fisherman dies

[62&done]

On the local news tonight-  2 fishermen went in on Basswood Lake in Otsego County today. One survived. DEC reported there was 1" of ice.   How sad.

[62&done]

PLEASE   PLEASE   PLEASE  Guys just chill a little bit!!  The temps are falling next week. Let mother nature do her thing, We will get to go fishing - later than we want but we will go.
 When I go the first couple times I will wear my life jacket. I will wear my spikes and carry a spud bar which I will use - not just pull it in my sled.  After I have settled into an area and have gained confidence in the ice I will then remove my life jacket -  not until.
  One is enough we don't need any more in the news.

[UofLCARDS]

I actually use my spud for the first 2-3 weeks every year - I like the option to cut as big a hole as I like .....I only use my auger when the ice gets "too thick"......if I ever cut a hole with an inch of ice I wouldn't even turn around - I would walk backwards off the ice .... too bad for that family, but in what world would anybody think there is enough ice in the southern tier this year .....

[filetandrelease]

 That is sad indeed , my condolences to family and friends , sometimes bad things can be avoided , spud ,pics , and creepers are a must  , even then things can happen

[Raquettedacker]

I saw that.  BassWood Pond is a designated trout pond and there is no ice fishing on it..

[Raquettedacker]

[mbart]

Sad and tragic news, the forest ranger performed a second rescue the same day helping a woman out of an overturned car.
https://www.newyorkupstate.com/outdoors/2024/01/two-brothers-plunge-through-thin-ice-while-fishing-on-upstate-ny-lake-one-drowns.html

[UofLCARDS]

I saw that.  BassWood Pond is a designated trout pond and there is no ice fishing on it..

If this is the same one ice fishing IS permitted

https://dec.ny.gov/places/basswood-pond
Ice Fishing:
Permitted.

[Raquettedacker]

If this is the same one ice fishing IS permitted

https://dec.ny.gov/places/basswood-pond
Ice Fishing:
Permitted.

  Wow they must have changed it since the last time I was down there.  Was always 3 fish during the open water season..
 But still I bet they weren’t using a spud..

[UofLCARDS]

  Wow they must have changed it since the last time I was down there.  Was always 3 fish during the open water season..
 But still I bet they weren’t using a spud..

Yeah I can't imagine chopping a hole, seeing 1" of ice and saying "lets try another one out deeper" ......

[62&done]

Just way too foolish  I guess folks just think - It won't happen to me    We really have to use our heads. Very sorry for the family

[BUCKSKI]

Events like this make my wife freek out.

Wow an inch, would not even want my dog to venture out on it!!

Condolences to the family, seems so unnecessary.

[zcm_82]

Yeah I can't imagine chopping a hole, seeing 1" of ice and saying "lets try another one out deeper" ......

Agreed 100% 

Not to mention that had to have spider webbed and sounded like walking on bubble wrap with every step before they went through Ice that thin always throws some red flags if you try walking on it.

[UofLCARDS]

Agreed 100% 

Not to mention that had to have spider webbed and sounded like walking on bubble wrap with every step before they went through Ice that thin always throws some red flags if you try walking on it.

Yeah, no kidding...I was on 3-4" of black ice one year and even that freaked me out - no noise - no cracking ...just looking at the minnows and weeds right there .....I was chopping holes every other step so I KNEW how hard the ice was and it was still weird and kind of scary at first .....

[Raquettedacker]

We used to have family/friends picnics there years ago and it’s out in the middle of state land.. Only one farm close by who might be the person walking the dog. And to have rangers 1 minute away…

[zcm_82]

Yeah, no kidding...I was on 3-4" of black ice one year and even that freaked me out - no noise - no cracking ...just looking at the minnows and weeds right there .....I was chopping holes every other step so I KNEW how hard the ice was and it was still weird and kind of scary at first .....

I fish early 3-4" black ice early every season, but I poke around a lot checking it, and it's over waist to chest deep shallows within 20-30 yards of shore where stepping through is an annoying inconvenience, not a catastrophe.

