Author Topic: Official poll: Have you ever personally fell through the ice? (Read 5098 times)

evanesce · « **on:** Jan 16, 2013, 09:03 PM »

I'm curious as to the percentage of us fisherman have ever had a close encounter and lived to tell the tale.

I'll start.. Never fell through, however was scared to crap more times than I could count, but no accidents.

ckfish · « **Reply #1 on:** Jan 16, 2013, 09:05 PM »

I've never fallen through or really come close to it although I'm young and I've only been ice fishing maybe 4 seasons now.

IceDogs · « **Reply #2 on:** Jan 16, 2013, 09:06 PM »

Yes, I fell through once when I was 18 am much more careful now at 58

adkRoy · « **Reply #3 on:** Jan 16, 2013, 09:07 PM »

Twice when I was young. Now I know what to look for and what to avoid.

marcus · « **Reply #4 on:** Jan 16, 2013, 09:08 PM »

Yes I have gone through a few times fortunately I have yet to see the bottom of the ice though. I have made a mistake in judgment a couple of times, but another couple of times just found a weak spot. I carry a spud and poke the ice every couple of steps nowadays since owning a spud I have stayed dry .

Fish-N-Adventures · « **Reply #5 on:** Jan 16, 2013, 09:10 PM »

Nope, not yet and don't have any plans too.
Always send the heavier person out first to check the ice.

RTXGuy · « **Reply #6 on:** Jan 16, 2013, 09:13 PM »

I'm not sure I would consider this "falling through" but had to walk back to shore last year after the ice shifted away from shore

Fontona19 · « **Reply #7 on:** Jan 16, 2013, 09:18 PM »

Yup, a few times. Its not as bad as you may think. I have only been in once over my head, and though it was somewhat scary, I was able to get out fairly easy.

BTW, I am the fat guy everyone talks about going out first.

Perch master 16 · « **Reply #8 on:** Jan 16, 2013, 09:21 PM »

Nope and hopefully won't ever but I don't want to jinks that.

hollywood · « **Reply #9 on:** Jan 16, 2013, 09:21 PM »

I've been all the way under 3 times & through to the waist or armpits a couple more. Spudding your way around is the best way to avoid getting wet ( I learn slowly, but I DO eventually learn

) but a couple times I just hit a bad spot on otherwise safe ice. These were the times I didn't go all the way under. This is my 45th year of ice fishing, many years I was out 4-5 times a week.

RodandBobber · « **Reply #10 on:** Jan 16, 2013, 09:24 PM »

Yup, once when I was a kid. When your dad tells you to stay away from and inlet...STAY AWAY FROM THE INLET!! Lesson learned.

SUNYESF · « **Reply #11 on:** Jan 16, 2013, 09:25 PM »

only gone through once over my head (small pond oswego county), adrenaline kicked in and i was back on the ice quickly....thankfully since i didn't have spikes on, always wear them now just in case; oh ive punched through a few times at big bay, oneida lake in march but mostly waist deep and its more of trip ender than a serious situation

Santo180 · « **Reply #12 on:** Jan 16, 2013, 09:32 PM »

I used to play a lot of pond hockey as a kid and I've broken through and gotten my feet wet and muddy before, but I've never been in a serious situation. Worst thing that's happened to me while icefishing is stepping in a hole. (knock on wood)

oglenforfish · « **Reply #13 on:** Jan 16, 2013, 09:34 PM »

well i personally have only gone in once, i was riding my 4 wheeler on the king and was going towards mdb i was about 15 ft off shore closer to the sled trail entrance and i his some soft ice because it was like 40* that day and went in (only about 3 ft of water thank god! but i flipped right over the bars and landed on my back in the water! surprisingly i felt nothing but the cold water like i did a summer sult off it! i was fine and the quad was too! i learned not to go were no one was before you! my step father on the other hand was racing my uncle around the ice ovle and hit a completely frozen snow bank and his quad (grizzly 660) did about 4 flips and one landed on him! he thought he was fine so we straitened his racks and bars and went home. well he was in his office 2 days later and coughed and managed to brake two of his ribs!!! lets just say it was not a good day! be careful guys!!

evanesce · « **Reply #14 on:** Jan 16, 2013, 09:50 PM »

These are great stories, i'm so interested in what you've all said. Thank you very much. It seems the winters in NY are getting milder by each passing year. I hope this isn't a permanent trend. This is my 2nd season fishing "as an adult". I've went plenty of times maybe 15 years back with my dad but he's long since retired the sport. I never remembered the ice so thin and shady like it's been recently from my childhood years.

