Staying on the ice overnight

[GRGS]

I would bring a thermos of some type of hot beverage, coffee,soup etc.

[saltyshores]

X2

You WON'T be alone, and if your traps are in the water I am SURE someone will kindly remind you 

I believe the Law book ( rules) say you must check your traps every hour when cusk fishing, don't sound like you will get much sleep. Good Luck and stay safe

.

If you intend to fish at night, remember that the fishing lawbook gives the rules for night fishing on page 10, as follows:
      "All lines set through the ice for cusk must be checked at least once every hour by the person who set them."
       If you are fishing at night for species other than cusk, here is the rule: "Except as otherwise provided by rule, all waters open to fishing are open to fishing 24 hours a day. All lines must be under the immediate supervision of the person who set them."

[DreadPirate1984]

I don't think it will be a huge problem for everyone concerned with rules.  Most likely will just pull my lines when I go to bed.  It would be retarded to leave lines out while I was asleep.  So you rules dudes can calm down.  We doing the Horne pond tourney.  I know the start time.  I don't break rules but I guess alot of people do in Maine.  That's why for all the warnings on the thread.

Pretty much the story is I was invited to the Horne tourney.  The guy I'm with is staying over night on the ice.  I want to get some research in before I do it.  Never done it so thought it was smart to ask here.  I don't plan on keeping traps out beyond when I go to sleep.  But I plan on dropping bait in the water at the start time.  I'm not trying to get around the rules.

I have just seen other tourneys where you need to in your spot 3 days before hand.   So just being smart or trying too.   

[mjgonehunting]

You won't be alone out there!
Something to remember,alcohol does not make you warmer,it just seems like it,it actually contributes to making you colder!
I'll be around,but not sleeping on the ice!
I have a camp there.
My pop up will be set up and ready,but I'll sleep in my bed(with a view of the lake out the window)
If someone needs boughs to put under their bed,I probably have some trees that can be trimmed,but the boughs are kinda high so bring a pole saw!
We are in the big cove on the east side if anyone has an emergency!
See you all tomorrow!

[Mike Sanborn]

Stayed on the lake last weekend down in my old home town of Denmark in my new Jason Mitchell Thermal 5000 Hub Ice Shelter. Was well worth the extra few $$$ ( & weight) as moisture build up within the shelter was a non issue. The key is keeping your body parts off the ice as it acts as a wick for the cold ice. Had a cot set up with a sleeping bag mat pad for insulation between the cot and my sleeping bag. 

[Springbobn]

I've stayed on the ice a few times- never to sleep. I've fished through a bunch of nights smelting and crappies. Maybe napping for an hour. I wouldn't try to sleep out there and I'd probably go with a buddy. Someone who could check on you and you on them. Carbon monoxide is heavier than air so the levels are higher, lower.

[jaimebeth9]

Talk to me about carbon monoxide.  We're thinking of staying out in our Cabela's pop up 6x12.  We've got two cots and we've slept in it during the summer.  We have a big buddy heater, that we use with the large propane tank that we keep outside and the hose runs under the shack in to the heater.  How can we ensure we won't have a problem?  I'm not worried about being warm, that thing cranks and with the cots and blankets we'll probably be too warm.  Just I hadn't considered carbon monoxide being a factor.

[Spider1]

That's easy. You figure you'll be too warm, just crack some vents. It'll cool the tent a bit and allow fresh air in.

[Terasec]

Talk to me about carbon monoxide.  We're thinking of staying out in our Cabela's pop up 6x12.  We've got two cots and we've slept in it during the summer.  We have a big buddy heater, that we use with the large propane tank that we keep outside and the hose runs under the shack in to the heater.  How can we ensure we won't have a problem?  I'm not worried about being warm, that thing cranks and with the cots and blankets we'll probably be too warm.  Just I hadn't considered carbon monoxide being a factor.

no simple solution,
best advise i can give is dont sleep with your heater on,
and use a CO detector.
if you look online, only advise they mention is dont use portable heaters indoors(kinda defeats the purpose)

[Hoodoo]

Here is an alarm I have at home that is battery operatedhttp://www.amazon.com/First-Alert-CO400-Battery-Monoxide/dp/B000N8OYXI/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1390487829&sr=8-2&keywords=battery+operated+carbon+monoxide+sensor

[jaimebeth9]

Thanks, I'm going to pick one of those up for sure.  I've seen too many problems with CO2.

