How to be safe snowmobiling on the ice?

[Kelpy]

I have a few seasons of ice fishing under my belt but I'm ready to start exploring farther than I can walk to fish. I have 2 utility snowmobiles that I've used for hunting and trapping that will be perfect for ice fishing. What I don't know is how to be safe when snowmobiling on the ice. I live in the West and we rarely get the 3 feet of ice that you upper midwest guys get. We do get 10-15 inches though and I don't fancy the thought of going on less than 7-8" with any type of machine.

How do you deal with ice flows? are they located in small areas where you can go around? Do they stretch all the way across the lakes on long linear bodies of water?

Everyone says look out for thin spots or changing ice? how often do you drill test holes?

Is it safer to stay close to shore or is the ice less consistent in the shallow water?

Drive fast in case you cross a thin spot and hope you skim across it? Or drive slow so that you don't get cut in half or knocked unconscious if you break through and wreck?

Any help would be greatly appreciated, I would like to find better fishing and new spots but I have a healthy respect for the dangers of ice and am always cautious. Thanks!

[dubob]

I have been going out on Saginaw Bay for many years.

Man - that brought back some memories.  I lived in Port Austin (USAF) from July 1961 until Feb 1965.  I was introduced to Saginaw Bay ice fishing by a resident of Bay Port.  We used to drive up to 7 miles off shore from Bay Port; he in his 2-wheel drive flatbed truck (w/ chains) and me in my 2-wheel drive Chevy sedan (no chains).  He always carried two 8' long 2X8s to get across pressure ridges.  The locals in that area always planted the discarded Christmas Trees in a line out on to the ice for several miles so we could find our way back in less than ideal visual conditions (white outs).  Mostly after perch and 12" and longer were common back then.  Ice thickness was almost always over a foot back in those days and all holes were made with ice spuds.  Ice augers were not common back then even if they existed.  EVERYBODY used ice spuds.  There were no limits on perch back then; we kept however many we were willing to clean with a sharp kitchen knife (cut off heads and gut) and a kitchen spoon (scale them).  Never heard of a fillet knife back then.  We cooked them whole and ate every morsel except the bones.  Good memories for sure Snitch#8.   

Sorry Kelpy: didn't mean to highjack the thread.  A very common guideline is the one that Minnesota uses:

For new, clear ice only
UNDER 4" - STAY OFF
4" - Ice fishing or other activities on foot
5" - 7" - Snowmobile or ATV
8" - 12" - Car or small pickup
12" - 15" - Medium truck

 

I use 6" minimum for me to use my snowmobile here in Utah.

[jethro]

Freakin' pressure ridges... oh man, even a 3" ridge can be catastrophic on a sled at speed. You get 8" of light powder conditions over glare ice and a 3" pressure ridge can end your day real quick. It's not usually the big, huge pressure ridges it's those smaller ones that you can't really see. And if you hit it at like a 50 degree angle? See ya. You gonna see how well your body and sled tumble together in mid air. That's my worst issue. Be careful when it's fresh, un-tracked snow.

I don't usually go out on a lake with my machine unless I know the lake fairly well. You as an ice fisherman know when a lake is safe to walk on, right? Well add 6" of ice to that equation if you wanna take a sled.

You'll get a feel for it with experience.

[GBguy]

Better off going slow rather than fast. You're more likely to hit an obstruction if you're going fast, versus seeing it and avoiding it if you're going a reasonable speed. If you're hauling any sort of gear, you're unlikely to be able to skip open water anyway.

Driving a snowmobile on the ice isn't much different than a truck, besides the fact you don't need as much ice. You're taking a risk every time you do it (every time you go on the ice, no matter the vehicle) so following basic safety precautions like having a plan and telling someone where you'll be and when you expect to be back is a good idea, especially if you can't travel with someone else. Make sure to pack a shovel in case your snowmobile gets stuck and you need to dig it out.

