Author Topic: Have you ever fallen through the ice? (Read 4621 times)

taxi1 · « **on:** Feb 08, 2009, 09:56 PM »

I saw the ice safety post and thought it would be interesting to see how many of you have gone through the ice. I'm quite careful now but several years back I walked out on some ice on a balmy day and it seemed fine. However when I used my auger it went through very easily even though the ice was fairly thick. On my way back in I went through near shore.

Moderators: Isn't there a poll option here? I saw it on the main page but don't see the option once I posted.

tbirdbassr · « **Reply #1 on:** Feb 08, 2009, 10:28 PM »

Ive been in about three times but thats the price for first on the ice!

wally-eye · « **Reply #2 on:** Feb 09, 2009, 12:32 AM »

Twice... Once walking luckily only too my arm pits and then the other time on a snowmachine in 14 fow no less. Wasn't fun either time but did dive back down and hooked a rope to the sled and we pulled it out. Dragged it 5 miles home with one of the other sleds that was in the group. Glad I was 22 then.......now it'd still be sitting on the bottom....

carper34 · « **Reply #3 on:** Feb 09, 2009, 12:36 AM »

only put my leg down a hole ice fishing. but i have dropped through a few times while trapping.

d.e.a.f.g.u.y · « **Reply #4 on:** Feb 09, 2009, 01:09 AM »

yep once this year so far running to a flag ran right into a spring that was covered with a thin layer of ice and snow....never touched bottom...didnt give myself a chance to find out where the bottom was either....best part was i climbed out and kept running for the flag lol

frozengator · « **Reply #5 on:** Feb 09, 2009, 01:46 AM »

yes, It was a 60 degree day with 35 mile and hour wind. the ice was a foot thick and we went out after work, didn't know the wind was so strong. I had cleats the other guys that were with me didn't. they were getting blown across the ice. we got out to were we fished and I put my stuff against a shanty that was out there. the wind was cutting right around it. We fished about a half hour and said enough. I went to get my stuff from in front of that shanty and there was 6in of water around it then. I picked up my stuff turned around and took two steps, felt an ice fishing hole. And kabloosh. I was in and out real quick. I got lucky I didn't have much on. Good thing. I was more worried about my gear. Thought I lost it. Didn't loose nothing.

buffaloice · « **Reply #6 on:** Feb 09, 2009, 05:17 AM »

once playing pond hockey as a kid and once last year,must be more carefull

Litchfield Fisher · « **Reply #7 on:** Feb 09, 2009, 05:39 AM »

went in on a couple brooks trapping bait and once this year near shore in 4 feet of water

skulldugary · « **Reply #8 on:** Feb 09, 2009, 06:39 AM »

Yep and never want to go through that again......

trapper2000 · « **Reply #9 on:** Feb 09, 2009, 06:43 AM »

been threw trapping a few times myself and twice ice fishing ,it's a long cold walk to the car! i have learned no fish is worth it in my older age so be careful
trap

mealworm · « **Reply #10 on:** Feb 09, 2009, 07:22 AM »

i have 2 sketchy occasions once i fell through a beaver flow when i was about 12 or so with my younger brother it was right after a week of warm weather in january the water had roseand re froze then the water had gone down so the ice iwe werewalking on was about 3' above the water right before the ice broke we stopped walking because we could here a strange noise it was flakes of ice falling into the water once it the water it was tough to get out the water was about 4' and the banks were so steep then like i said the ice aws another 3' luckily a was carring a 22 we jammed the barrel into the bank of the flow to use it as an anchor point then it came in handy to break the ice it was below 0 we had about 1/4 mile to get back to dry land then another mile to get back to the house bushwhacking our clothes had frozen and made it very difficult to move with already numb limbs if it weren't for that 22!! 2 years ago my buddies and i went perch fishing early one mourning had our limit in about 2 hrs being early spring our favorite time to fish and such a beautiful day we decided to go to another spot to fish for lake trout just north and on the other side of the lake when we walking out from the parking lot we saw another buddy who was fishing in close still in over100 fow said the fishing was slow but we were walking 1.7 miles out past him on the way out i noticed the ice was kind of a dark blue color and just for kicks i stomped on 12'' thick ice my foot made a slight imprint and there was water being a warm day thought it was little bit of surface water and continued on we got to the spot we absolutely were hammering the trout my buddy that was fishing in close to shore called on the cell to see how we were doing few minutes later he call and said that he fell through up to his arm pitts and he would wait on shore to make sure we made it off the ice we all laughed thinking he was playing with us so we stayed to fish he called back after he picked up his gear said he fell through 3 times while picking up and thet there was 2 guys going ton wait to make sure we make it off the ice so we headed in the ice in some spots was honey combed and with a firm kick you could put your foot right through we all made it off the ice but it was real scary didn't realize how quik the ice could turn to junk

