Is cracking noise from the ice a good sign?

[Voltaire]

So we are out on some good 4" ice on Sunday. It starts cracking all around us once every 5 min or so. I could feel the vibration below my feet.  I was getting uncomfortable and nervous while my fishin' buddy was relaxing even more as he said that the cracks and creeks mean that more ice is forming and it is getting stronger. Any truth to this? Is it safe to be on when it is cracking all around you like that

[TheDL]

I've experienced the same thing....it's nerve racking, but I've also heard that it's safe and it's "ice forming"...I don't know how that makes sense though 

[Drifter_016]

Yep, that's the sound of ice forming.
Music to my ears!!!!
Was out on 12" last weekend and it was craking away!!!
Probably be 14" this weekend.   

[FISHFORPIKE]

Take a close look at any sheet of ice covering a body of water.  They are always full of cracks.  When the ice is "making", it's expanding - has to go somewhere, so "craaaack.  I was on a sheet of ice that was 20+" thick late in the season last March.  It turned out to be a 40 deg., Sunny day.  The noise that ice sheet was making was unbelievable, and the top was turning to slush.

[Gamedog1]

Wish we had some of that ice......the only ice we have is in the freezer.

[slipperybob]

I jokingly say, "The lake/pond is farting"

It's becuase of that one year taking out some newbies on the ice and as evening approached and the temps drops some.  The ice cracked so loudly and the crack veins just so happens to run right through the shack.  Yeap, some water and mist came up and newbies were about to jump up and grab the shelter ceiling on that one.

Now imagine being on the ice crack ridge.  LOL.  not safe. 

[Layne]

Cracks are ok as long as the ice is thick. On thin ice cracks can be dangerous, we found that out this past weekend.

[jascpa099]

I don't know about you guys, but for me it doesn't matter how cold it is, or how much ice I am on... my heart still jumps around when I can "feel" the cracks... it's like they are running right through my body...

[tinyfisher]

Cracking sounds can mean it is making ice, losing ice, or about to break under your feet.  Listen to a lake on a cold night, it will be booming!  Also on a warm day with the sun beating down on it.  It means the ice is shifting, expanding, contracting.  Think of it like earthquakes...same thing.  Be careful, especially on big water the cracks can heave and open up wide gaps of open water.  Snowmobile launch ramps!

[surflizard]

Cracks on ice less then 5 inches in your Immediate vicinity are not good ! Crack are nothing compared to a -30 below day when the lake booms like a thunderstorm and a spider web of cracks flash thru the ice under your feet !! That tends to make some Uninitiated go change their Undies !! 

[bigyam627]

was on 3 inches last year early season. we got there early with the sun belows trees and ice was quiet. as soon as sun started hitting the ice the lake started to sing. these cracks were definitaly the sound of the lake loosing ice. it cracks when building or loosing ice. just keep an ete on the temp.

[Rebelss]

Take a close look at any sheet of ice covering a body of water.  They are always full of cracks.  When the ice is "making", it's expanding - has to go somewhere, so "craaaack.  I was on a sheet of ice that was 20+" thick late in the season last March.  It turned out to be a 40 deg., Sunny day.  The noise that ice sheet was making was unbelievable, and the top was turning to slush.

Was on 24" in Northern Minnesota last year, day got up to 42 and sunny.....BOOM!!! CRAAAACK!!!!! Actually, one crack opened up between the truck and the ice shack.... pretty normal...

[CO_ICE_POSSE]

music to some / the experienced ear; maddening to others!

[lefty2053]

I have been on ice that sounded like thunder. The more cracking the better. My wife had one crack run into her hole last year and pushed water out of it. Scared the heck out of her.  I have a friend that had a crack 3" wide go through his hole while he had a fish on. The fish found it's way to the crack and next thing he knew he was 20 ft from his hole trying to get the fish back to the hole.

[rmoody79]

its the fish smacking their heads off the ice ceiling

[fishermantim]

I have been on ice that sounded like thunder. The more cracking the better. My wife had one crack run into her hole last year and pushed water out of it. Scared the heck out of her.  I have a friend that had a crack 3" wide go through his hole while he had a fish on. The fish found it's way to the crack and next thing he knew he was 20 ft from his hole trying to get the fish back to the hole.

Now that I'd pay to see!!! 

