the people at Jim's Deli that I went through-all the locals go there so word is definitely out around town that someone went through-Yeah; I'm happy that I'm alright too!

PerchFace · « **Reply #23 on:** Jan 30, 2015, 05:16 PM »

You should edit that last post. After you chipped out your tip up you felt a jerk in the line. Yada Yada Yada state record walleye. BAM

icechaser · « **Reply #24 on:** Jan 30, 2015, 05:24 PM »

I WAS excited that the flag was up:-found a tilt like this waay back when I was a kid-frozen into a lake-no name on it- but a 19" pickerel at the end of a very long line after I freed the tilt!-I hadn't noticed it as I set up- but saw the flag+thought it was on one of mine!-

MADFISHER · « **Reply #25 on:** Jan 30, 2015, 06:32 PM »

Scary! Glad you can report it!

icechaser · « **Reply #26 on:** Mar 28, 2015, 11:05 AM »

Well- this is a bit on how its' like to fall thru-can happen anytime in the season:-all waterbodies are different- get to know the ice on your favorite ponds/lakes+keep safe out there everyone!

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Author Topic: Fell thru Hamlin!!!! (Read 2652 times)