The strikeMASTER Recovery - and teardown - 6" Black Ice.. Don't be fooled!

[FishinAddiction]

Flaggs

Glad to here you are OK. It helps to give a reality check to all of us, to never let our guard down out there. Anything can happen.
Good Luck and try to keep your feet on the skyward side of the ice.
Way to be there for a fellow fishermen guys. Nice Job!

[prchslyr]

Glad you made it out. This thread could very well help someone get out of the drink. Excellent recount of the day.

[capt.shay]

Dang Roge,

Tough one, glad it worked out for you. When you
go to bed tonight, kiss her twice, she may have just
saved your life.

So happy that every thing worked out for you guys.
Way to have your buddy's back Porter. 

An auger is an easy thing to replace.  Good men are harder.

Be safe one and all.

[kivva king]

Holy crap roger!!!!!! Glad you kept your wits about you!! Panic is the worst! That auger will
be a nice break-down project for you this winter. Good going Jeff and friend

[jonserfish1]

maybe someone could make this thread permanent. We all start getting comfortable once the ice locks up, but should read something like this before going on each trip. Glad to hear you are OK and good to know you are amongst good friends. NEVER FISH ALONE!

[GrizlyGarou]

That's no good at all.  Glad you're okay, man.  Yesterday was the day I decided the ice was thick enough to take my life jacket off, I'm glad I didn't find a thin spot.  I think I'll just keep wearing it when I've got water under me no matter what...

[lenz]

oh man Roger...
lady luck was with you today..

way to go porter and boscoe..

whew!!

lenz

[lavaman]

u just made me decide on my next ice fishing purchase.
an ice armor suit and some ice armor stocks.

[FishingNewEngland]

u just made me decide on my next ice fishing purchase.
an ice armor suit and some ice armor stocks.

Ice armor doesn't float. The Arctic Armor does.

[FROZEN SHINER]

Chad....  see below

i know but problem was dark snow and couldnt see.did not mean to end up there was my point.it was stupid.

[JimC]

I'm glad to hear your alright flaggs, and nice job on the help porter and bosco. I just changed my mind on night ice fishing alone anymore. I hope to see you guys soon

[lavaman]

Ice armor doesn't float. The Arctic Armor does.

thanks for that.

[Squeaker]

Glad to hear you're OK.  It happens to the best of us; last time for me was about 20+ years ago, and never looking for a repeat.  Good advice for the future; I hope I can recall it if I'm ever in that jam ever again. 

[Icecracka46]

Flaggs we met last year at Sargent and it was great talking with you. I met porter briefly and some other shanty guys. They all seemed like great people!!!!
I'm glad to hear you are OK and i hope to run into you guys on the ice again.
I fished the boag Saturday right in front of the open water. I was cautious the whole time but after what happened to you i guess ya never can tell.

[crazycrawler]

Glad to hear your ok be careful everyone

[Capt.Dana]

Flaggs, you're a lucky guy! Buy a Lottery ticket! I'm glad to here that you are OK thanks to your friends and your Arctic Armor.

    I am one of those guys that does a lot of studying the "freeze patterns" as the season begins. This year it has been especially challenging. The tiny ponds out of the wind froze first and seem to be fine. Some of the larger ponds started to freeze and then the wind shifted the ice upsetting and repositioning it. Just before the snow, most of the open water on the larger lakes froze up and I ventured out to see how thick it was and found 4 3/4". (Haverhill)
I have only gotten out to fish once on Saturday and found that the ice thickness seemed to vary from 7"-3 1/2", and we were near the shore. I still have concerns for myself and everyone's safety. There's nothing more I want to do than drive my 4-wheeler out to my favorite spots. ( after all, doing donuts never gets old!) Unfortunately, the snow is now going to insulate the ice from freezing, to some extent.

I want to warn everyone to be aware that you can't be sure of what's under the snow until you drill, measure, check and then follow your tracks and don't venture else ware. We all can get caught up in the excitement of getting out there to fish, but no fish is worth your life or someone else's!

Also and most important, if some one goes in, CALL 911 first then stay near the person and coach them threw it. Don't try to play the hero and head out there. You could end up in trouble too.

You guys are great people and we all share a great forum, lets all come home safely each trip.

[JDiPerrio]

Glad you are ok Roger, I Wont be fishing alone for awhile now after reading this. Again glad you are Safe.

[JustOsmo]

Whew, glad your ok.