The way I describe it to my friends, when they hear it for the first time, is to say that the ice on the pond is like a drum head.
The ice is forming from underneath and is pushing upward. That upward pressure HAS to give, and thus the cracking and popping.

When the weather is warming up, the ice is shrinking, trying to pull back from the shore. Unfortunately the ice has formed around submerged trees, branches and humps which restrict the movement. That is, until the pressure gets to be too much, and "POP!" a crack is born.

I perticularly love the drum head effect and how it transmitts and amplifies sounds across the entiere pond's surface.
My 2 favorite things are watching cracks race across the surface (when ice is being made, not lost) and seeing a crack run through my holes or even between my legs (happened a couple times of different ponds)and the other is listening for the "pong" sound that you hear when ice is popping and cracking somewhere else on the pond.

I fished a pond that had over a foot of ice, on a below freezing day, and the pond was singing all day. A mother, child and dog decided to venture out, since they could see us out on the ice anyway, and got 20' from shore when the pond "spoke"!
They literally tip-toed off the ice as fast as they could (think Fred Flintstone's tippy-toe bowling move) and hi-tailed it back to their car. Even with reassurance from me that it was safe enough to walk on, they just took off. I still laugh when I visualize their hasty retreat to this day!

[frigidaire]

Time for a short physical chemistry lecture.  Just about everything expands/contracts with temperature.  In most cases this is a linear response unless there is a phase change eg. solid to liquid.  Water is one of very few substances where this behavior is NOT linear.  Water is at its' greatest density at 39 degrees F.  This is why the water at the bottom of a frozen lake is always at this temperature.  Water at below 39 degrees is less dense.  THIS IS WHY ICE FLOATS!!  Since it's less dense than liquid water at 32 degrees it has to expand when it makes the phase change to ice. The expansion creates stress which is relieved when the ice heaves upward, at the shoreline or at pressure cracks.

If it's safe enough to be out there, loud ice is always good ice!  Wish it would get that way around here!!!! 

[Grumpyoldman]

Unexpected loud ice cracking booms, underfoot and all around.  What a rush.  I love this sport.   

[LilWeezy]

i like the star wars sound the ice makes when expanding it trips my nephew out but i love it

[1MOFISH]

dummmmdonnndooik gotta love the lake tightenen up
mo

[rickl1968]

Music to my ears! 

[tgus59]

Even though I know ice cracking is a good thing it still freaks me out on the first few trips.  It helps if a newbie is around because if someone is more startled then I am it helps!

[Ryderr]

So we are out on some good 4" ice on Sunday. It starts cracking all around us once every 5 min or so. I could feel the vibration below my feet.  I was getting uncomfortable and nervous while my fishin' buddy was relaxing even more as he said that the cracks and creeks mean that more ice is forming and it is getting stronger. Any truth to this? Is it safe to be on when it is cracking all around you like that

Your buddy is right. Just make sure you are comfortable on the ice. If you are ever nervous, its best to get off the ice, just in case. I'm no scientist, but I believe it cracks as it expands. I have been on ice like that before, sometimes up to a foot of ice. Its scary as heck but as long as you are sure you are on safe ice, its perfectly safe. If you noticed its not a typical "crack" more like a guitar being plucked low to the base of the guitar. "Boiing"

[da man cave shack]

Yep it is just getting stronger not weaker so yur alll good. I used to feel the same nervous  feeling as you till my dad told me that it was just makeing more ice and now I love the sound especially when sleeping.

[jeffro9023]

My favorite one is that "ZIIIIIIIIIING" like a riccocet bullet 

[cootpatrol]

Me and a buddy took another guy out for the first time on 10 inches of ice when we were walking out it made a huge bang we all froze told the new guy not too move a inch then we went running to the bank, the guy almost pooped his pants standing out there so still, it took a long time that day to convince him that it was a good sound.

[tipup7]

Nothing like the sound of ice making more ice

[panfishman13]

i love that sound. we had a kid go out with us last year and it started doing the little dodoooINGp sounds. we spent half an hour telling him why the ice did that to get him off shore. 

does anybody have some really good audio recording equipment? i'd pay for that sound to be my ringtone!

[J_Edwards]

I freaking love it 

This thread just gets the blood pumping 

[mr.bartender]

the crack fills with water and freezes to make more ice. thinner ice is testy! i have had 5" of ice bow on small ponds. it is a spooky feelin but hey ice fishin is an experience like no other. now lets see some ice!!!!!!