H2O-32 · « **Reply #15 on:** Jan 16, 2013, 10:13 PM »

No, I haven't. But I don't think I am infallible, so I carry picks, 50' rope, warm clothes & blanket in the car, keep the phone in a drybag, anything that could help if I do. Since I cannot afford a dry suit this year, I will wait till it is over 5" thick. Hows that saying go? Those that plan to fail and those that fail to plan.

SNAGGER · « **Reply #16 on:** Jan 16, 2013, 10:45 PM »

Never have fallen through over my head as an ice fisherman, but when I was a youngster we used to play hockey and stuff on the local frozen creeks and rivers. We also used to time when the creeks would get swollen in spring but still would be frozen, then the ice flows would occur, the ice would start cracking and breaking and eventually moving.....we used to ride these ice flows, sometimes for a mile, I can remember one time the ice started stacking tall behind us as we were going down Fall creek and we jumped up and held the gurders of the bridge until the dangerous part of the ice flow passed, then let go and landed on a flat section and continued riding it.. It was just one of those things we did as kids that was stupid, but exciting. Fell through many times doing that almost broke some bones too, but have never been through much more than chest deep fishing, used to ride ice chunks on the Salmon River too, thats much safer and fun, I still do it if I find some weak shelf ice.

pruville · « **Reply #17 on:** Jan 16, 2013, 11:09 PM »

Fell thru saratoga lake @ 30 yrs. ago only waist deep jumped out left my gear on the ice went back to truck changed all my clothes and boots and went back out fishing don't remember if I caught anything that day but it made me think about safety on the ice . I fish a lot with my son now and we both enjoy and have a lot of respect for this sport.

conesusguy · « **Reply #18 on:** Jan 16, 2013, 11:52 PM »

I went through to my waist at the Chaumont bay launch it was still pitch black and it was early season and the launch ice had been broken up. It sucked it was the first day of my 3 day weekend there luckily I had a change of clothes and was able to fish.

Isn't it usually older guys or really out of shape guys that drown when they go through? I carry ice picks but I think I could get out without them.

rgfixit · « **Reply #19 on:** Jan 17, 2013, 02:16 AM »

How about making it an official poll? We'll run it for 10 days.

My vote.....YES!

And I hope I'm never that stupid again!

RG

Fish-N-Adventures · « **Reply #20 on:** Jan 17, 2013, 02:41 AM »

Quote from: rgfixit on Jan 17, 2013, 02:16 AM

How about making it an official poll? We'll run it for 10 days.

My vote.....YES!

And I hope I'm never that stupid again!

RG

thanks rgfixit for the poll.
my vote is NO and I hope that it never becomes a yes.

nypike · « **Reply #21 on:** Jan 17, 2013, 05:14 AM »

TMBWarriors · « **Reply #22 on:** Jan 17, 2013, 05:22 AM »

Gills-only · « **Reply #23 on:** Jan 17, 2013, 05:24 AM »

No not in 50 yrs

Pequod1 · « **Reply #24 on:** Jan 17, 2013, 05:26 AM »

One and a half times. Went through at Braddok up to my armpits checking out my new underwater camera. The "half" occured on I bay when I was showing a buddy how accurate my new gps was. I "refound" the day befores' fishing hole and stuck my entire leg through it. I looked like a one legged midget for a long time as my friend had to chip away the ice to get my foot out.

hesseltine32 · « **Reply #25 on:** Jan 17, 2013, 05:39 AM »

I have had a foot go through several times. I shave gone in up to my armpits. I have yet to go in over my head yet knock on wood

shark · « **Reply #26 on:** Jan 17, 2013, 05:43 AM »

Once .

deadseadiehard · « **Reply #27 on:** Jan 17, 2013, 06:08 AM »

I went through a few years ago at whitney point when they were still working on the new boat ramp etc. But only up to my arm pits. Glad they had the water so low.

hunts2long · « **Reply #28 on:** Jan 17, 2013, 06:11 AM »

Yes, once, about 60 years ago. I can still remember the half mile walk back to the house. It was on Thanksgiving Day. We may never even see ice around here again that early...lol....hunts2l ong

harrops26 · « **Reply #29 on:** Jan 17, 2013, 06:17 AM »

Last year the back wheels of my wheeler broke through a pressure ridge. I fell completely through when i stepped off the machine.

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Have you fallen through th ice

Author Topic: Official poll: Have you ever personally fell through the ice? (Read 5098 times)