hawkeyejr · « **Reply #11 on:** Feb 09, 2009, 07:59 AM »

i have gone thru a few times while ice fishing over the years never fully submerged just upto my armpits after that i started to carry ice pics with me all the time

Lowerfortyboy · « **Reply #12 on:** Feb 09, 2009, 08:07 AM »

Been baptised twice both in the same lake it does make you suck air both times it was right on the edge of the lake so no danger me and the local postmaster had to see which would be the last man out he usually won Ha! he cheated and used boards to get on and off This is sure a nice site Having went the locator route and all these shanties I seem to be in a new learning curve

Philover · « **Reply #13 on:** Feb 09, 2009, 08:12 AM »

3 times, twice in 5 feet of water which was no big deal. Once in 10 feet that got my attention real quick, sunk to the bottom, opened my eyes and looked up to find the hole then pushed off and swam like hell. Got my arms back up and rolled out. Got my gear and me back into to CJ5 and went home. Carharts were froze solid by the time I got there. That was 25 years ago, if that happened today.....I don't know if I'd make it. So now I'm not the first one to try it, I wait until I see others out first.

BaitWrangler · « **Reply #14 on:** Feb 09, 2009, 08:21 AM »

Quote from: d.e.a.f.g.u.y on Feb 09, 2009, 01:09 AM

yep once this year so far running to a flag ran right into a spring that was covered with a thin layer of ice and snow....never touched bottom...didnt give myself a chance to find out where the bottom was either....best part was i climbed out and kept running for the flag lol

LOL Thats a good story.

I'd say thats the optimal fall through the ice.

smitty0312 · « **Reply #15 on:** Feb 09, 2009, 08:27 AM »

I fell through 25 yrs. ago. Was in 3-4ft of water in the spring of the year on a warm day .........needless to say that was LAST ICE for that year. Smitty

JimmieDean · « **Reply #16 on:** Feb 09, 2009, 08:29 AM »

Once and never again. Fished with a buddy of mine all day. Had really good luck next to open water. Decided to check bait one more time. We both were standing side by side next to a hole with over 10" of ice. I took 2 steps to the left and it felt like an elevator going down. Lucky I watched the video on this site. Hooked my elbows on the ice surface and barrell roled back onto the ice surface. Wet from my chest down. The next weekend we went back to the same place a little more educated. The funny part is when we got there my buddy brought a orange life jacket for me to use.

geo · « **Reply #17 on:** Feb 09, 2009, 09:25 AM »

plenty of time. never in really deep water. i'm the test dummy in early season, so i go through in 1-4 feet all the time. i always fall through trapping bait. i am cautious about going into deep water where if i fall through i'm going under the ice

waldojigger · « **Reply #18 on:** Feb 09, 2009, 09:30 AM »

a couple times as a kid on local ponds and streams wasnt fishing just being a kid i dont know what was worse the freezing cold walk home or the smack across a frozen butt

Gillgrabber · « **Reply #19 on:** Feb 09, 2009, 09:33 AM »

Twice: first time when I was 16 years old. We had cleared a hockey rink on the lake and piled the snow in a big mound. We got some warm weather and then it got cold again. The ice under the big pile of snow didn't re-freeze as fast as the rest of the lake. I stepped on the pile, went through, and fell in up to my waist. I scrambled out quick.
I'm 49 now and took my dog for a walk just a few days ago. The lake ice is about 16 inches -they're driving cars on it. I stepped about 3 feet off the shore and went right through but it was only ankle deep. I had stepped on a muskrat run where it was only 1/2" thick.
I need to stop walking my dogs on the ice.

viper · « **Reply #20 on:** Feb 09, 2009, 09:35 AM »