[mjgonehunting]

At the least crack the dottom of door AND a window top for ventilation.

[Springbobn]

A friend and I fished Pleasant pond a few years ago. We ran two heaters in his pop up shack. It was cold out. We were out there from about 4pm to four am. When we left, we had headaches and nausea. Had to stop couple times on way home- if you know what I mean. Only thing we could figure is carbon monoxide poisoning. If you are sleeping, you won't even know that it's affecting you- you just will not wake up. You do the math- a generator inside a garage kills a person- a heater in a small shack could do the same thing. So venting is a must.

[Terasec]

A friend and I fished Pleasant pond a few years ago. We ran two heaters in his pop up shack. It was cold out. We were out there from about 4pm to four am. When we left, we had headaches and nausea. Had to stop couple times on way home- if you know what I mean. Only thing we could figure is carbon monoxide poisoning. If you are sleeping, you won't even know that it's affecting you- you just will not wake up. You do the math- a generator inside a garage kills a person- a heater in a small shack could do the same thing. So venting is a must.

sure sounds like co2 poisoning
from cdc site
How to Recognize CO Poisoning
Exposure to CO can cause loss of consciousness and death. The most common symptoms of CO poisoning are headache, dizziness, weakness, nausea, vomiting, chest pain, and confusion. People who are sleeping or who have been drinking alcohol can die from CO poisoning before ever having symptoms.

[Springbobn]

Now that we have tried to keep you alive- lets talk fishing. Crappies bite good at night if you get on them. I usually fish same spot I catch them during day. I drop a glow stick dropper rig about two feet off the bottom using decoy cord either in the middle under the shack or in the other hole. I jig glow in dark lures such as doodle bugs or pimples. Sometimes a chartreuse grub tipped with crawler works good. Have tried tipups with shiners but no luck. I stick to jigging. Bring headlamp to glow lures and so you can tie them on.

[jaimebeth9]

You know, I hadn't even considered if we were going to fish over night!  I promised my boyfriend we'd stay out one night before a derby and it looks like he's cashing in that promise this weekend.   

The derby starts at 5:15am, so maybe we skip fishing and just make sure our lines are ready to go in at 5:15. 

Now for the Sebago Derby, I do intend to cusk fish all night.

[SchoodicBound28]

I stayed on Eagle Lake overnight in a 8 man pop up shack once, it did not have a floor. We put a Mr. Buddy Heater in it on one end and laid cots out on the other end. I slept in boxer shorts in my sleeping bag warm as toast.

[mainefishpig]

Co2  detectors are very cheap to buy at walmart or a hardware store,  I my self don't sleep in my shack over night , but still have one in my 6x8 hardside shack. It   Just makes it a little safer to  use and don't gamble with co2 poison when you deal with gas heaters in your shack.  The only way I would sleep over night in a shack if it had wood heat.

[jiggenfrogs]

Don't take CO lightly, but don't let it stop you from staying over night in your shack either.  Many ah people have done it, just be smart!  Proper ventilation and a CO detector are a must.  I sleep in my hard side all the time and always use a water bottle with soapy water to check all my connections/fittings when I get to the shanty.  If there is a leak the soapy water will bubble around the connection/fitting.  Keep your CO detector low, around your cot.  I leave a line in my shack down all night and set my jig stick real drag so it will click as the fish runs line, works awesome.  Caught this one a few nights back sound a sleep

[Spider1]

um, a little confused, are we talking about CO2 (carbon dioxide) or CO (carbon monoxide). I'm thinking CO cuz that would be the dangerous stuff that could kill you that comes from burning fossil fuels.

[jaimebeth9]

Nice fish!! 

