200 fishermen are trapped on Lake Erie Ice

[mud_n_fun]

Ya know! We all pay our tax dollars. and if a few of them are spent on ice fisherman so what.

[NFDWALLY]

Ya know! We all pay our tax dollars. and if a few of them are spent on ice fisherman so what.

So What??  People are risking their lives to get those fishermen off the ice.  I would hate to be the one explaining to a son or daughter that their Daddy or Mommy wasn't coming home because they were trying to rescue some fishermen...who should have known better to go out on the ice that day. Everytime a helicopter leaves the ground they are at risk.  We won't even go into the area of cost!  It's hard to talk money over lives.  Obviously you are not in the circles where people die rescuing others (Coast Guard, Police, Fire, EMS, ect...)   

[NorthSouthOhioFisherman]

Ya know! We all pay our tax dollars. and if a few of them are spent on ice fisherman so what.

I fully agree with this guy

[mako003]

 with that being said
 people will always do things that other deam unsafe and it is with a heavy heart someone else will need to
bring them back but that is called life yes it is sad when someone passes and sometimes it hits really hard  in the wallets

the only thing you may or may not get from it is the lesson learned from it and just hope everyone is safe

[camocrazy82]

I have never been fishing on Erie. Would love too, ice or not. I think the bottom line is this, Alot of people crossed that crack on that that day. Most were seasoned Ice fisherman I assume. Most thought it was Ok to fish, those who didnt stayed on solid ground.

Things lined up in the wrong way for all these guys who thought it was safe. Wind, crack IB whatever it was.

The Coast guard did the job they were trained to do. It is what they are paid to do and with out them many more people would die in the water. Ever watch Deadlest Catch? Wrong place wrong time.

A guy lost his life doing what he loved to do. God Bless his Family.

Sure the media is going to spin it. Thats how we got in this whole mess. Always got to have the best of the best.

The cop? The only reason he was interviewed is because the news chopper couldnt catch up to interview them. Sure he is an arse!

Ice fishing is dangerous period. No matter how big or small the lake. Watch you own arses and youll be fishing a long time.

[Farley]

So What??  People are risking their lives to get those fishermen off the ice.  I would hate to be the one explaining to a son or daughter that their Daddy or Mommy wasn't coming home because they were trying to rescue some fishermen...who should have known better to go out on the ice that day. Everytime a helicopter leaves the ground they are at risk.  We won't even go into the area of cost!  It's hard to talk money over lives.  Obviously you are not in the circles where people die rescuing others (Coast Guard, Police, Fire, EMS, ect...)   

Are you a troll or something?  If those people thought that they would have to leave all thier exensive gear on the ice and have to pay a salvage operator TO YOU THINK THEY WOULD HAVE GONE OUT!!@!?!?!?!?   Y O U  D O N ' T  H A V E   C L U E!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

[jamess2008]

Im tired of reading this stuff. I joined the military, served in a war, risked my life, and got payed for it. Very proud of it. But I have never ever felt like anybody owed me anything. It was my choice. Same thing goes for police, fire, coast guard its there job even if some people made a questionable choice. Some, not all police and fireman think you owe them something. I respect the job they do, but I dont owe them. And neither does anyone else.

[MooseWhisper]

Very sad the fellow lost his life and my prayers to the family.  Seems  everyone forgets that here in the United States we are free people, with rights and laws.  Sure the ice had a crack but I am 1000% sure that if any of these guys thought their life was in danger none of them would have even crossed the crack. As fisherman and hunters we pay license fees that have preserved and in most cases increased fish and game through out the U.S.  These dollars spent on our sport create a massive income for Lake Erie and all the communities, maybe the sheriff should think before he shoots off a threat to fine anybody caught on the ice.  All across the United States the coast guard is active in rescues, and as a retired Fire Captain it is NOT the intention of anybody to ever have to call for help !!   The DNR needs to get active and monitor the ice conditions and have a simple warning siren if dangers exist,,,,prevention and education is something are dollars should go towards... Be Safe  and Thank You for allowing me to voice my opinion,

[Raybob]

You went ice-fishing on a 60-degree day?  : Regina Brett
by Regina Brett/Plain Dealer Columnist
Wednesday February 11, 2009, 5:51 AM

Regina BrettGo ahead.