It takes me a while to learn. I have slid throught he hard water several times. I was always one of the first on and last off every year. Now I tie off and carry picks for my adventures of catching the big ones. Most weekends now I have a 7 year old with me so I have changed my pattern completely and only go out with him when it is 99% safe, cause as you all know it is never 100%. The funniest time was one year after trout at a local lake. It was the last day of ice season for trout and we were having a party where I was going to smoke some trout. So out I went. The girls from a local college were actually sun bathing on the dike as I walked by carrying my gear. I set up on the ice near the shaded ice. Fished for about 45 minutes catching trout left and right. I needed one more for a good limit and sure enough the flag came up

and as I neared the hole ... down I went. I rolled out ... picked up the gear and retreived my tip up using a pine branch from a evergreen. As I walked by the girls they laughed until I showed them the stringer from the bucket. Not sure who was looking more me or them.
HA HA HA LOL

. By the way ... the smoked trout was a hit at the party.

Drifter_016 · « **Reply #21 on:** Feb 09, 2009, 12:54 PM »

Been in once. It was while winter Steelhead fishing in February. I was standing on 12" thick shelf ice, wearing my floater suit and sorel's when the ice broke free of the shore and I slid off into the river. There I was laying on my back in a foot or so of water in -10C temps.
Within a couple of minutes of getting back on shore the water in my boots and inside my suit had warmed up. So I went back to fishing for another 3 hours. I had a hard time getting out of my boots and suit back at the car because they were a big ball of ice. 8)
I stay off the lakes until I'm darn sure there is plenty of ice and get off as soon as it starts to thaw in the spring. I have too much fishing to do to die by drowning.

One of the fellows that used to work with the same outfitter as me drowned a few years ago in Manitoba as he was setting up spring bear camp.
He was crossing one of the rivers in March and went through the ice.

DirtMerchant70 · « **Reply #22 on:** Feb 09, 2009, 04:12 PM »

fell through in Fulton last year,behind Black Clawson.Not a good time.It took two days for the nuggets to drop!

jrmPikeFreak · « **Reply #23 on:** Feb 09, 2009, 04:23 PM »

twice, both times at the same park but different ponds. only up to waist both times. fastest i ever got out of water.

icerod · « **Reply #24 on:** Feb 09, 2009, 05:50 PM »

Fell in once fishing late ice. Was walking off a lake after slamming the sunnies, very warm that day. was a very cold ride home, my buddy and I both went through trying to get off the lake. Now (15 years later) still like to fish late ice but a lot more cautious when its been really warm. Great post. 8)

Camp Bassfish · « **Reply #25 on:** Feb 09, 2009, 05:53 PM »

Yes, sadly I didn't make it.

fiesty · « **Reply #26 on:** Feb 09, 2009, 06:53 PM »

alot more cautious these days, but been through more than I have fingers to count...and I still have all my fingers....

tightliner3 · « **Reply #27 on:** Feb 09, 2009, 06:57 PM »

I have fell thru ice a few times, once when i was about 5 yrs old. My dad and grandpa told me not to go over by the brown colored ice..well when they werent looking guess what i had to go over to see why they told me not to go over there. About 10 or 11 years later I went down about waiste deep fishing late ice luckly both of those time i came back up.

chimsweep · « **Reply #28 on:** Feb 09, 2009, 07:09 PM »

Have been baptized several times. Curiosity killed the cat. I am always on some adventure, checking out different areas that I am in. It's almost like someone in the desert seeing an oasis. To me the grass is always greener on the other side of the water. It's not that I don't think safely, I am very cautious... it's just my curiosity overcomes my common sense.
The safety video is essential to anyone who ventures out on ice. No matter the depth, time of year, location. I found it to be very informative.

CtTrapper · « **Reply #29 on:** Feb 09, 2009, 08:07 PM »

Quote from: carper34 on Feb 09, 2009, 12:36 AM

only put my leg down a hole ice fishing. but i have dropped through a few times while trapping.

Same here--like every other day trapping lol. If I'm not going through ice a rock is rolling under my foot while wading in a cold fast brook, or slippery rocks...either way, I manage to take a swim every now and again.

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Author Topic: Have you ever fallen through the ice? (Read 4621 times)