Drinking on the ice.

[flat liner]

Not that I am a drunk,my buddy is, but we cannot drink in our shacks,, but ! I fish through the floor of a camper that has a stove,bed,water supply,cooler/fridge and toilet so I would like to know why I can't drink in there, or can I? It is no different then when I am parked any where else.

[da man cave shack]

Is that a law up there "No drinking in ice shacks"?

[fishon35]

That's what I was assuming too...

[Voltaire]

I am pretty sure you can drink in houseboats up there, so I would think a similarly-equipped shack would qualify.

[WalleyeTom]

You should ask the folks who do the enforcement; wildlife officers or the RCMP.
Two points:  Are you drinking in public?  Are you driving impaired?

[Tmuskie]

Are you on water that is considered a state park or something of the eqivelent? (no alcohol allowed). That is the way it is in MA. We do it anyway but descretely.

[fishermantim]

What does the law specifically state?

If it states "No drinking in shanties" then regardless of what you are using for shelter, you are in a shanty.
Doesn't matter if it's a pop-up portable, a wooden box structure or a modified camper, they are all being used as an ice fishing shanty.

I personally won't drink when I fish, more so when on the ice.
I working with sharp hooks, in generally freezing conditions and I don't need to add the challenge of avoiding frostbite or a DUI to make for a "fun" outing.

I've also noticed a direct connection between drinking while fishing and littering, more than other anglers.
That's just my observation and probably doesn't mean ALL drinkers are like that, just the ones I have encountered.

Bottom line would be check the laws and check with a game warden or EPO to see what they say.
(Better safe than sorry.)

[carcus1]

I save the drinking for when I get home, its another part of the day to look forward to, I get home fire up the wood stove in my garage, pour a whiskey and start cleaning fish.  I'm pretty sure drinking on the ice is illegal in Manitoba

[big-brother]

I'm pretty sure drinking on the ice is illegal in Manitoba

Corrrect

[Live2fish5]

If you can prove your ice shack is your residence for the night, as in have a bed/cot or similar sleeping arrangement it is legal to drink in your shack.

[greenbackhunter]

pretty sure you have to have a washroom before its considered a residence. Need more than a bed.

[Special]

You poor fellas, No drinking in a Ice shack/house. How long has that been a law up there. I can't even believe there is a law about it. I thought it was a joke at first but after reading the threads. Really? Poor fellas.

[muskyon46]

X2 on that special, I feel for you guys. Nothing better than havin a few cold ones on the ice  no cooler needed. Me and my fishin buds take turns being the DD although I'm sure one of them does more drivin  and me mabey more tippin

[Blue Mago]

I think it's a good law ! I hate seeing them on the road later and as was said ,the litter  on some lakes etc is not acceptable ! Used to have to dodge broken bottles on a certain lake that we fished till the C/O's showed up one day ,there was a lot of booze disposed of that day and the message was sent loud and clear ,do it at home and it sure helped ,although the few die hards that are there ,but somehow the call always get's out about there behaviour ??

[johnny-walleye]

If you can prove your ice shack is your residence for the night, as in have a bed/cot or similar sleeping arrangement it is legal to drink in your shack.

Don't think so but nice try.  It is illegal to drink in a shack in Manitoba no matter what type it is.  It is classified as open liquor in public.  You will be fined.

Now some guys have a nip or two but are not stupid about it.  If you are hooting and hollering and making a scene, guys will put you in the ice.  If you are drinking and driving and hit me, I'll put you under the ice.

Basically, don't be stupid.  We are all out there to have a good time and we all know that it only take a couple of idiots to give the sport a black eye.  Remember the bucket of $#@! left on the ice.  Gen pop thinks about that when they hear ice fishing mentioned.  We don't need to hear about a guy passed out drunk frozen to the ice.

More idiots means more eyes - not that we are doing anything illegal but who wants to be bothered by COs

[esox_magnum]

I have that same rule in my shack and boat,never saw a need to drink on the ice or water....IMO it should be a mandated rule,if you need beer to fish then your using fishing as the excuse to drink....Yes I do enjoy a drink now and then but in the appropriate place...

