Ice Fishing Tips -Check your local regulations! > Ice Fishing Safety

Water depth and confidence level

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Kobey:
I got thinking last night about how my confidence on the ice varies depending on the depth of the water.  It's a lot scarier for me to be over deeper water than relatively shallow.  It doesn't make much sense, as I would be swimming either way, but for some reason I would be more likely to take chances in 20 feet or less.  Does anyone else get a false sense of security from shallower water or am I just a weirdo?

   

JonPerry:
Only people that haven't gotten wet yet take their chances on thin ice. It doesn't matter how deep it is. I hope we don't hear about you being found with water filled lungs.

Kobey:

--- Quote from: JonPerry on Jan 17, 2018, 03:51 PM ---Only people that haven't gotten wet yet take their chances on thin ice. It doesn't matter how deep it is. I hope we don't hear about you being found with water filled lungs.

--- End quote ---

Actually, I try not to ever take chances, but every time we go out on the ice we are taking a chance on something happening.  I won't even go out on ice that is less than 6".  I guess I should have worded it better.  The point I was trying to make was that if I'm on 6" in 10 feet of water I'm less nervous than if I'm on 6" in 30 feet of water.  I guess it's just a mental thing, like feeling safer on a 5 story balcony than on a 10 story one.

flyingknee:
It was just this past Dec. 18, we lost a local ice fisherman here in Southeast Pennsylvania on Lake Arthur. He was 71 yrs old,went out by himself on first ice of the season. He had no business going out as the ice was only 2 to 3 inches thick. He fell through,got hypothermic and slipped away to his death. A passerby saw him before he went under and called 911 but it was too late. The water was 8 feet deep.

RyanW:
Water depth doesn’t get me as much as the distance from shore does. I guess I feel like if I fall through closer to shore that I have a better chance at being rescued/noticed than if I’m half a mile out on the ice.
--- Quote from: Kobey on Jan 17, 2018, 08:53 PM ---Actually, I try not to ever take chances, but every time we go out on the ice we are taking a chance on something happening.  I won't even go out on ice that is less than 6".  I guess I should have worded it better.  The point I was trying to make was that if I'm on 6" in 10 feet of water I'm less nervous than if I'm on 6" in 30 feet of water.  I guess it's just a mental thing, like feeling safer on a 5 story balcony than on a 10 story one.


--- End quote ---

You nailed it man!

I was fishing this morning, alone, and it was 22 degrees. In 5 hours, the wind picked up to around 10mph and the temp rose to 45. I was on a small (27 acre), relatively deep (30’ max depth), spring fed lake AND I’m not sure of where all of the springs are. 11” of ice. I left my spud in the car because I was confident in ice condintions. I wandered over to the deep end by the end of my day. Drilled 5 holes and on the last hole when I went to get my flasher and my scoop, the ice began to crack and pop with every step I took for about 15’-20’. I could hear it and feel it. I had my flasher and my scoop and just started calmly and swiftly walking towards shore. After about 20’, the ice stopped cracking and popping. I collected my thoughts and walked back to retrieved the rest of my gear I left by the holes, the ice continued to crack and pop. I grabbed my gear and called it a day. I can tell you that, at the point, the amount of water underneath my feet never crossed my mind. Breaking through the ice sure did though. This lake is also rather close to the express way. At one point, a semi drove by and I could feel the vibrations it created through the ice. This lake isn’t ice fished much and now I think I know why. Small, deep, spring fed, and is subject to express way vibrations.

However, I was confident. Confidence can sometimes be a double edged sword. Just like flyingknee’s post about the elderly gentleman. I’m sure he felt confident on those 2”-3” or he wouldn’t have been out there. Sadly, he found out the hard way that no ice is safe ice. Something I learned first hand for myself today that could have turned out much worse for me. I don’t mind pops and cracks when it’s below freezing and making ice but when it’s almost 50 degrees with warm wind, pops and cracks turn my stomache. Especially, when it’s literally underneath my feet. It reminded me of when guys drive out on too thin ice and they pop and crack the entire way out.

Was I over a spring? I honestly think I was. I wasn’t sticking around to find out though! One thing I’ve learned about ice fishing is that if something doesn’t feel right, more often than not, it isn’t. The ice was still 11” but now that I’m thinking about it, the ice did drill a little softer. My spud is never leaving my possession now when on the ice.

Another thing to remember is just because you see people out, doesn’t mean it’s safe either. I’m glad you used your best judgement, gearenup, and retreated!! Let’s all live to fish another day  :tipup:

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