Blame the shifting winds, the glaring sun, the lake effect.

Blame global warming and Mother Nature.

Heck, go ahead and blame the walleye.

Blame everything under the sun and the sun. Just don't blame the Coast Guard.

That's what some ice fishermen are doing.

The Coast Guard and local fire departments rescued some 130 fishermen stranded on a floating island of ice in Lake Erie on Saturday. The rescuers plucked stranded anglers from the ice floe by lowering baskets from helicopters and by sending air boats to reach them.

There's a lot of blame to go around, but none of it should be dumped on the Coast Guard. They should be cheered as heroes in this drama.

Some fishermen blame a Coast Guard cutter for causing the ice to break away. The Coast Guard says the water in that area was too shallow for the cutter.

Some fishermen blame the Coast Guard for not putting up warning signs.

"The sun was out and it was 60 degrees -- that is your sign," Petty Officer William Mitchell told a reporter.

Mitchell's quote made me think of that country song "Here's Your Sign," made famous by Bill Engvall and Travis Tritt:

"I just hate stupid people. They should have to wear signs that just say 'I'm stupid.' That way you wouldn't rely on them, would you? It would be like, 'Excuse me . . . oops. Never mind. I didn't see your sign.'

"A couple of months ago I went fishing with a buddy of mine, we pulled his boat into the dock, I lifted up this big 'ol stringer of bass. This idiot on the dock goes, 'Hey, y'all catch all them fish?'

" 'Nope. Talked 'em into giving up. . . . Here's your sign.' "

Yep, the ice fishermen had plenty of signs:

The National Weather Service broadcast warnings on Friday afternoon and Saturday morning. Meteorologists forecast high temperatures. The thermometer hit 60 degrees.

How about that giant crack in the ice? A crack so big the anglers set down wooden pallets to cross over the 2-foot gap. When you have to build a bridge over troubled waters to go ice fishing, there's your sign.

Veteran ice fishermen know how to read the ice. Those who can't should stay off Lake Erie.

I can't figure these guys out. Were they so arrogant they thought they could walk on water? Were they so passionate they risked their lives for a good catch? Were they just plain stupid?

So far, they haven't been charged for the rescue. The Ottawa County sheriff set the rescue cost for local fire departments at $20,000. The Coast Guard's Mitchell told reporters, "We do not put a price on life. These people we were saving were already paying us through their tax dollars."

He surely understands the seduction of the lake, the allure that drives fishermen out on a beautiful moonscape of ice far from work and worry to that place of peace where nothing matters but a small hole in a great lake, where it all comes down to just you, the fish and . . . a six-pack of Bud.

Those fishermen who blame the Coast Guard can continue to tell their fish story, but we know the real story.

The day after the rescue, ice fishermen went back out onto the risky areas of Lake Erie to fish. There's your sign.

[Fish_Tko]

I took this picture at around 5:15 Friday night. This is the crack that everyone crossed Sat. morning out of Crane Creek.

[Ice Crazy]

I am not from Ohio but I do fish lake Erie for more than 40 yrs. And i have crossed hundreds of cracks just like that one.Never got a helicopter ride or stranded, Not blowing my horn,Lake Erie is unforgiving you have to be carefull .Ware I am west is best east is least. And I think its about time we put this conversation to bed don't You !!!!

[johnsaredneck]

I do not believe one fisherman believed there would be a problem on the ice that day. The chunk was 8 miles wide, who would have thought it would move. We are all brothers in our passion of ice fishing, lets stop bashing each other. If anything, we should stand together against anyone who threaten our sport or our intelligence. My advice has always been to any newcomer to ice fishing is; always go out with a seasoned ice fisherman and learn to read the ice. 145 men misread the ice that day and the unthinkable happened. I am glad it wasn't worse. Thankyou to all the rescue personnel, job well done, be proud.