[WalleyeTom]

I don't fish from a shack  .... so my rule is no boose in my boat or my truck.   We are here to fish, not to drink.

For our American friends who may not know,  you can loose your vehicle and be charged for 0.05 in Manitoba and Alberta.  There are other Provinces that have this law as well.

[Blue Mago]

That's right ! no drinking on the ice .Was on the big lake a few years ago and some idiot had WAY to much again and he slid off the main road and "" everyone "" drove past him !I believe the cops came and .....helped....him out  ............LOL.Can't imagine if he had made it to the main highway ? Keep it at home so we can all have a good time and no one gets hurt .

[flat liner]

You guys all sound like a bunch of priests.I wasn't asking weather it was right ,just if it was legal.We dont drink and drive or litter and yell and scream.We park,drill holes,fish and have a social drink while socializing and we stay the night if we don't have a DD.This is how i have met many ,many great people well out on the ice.

[DBK81]

You guys all sound like a bunch of priests.I wasn't asking weather it was right ,just if it was legal.We dont drink and drive or litter and yell and scream.We park,drill holes,fish and have a social drink while socializing and we stay the night if we don't have a DD.This is how i have met many ,many great people well out on the ice.

I believe laws are much the same in SK as MB, from my experience if you are in your permy, not acting a fool the CO's will very rarely say anything let alone ticket you for it, I have had CO's approach check licenses/fish and chat all while a beer or bottle has been in plain sight inside the shack, the odd time he will ask who is driving or if we are staying the night. I for one enjoy a beer or two, or a whiskey while I am fishing, it's the weekend, I am relaxing and will NEVER drink and drive, any more than two drinks at all during the day and I am no longer driving, period.

[Rebelss]

It's just like anything else, always some numbnuts to wreck it for all the good folk. 

[BigDVO]

I think its a BS Rule. If you have a DD like every other drinking situation, then it should be permitted (including spending the night).

[DBK81]

I think its a BS Rule. If you have a DD like every other drinking situation, then it should be permitted (including spending the night).

In your shack I agree, walking around on the ice out in the open I think this should be treated as open liquor in public.

[mricefish]

I don't see a problem with it.  Sounds like you have the right idea, inside your shack, not the the point of too much, and the guy next to you would not even know unless he saw you with it (not acting like a fool).   I do the same, don't see the harm in a drink of your choice while out for the day.  and when spending the night nothing better than feet up, pop some popcorn,  put a movie on and have a beer..... well one better thing a couple of the rattle reels going off too.   

[The Beachcomber]

I have had CO's pull up to me on sleds and I have an open beer and they have been nice about it.  I follow all the other rules and only have a few pops usually.  As long as you have a licence, clean up your garbage and are friendly you should be fine unless you get some young punk CO thats pulling a evil drinking rant from the bible on you, which as happened to me.

[muskyon46]

So im just curious can you drink while your camping up there, sittin around the fire pit out in public havin a beer?

[strike1st]

99% of the time I don't drink while fishing...the other one Percent is a snort or three is schnapps or whiskey and that is when we are on our yearly trip where we stay on the lake and walk back to the cabins on the lake.

I can always remember drinking and ice fishing even when I was little I remember the "adults" drinking a little.

Wow...some guys I know would implode if they couldn't drink and fish....I mean fish and drink.

[BigDVO]

So im just curious can you drink while your camping up there, sittin around the fire pit out in public havin a beer?

That is a great point ! When you go out camping, weather its in an actual camp ground or not, it usually involves plenty of drinking. I am thinking it must be a grey area. Hell on a golf course you can actually drink and drive a motorized vehicle. Im pretty sure that most CO's would look the other way if you are following all other rules.

[DBK81]

Camping is different as you are leasing said property whether it be for a day or for a year, so it is then your private property and you can consume on that property, walk down the road at a camp ground with open liquor and you are fair game for an open liquor in public ticket, again it's all about being smart, and yes sometimes you will run into CO's that have no grey area, it's all black and white but those guys are few and far between especially in SK where they had major cutbacks on CO's and the guys still around are the grizzled vets of the business who know if people are following conservation laws it's best to let them enjoy the sport. Just my $.02.

[wyofly99]

No wonder you guys  catch all those big fish up there.....