Can be Fun, but can also be scarey

[GB 83]

I have been living in the Topeka area for 15 years. Every 1of 3 years we have fishable safe ice for ice fishing. You have to be knowledgable about the ice. how to read the ice to be safe and Kansas fishermen, as a general rule, aren't as knowledgable about how to read ice. here is what happened to me last year with this young man. I was ice fishing at pony creek in the Sabetha area.  This young man came out and drilled a hole right next to me. We chatted and fished together. I showed him how to use the vexilar. We both caught our limits of black crappie- a good day on the ice. I told him that I was going to the old Sabetha city lake the next day. He told me he would join me later in the afternoon, if that was ok with me.  I told home "sure".  I drilled Holes to get myself out to ensure the ice was safe. I was sitting on 8-9" of ice. He showed up and came onto the ice from another area. The area he came on I had previously drilled on to check the ice and concluded it wasn't real safe ice. He walked straight to me as though he had no care in the world. This lake had thick ice, thin ice and open water all in different areas. We caught some good crappie. He then told me about some new crappie beds they put in earlier in the year and that he would take me to them. He started walking straight to the beds without checking the ice. He was 30-40 ft in front of me. I stopped because  the ice changed. When I drilled to check the ice, it was only 1.5" So in only 40' we went from 9" to 1.5" God only knows how thin the ice was he was 30' closer to the open water.  I yelled to him to get back as the ice wasn't safe.  We were in 15' of water. My point is that he didn't have spikes on his shoes, he did 't have picks and he didn't have rope. He wouldn't have anyway to get out if he had fallen through.  If I wouldn't have been with him, he wouldn't be here today.  So yes, ice fishing is fun, but you have to be knowledgeable and careful.  The state of Kansas should have classes to teach people how to be safe if we are going to promote ice fishing in Kansas or someone will get hurt or killed

[fishermantim]

Excellent point!

Doesn't matter what state you fish in, ice safety should be your first priority.

(I know it's mine!)

[Icer for life]

hope the lesson was well received - well done.

[Flint]

Good post. I have lived in NE Topeka all my 50 years and the large lakes hardly ever completely ice over. Pay attention to lake inflow and outflow reports. It can heave or sag the ice. You might even use the sticky at top to do this. The wind has been bad with the current cold front so ice is having a hard time forming. Many folks bust ice in their boats so keep that in mind.

[KCRAPPIE]

I totally agree. 5 years ago fishing a creek channel, moved 6' ice went from 8"-1 1/2" wow.. Always check as you go. BTY 17 keepers this am.......

[nocsious]

I was fishing a lake with my brother in law last year and a group of scouts wandered out onto the ice like it was no big deal.  The trouble was that this lake has springs, a large floating dock, waterfowl that keep certain areas unsafe.  I'm glad we were there.