[Boscoe]

Hey guys, boscoe (Adam) here.  Yesterday was a great day until Roger's unfortunate accident.  A lot of things went right during that scary situation.  First and foremost Roger not being alone. Everyone keeping calm.  Roger knowing what to do-not panic and rolling off.  Things could have turned out much worse, thank god they didn't.  Like someone said above the ice freeze this season has been really weird in different parts of New England.  Jeff (porter) was in Northern VT a week ago with very little ice cover showing if any at all.  2 days ago I was on 8 inches of solid black ice at home in CT.  Yesterday the ice seemed stong almost everywhere but I made note several times, of white ice pockets under or within the black ice we were on, after shoveling snow off in various spots.  Even with the near zero temps yesterday we had slush developing in areas near drilled holes.  I know I will never go out alone again.  The end result, no matter how big it is, isn't worth not being able to go home and see my family and friends again.

On a lighter note the day out on the ice was actually pretty good.  Great company-what really matters the most.  Lots of big pickeral-all out of the same 2 holes, about 30 total bass with a few between the 2-4lb range.  Most of what we caught were on tip ups.  Roger cooked up some mean sausage with peppers and onions subs that would have rivaled most of the ones sold around Fenway park.  In hindsight though, I should have let Rogers kitchen, my clam shelter, air out a little bit before packing up as I could smell it in my car the whole way home 

I'm really glad Roger is ok.  Sometimes, when things like this happen, its a good wake up call as to how things can change out on the ice and that you can never be too careful.  On that note though, I can't wait to go out again. 

Here are a couple of photos from the day.

Smaller Bass

Nice fish Roger.

This guy had a bait that I threw in the whole a couple minutes before in his mouth and the one from the tip up.  Greedy little b-stard.


Thanks for reading.

Adam   

     

[FROZEN SHINER]

nice report boscoe,thanks for being there.

[bigfish57]

That's a scary story man, glad your allright!

Makes me happy my wife got me the jacket for Xmas.

[fishin365]

teamtip.. no warning whatsoever! There was about 4 inches of fresh snow cover and drift. it was a thin crust of ice and slush.. that was it...

Smeltecca.. Good advice    This was the first time I fished this and there must have been a spillway coming off the hill we climbed down... My wifes gift last year (AA suit) taskes on a whole new meaning    she sure is proud off herself and I'm proud of her!
Wow!! The hair stood up on the back of my neck!Glad you are A-OK! I will think twice when venturing on unfamiliar water,for sure!!!
Flaggs!

[Pats]

Glad your ok Flaggs    Better the auger than your life

[Pike Bait]

The best advice is to stay calm and fish with others...safety in numbers.

Glad your Ok....hopefully this post will help others if their in a similar situation.

Hutch

[mrip]

glad your OK flaggs I've never met you and I'm not sure where you live but i live near springfield and i have an under water camera if you want to borrow it to find your auger I'd be glad to meet up with you somewhere to get it to you.let me know,again glad your OK

[Stealth]

Flaggs, glad to hear that you are ok.  I've always hated to ice fish alone and now that I have read your story I probably never will.  As someone already said, this seems to be an especially challenging year to figure on ice thickness.  I have only been out once this year for a couple hours one afternoon.  We checked a couple places and the measures of ice thickness were eyeopening.  Really inconsistent.  One spot the spud went through in two hits and the next had 5 - 8 inches. 

So glad your story had a happy ending. 

[Sinnian]

Glad it all worked out!  When I told my wife how much $ I wanted to spend on a "jacket and bibs" she thought I was nuts.  When I told her how much weight it floated, she asked why I hadn't bought it sooner 

Great stuff that IDI gear!

[PIKEKILLER1]

Glad your ok but thanks for testing out the artic armour for me im glad it works

[pikeking]

Flaggs, I have done nothing but think since I read this post. We were fishing at a pretty big lake yesterday and as we were riding the sleds across the lake I noticed a few wet spots in the snow. The lake is around 60" deep in some spots and it made me think. Is it safe?? I was not slowing down long enough to find out. I am really happy you are safe man... The auger is replaceable. We need to fish together soon so I can hear you laughing and having a good time. Bob L.

[Double-L]

Glad you made it out. This thread could very well help someone get out of the drink. Excellent recount of the day.

   X-2.......Glad your safe fellows/ Good job w/ the rescue...... 8)     LL