[Scoobyshack]

Have slept on Sebago in double hub (no floor) with my children.  Ran the heater until it was time to sleep and then shut it off.  Zipped the hub up tight (including the vents) and put snow on the skirts.  The hub is uninsulated so condensation is a problem - insulated fabric (I have been told) cuts this down to nothing.  I would not run the heater at night with my children as CO is a silent killer - an alarm can help avoid tragedy but, like anything mechanical, can fail.  Same concept with a firearm - you may have the safety on but you don't trust the mechanism and carelessly point it at anyone. Not taking chances with my kids so instead opted for two cots, sleeping pad and zero degree bags and shut the heat off - the heater was always there if it got too cold during the night.

The first night we had a snow storm, sub zero temperature outside the tent and wind in the 20-30 MPH range.  I didn't properly secure one of the hubs towards the wind side and as a result had a wall collapse inward around 2AM followed by a hasty repair.  Turned out alright though as I hadn't thought of going to the bathroom before I went to sleep so I was going to get up anyway.  Back into bag by 2:30 AM.  Next morning the tent was relatively warm as the snow piled up and made for some good insulation.  Two daughter stayed toasty as well (they shared a bag).  Next day same routine (plus an anchor check along with a before sleep trip to the commode) but in place of the daughters had my son in the other cot.  No storm and slept we both slept through the night (caught some cusk in our sleep too).  As there was no wind our breath made moisture that lifted to the roof of the tent and then froze.  As I was getting dressed for outside I bumped a wall and treated my son to a mini indoor snowstorm which woke him up fast as it fell on his exposed face.  Wasn't warm in the tent but was tolerable to the small amount of exposed skin from our faces during both nights - maybe low forties on the windy night and mid forties on the calm night.

I will probably do it again in the tent (definitely going to do it if I can convince my wife we need to buy one of these http://icecastlefh.com/#/mini-toy-hauler/4576637569 ).  Need a better plan for the cusk fishing though - we could have had a lot of chowder if we were actually paying attention

[saltyshores]

um, a little confused, are we talking about CO2 (carbon dioxide) or CO (carbon monoxide). I'm thinking CO cuz that would be the dangerous stuff that could kill you that comes from burning fossil fuels.

x2. Someone who seemed to be "in the know" told a bunch of us that carbon monoxide attaches more readily to the hemoglobin in blood than does oxygen. So if there's carbon monoxide in your structure, you might be more likely to get it in your bloodstream than oxygen. 

[Kinosao]

I've done it once, on Red Lake in Northern MN, fishing walleye's. Slept on a cot, our heater is vented so not so much Co2 worries. 14x6' permanent fish house.  Its my old man's but he doesn't really fish it, I live in ME now and my mate Hillbilly has been the fish houses caretaker for the last year. Got it set up with rattle reels over all 8 holes, so if a fish bit in the middle of the night, and Walleye's with their goofy eyes, do, we'd have the alarm on the wall sounding telling us its time to reel in a fish, staying off the ground helps with the warmth as heat rises, even though the fish house has a floor, its alot cooler at the ground than eye level when standing.  Overall, yea I'd do it again.

h

[maineranger]

As far as sleeping on the ice at night, If the shelter doesnt have a floor get lots of fur bows. Build your bed outta fur bows then cover them with a wool blanket or some sorta of covering. That should keep you from getting cold due to the ice. A cot would be better. just my .02

Be sure to get landowner permission before cutting the fir bows.

[Spider1]

Be sure to get landowner permission before cutting the fir bows.

yeah... a 12 gauge will kill ya just as dead as carbon monoxide!   

[maineranger]

um, a little confused, are we talking about CO2 (carbon dioxide) or CO (carbon monoxide). I'm thinking CO cuz that would be the dangerous stuff that could kill you that comes from burning fossil fuels.

If you use a catalytic heater that doesnt give off CO you still need to be careful.  These heaters use up oxygen and if you are in a confined space can suffocate you.

[MadFisha]

You guys are crazy I could never imagine staying out on the ice all night. 

[captain54]

It's tough,and the night goes really slow till dawn.

[TightLinesMaine]

good luck, youre not the only one who's staying the night on the ice for a derby... 4 to 5 or more trucks parked at crystal lake right now as i drove by on my way from work... saw a warden with a snowmobile in the area and was wondering what was up but than i just remembered the derby was taking place.. gonna be a mob scene i bet