[ran7ger]

we take it for granted up here as there's about 2 feet of ice by now on most lakes.  i'm still cautious with my skidoo in other ways.  if i'm by myself i don't like going much further than what i could walk out, and i always bring 10lbs of propane some food and a shack so worst case scenerio you can spend the night on the lake fishing or at least get warmed up.  an ax, shovel matches and rope are always along as well. 

 good tips to follow old tracks too, NOT doing that got me into my biggest jam on a sled.  100m diameter slush puddle up to my knees in the dark.  took about 3.5 hrs but i got out and barely limped home with my machine.  so my best advice is go fast if you think there's slush and slow if you're worried about heaves.  good luck!  you could always look at one of those nebulus devices too if you were really concerned about going in.

[POk3s]

Hi Kelpy, living on reservoirs out west I’ll help you as much as I can. I just had a guy ask me about ice conditions on my local water and when I gave him all the cautionary answers, I was met with him trying to tell me how he thinks it is and why.  I don’t know why people ask if they’re going to do what they want anyway, but I’ll tell you exactly what I told him. Reservoirs are, by nature, very dangerous. You have to watch out for the river channel, other creek currents, warm springs, methane releases, and every other danger known to ice travel.

I tried to tell “the other guy” of how “my Lake” must be treated with the upmost respect as I was traveling on 10” of ice and then almost ran directly into an open hole in the ice. It was natural and no warning, just simply a thin spot where I could see water pushing into the ice. I was over about 50
Foot of water so I have no explanation. I simply went around the hole and jumped off my machine to warm the others. It makes you wonder how many 2” spots we glide over. Like mentioned above, you’re taking a chance every time you travel on the ice, more so out here.

The other story I shared with “The other guy” is having to cross an “ice bridge” over the old river channel. The river channel had basically busted wide open with 8” of ice on either side. We had to spud our way across a solid section and then go back and grab the sled. Definitely eery but we made it just fine.

In closing, if it looks suspect, check it! Carry your spud, hop out and make sure. It takes less than a minute and it could save your life. I’ve seen people wear life jackets as they ride out on their machines and it’s a great idea. Definitely can’t hurt!

[SLAYERFISH]

Just hold the throttle wide F'in open all the time. You'll be fine-

[RuttNutt]

You mean like this?!   

[SLAYERFISH]

You mean like this?!   

Yup!  Sweet!

[Drift Dodger]

212 km and not a single fish caught ... obviously trolling too fast!

[Gills-only]

Don’t stop!! Keep going

[Bucket Rump]

Fish not biting on Lake Cadillac?  Well, just zip on over to to Lake Mitchell via the canal....

https://youtu.be/3J2qmZg9qN0

For the record, not recommended!

[RoeBoat]

Crazy!!!

[gorf37]

Different areas have massively different ice conditions.  Get involved in the local ice condition information sharing, wherever it is happening.  If you have no reports about an area, you'd better go slow and be very confident about the conditions. 

Get a GPS you're comfortable using for back-tracking in the dark.  Following your own snowmachine track seems easy in daylight, but in the dark you'll quickly realize just how many other tracks you crossed at a shallow angle...  I would never recommend going fast in hopes of carrying momentum across overflow.  If you're at risk of overflow you either need to go slow enough that you can stop & get off and dig your way back before it's over your boots, or have a machine that's powerful enough to pick you, your wet gear, and however much snow and slush is stuck to your entire kit and accelerate up out of the slush.  Eg my father in law's 900 turbo wide track vs. my 380.  I'm stuck going slow unless I know the conditions ahead of me.

Have a plan for going through.  Are your picks at the ready?  Once you're out of the water how are you summoning help?  Are you carrying easy carbs to power your body through a very cold wet walk?  Are you going to be able to start a fire from the surrounding bush? etc.

[badger132]

First, as you have already done- realize that this can be dangerous.

Second- Learn ice in general: http://lakeice.squarespace.com

Third: Don't go alone- small problems can become big ones without a buddy. ( I go alone, but take more caution, and don't go as far)

I always keep to existing tracks if I am not sure about conditions. On my lake, the shore thins and melts first, especially at the boat ramps- that bare concrete acts like a heat sink and conducts heat down into the lake. That is usually where people go through on the way back in the afternoon. I go to the side, on to snow covered shore if I can find it.