[trapper2000]

everone that  drills holes to check ice is  dumb  .....and  this same thing could happen to you ..... buy a  spud  and  use it  ever  step  .... if  you  drill holes    as you go out  your  ticket to the  other side awaits  you........sorry to be  so  point blank  but some  don't get it....and  chest  deep water   when you  go threw  can  kill you too 

[Iceman1899]

Yeah I don’t get the drill a hole to check ice thing either. Seems like a huge  pain in the a** to be carrying an auger around everywhere or putting it in or out of your sled every 5 steps than just keep a spud in hand. They sell all different sizes and weights now days not to mention you can easily make one custom

[zcm_82]

Yeah I don’t get the drill a hole to check ice thing either. Seems like a huge  pain in the a** to be carrying an auger around everywhere or putting it in or out of your sled every 5 steps than just keep a spud in hand. They sell all different sizes and weights now days not to mention you can easily make one custom

My first hand me down chisel was a length of rebar with a head welded on the end... it worked, but good lord I do not miss that thing one bit vs a store bought modern one.  It was akin to lugging around an anvil.

[pmaloney86]

Yeah I don’t get the drill a hole to check ice thing either. Seems like a huge  pain in the a** to be carrying an auger around everywhere or putting it in or out of your sled every 5 steps than just keep a spud in hand. They sell all different sizes and weights now days not to mention you can easily make one custom

I usually carry a rock toss that in the air and if doesnt break I'm good to go...

[filetandrelease]

I usually carry a rock toss that in the air and if doesnt break I'm good to go...

🤪, spud would have told me it’s not ready yet ,try again another day

[UofLCARDS]

My first hand me down chisel was a length of rebar with a head welded on the end... it worked, but good lord I do not miss that thing one bit vs a store bought modern one.  It was akin to lugging around an anvil.

My spud is heavy too, but its one my mom bought for my dad back in the 50's .....they didn't have a car and she bought it "downtown" and had to carry it on 3 buses to get it home for him.  Still works great - I'll never get rid of it ....

[trapper2000]

fred  we would have  know  first wack   to turn around  .........you preach it  and preach it ...no one  listens  anyone thats  ever fished  with me know  i  carry it  all the  time  and i  check all the time  you'd  be  surprized  how  many  times i  been on a  foot of  ice  and  dropped that  spud  and it went threw  ........  do what ya  want ......i'm  checking the ice  the right way

[filetandrelease]

My spud is heavy too, but its one my mom bought for my dad back in the 50's .....they didn't have a car and she bought it "downtown" and had to carry it on 3 buses to get it home for him.  Still works great - I'll never get rid of it ....

I’ve still have my 2 green  monsters , but my shoulders do much better with my Eskimo economy spud , just had
 To relearn the feel and sound
      Several years ago I had buds that didn’t have spuds ,so while fishing up north I stopped at Chapman’s and bought 6 of them and past them out

[WARRIOR_ON_ICE]

Yeah, no kidding...I was on 3-4" of black ice one year and even that freaked me out - no noise - no cracking ...just looking at the minnows and weeds right there .....I was chopping holes every other step so I KNEW how hard the ice was and it was still weird and kind of scary at first .....

Was on Lake George a few times when it was perfect black ice and plenty thick enough with barely any cracks in it, and zero snow on it. Walking on that over 80 feet of water is creepy because you look down and just see the black abyss, and it is unsettling even though it is the safest ice there can be.

[Oldtimer]

The older you get the more you remember stories like this and it makes us more careful.   Seems some just have to be the first ones on the ice and the first ones with a sled.  What is there about bragging rights   They make people stupid……………………. And dead…..

[fishmaster13184]

Float coats are so cheap now, I can’t believe people would ice fish without one.

[trapper2000]

if you look at the picture  dacker  posted i assume thats the  victim  floating  .......  i may  be  wrong  but i think most people  die  from  hypothermia

[Ric66]

Float coats are so cheap now, I can’t believe people would ice fish without one.

Agree 100%. I always wear float jacket and pants. I've read it's not hypothermia that kills people but drowning, but don't have any statistics on it. Maybe in this case the guy couldn't pull himself out of the water because the ice kept breaking and died from hypothermia.

[trapper2000]

ric i think were  both wrong  !!!! i found this



Search instead for do most people that fall threw the ice drown or die from hypotherma

Cold shock response is a series of neurogenic cardio-respiratory responses caused by sudden immersion in cold water. In cold water immersions, such as by falling through thin ice, cold shock response is perhaps the most common cause of death.