How close is to close to play?

[stumper]

Obviously the lakes are used for other recreation than just icefishing. How close to fisherman is to close to play around on an ATV/snowmobile? When you answer this, keep in mind that the lake is there for everyone to use,not just you. Also keep in mind that some lakes are used for fishing all over the place so "going to the other end of the lake " is not always an option .

[pirkaus]

If the don't runover my traps I'm happy
25 feet would be pleasant
50 feet would be great
100 feet is too much to hope for

[AirManCam]

Hey, as long as they don't hit my tip ups, I'm happy, and 9 out of 10 times when a sled/atv goes by, I usually get a flag, so I really don't mind much..ride on fellas!

[littleoldlady]

This is interesting to address, because when it comes to excessive noise on the ice I am the GRUMPY oldlady...we have so manyATV and
snowmobile trails around our community, as well as open fields, lakes where there is little fishing, and bays on Cold Lake that aren't fished that there is no need for them to come withing a kilometre of any one fishing!

[Prairiegoat]

Sometimes I wish I could drive my Jeep or use a snowmobile or ATV to get my gear out on the ice, but when I see some of the concerns coming from other states, I think I can live with Colorado's ban on motorized vehicles on the Colorado lakes I fish. Pretty peaceful ice fishing here.

[lotwfisher]

I think it stirs the fish up also. I just ask that you let the person know that you reconize he is there by slowing down a little.

Robin

[A- bomb]

100 ft min. if must pass closer do so at 35mph.
Why 100 ft?? Becase a sled that has crappy carbides and weak spikes on the track can easily slide out of control and take that long to stop.
I have seen to many sleds take evasive manuvers and high side or at least toss the rider.

[Seedtree]

At 35 MPH, 100 feet from human life and property is way, way too fast and close.  No way you could stop in that distance, therefore you are (by definition) out of control.

Tight lines.

[Skipper]

WOW!

Seven whole replies on this and no one has mentioned uncivilized vigilantism!

[A- bomb]

How does 250' sound (my personal choice would be 250yds, though not realistic)
I work in a motor sports shop so this comes up alot these would be  MIN distances. I'm not a sledder or atv'er my self just like my space.

Nice skipper way to throw some fuel on the fire!!!!! it didn't say how  close to a shantie!

[stumper]

The reason I asked this is,weds. I had the GF come out to go for a ride and the ATV. We took a nice cruise and moved out about 250 yds to stay out away from a  group of guys. I was cruiseing along abot 20 mph when I noticed a Freaking tip up in front of me. They had dug down through about 8 inches of snow and placed it on the ice. I kid you not,if you were standing 20 ft away you wouldnt know it was there. I missed it and then another before I headed on my way. Later we ended up by my hardside which is about 3/4  mile away from the nearest fisherman and  proceded to spin it around a half dozen times. We then went in the shack ( which was about 50 yd from where were playing)and started fishing.One of these clowns from the other side drives around the lake and comes over and gives me heck for my tearing around. "scaring the fish" . LOL, as he is doing that my GF hooked a nice gill,LOL. He left not so happy when I told him to find something else to blaim his lack of fishing skills on. 

[chewster]

The reason I asked this is,weds. I had the GF come out to go for a ride and the ATV. We took a nice cruise and moved out about 250 yds to stay out away from a  group of guys. I was cruiseing along abot 20 mph when I noticed a Freaking tip up in front of me. They had dug down through about 8 inches of snow and placed it on the ice. I kid you not,if you were standing 20 ft away you wouldnt know it was there. I missed it and then another before I headed on my way. Later we ended up by my hardside which is about 3/4  mile away from the nearest fisherman and  proceded to spin it around a half dozen times. We then went in the shack ( which was about 50 yd from where were playing)and started fishing.One of these clowns from the other side drives around the lake and comes over and gives me heck for my tearing around. "scaring the fish" . LOL, as he is doing that my GF hooked a nice gill,LOL. He left not so happy when I told him to find something else to blaim his lack of fishing skills on. 

Hey Stumper, what more can you do.  If you can't see it you can't see it.  If he was so worried about it getting crunched by a machine he would have made it more visible.  Sometimes things happen without willful indifference.  Can't keep all the people happy all the time.  Chill, it's just one of those things.   At least you pulled up a gill

[vermonner]

I don't mind if people go out and tear a$$ around the lake, it is there for everybody.  But


1.My tipups aren't your F'in slalom course
2.Don't use my shanty as your drag race finish line with bonus points for doing 100 mph 20' from the door

Generally people are pretty good if you ask 'em to slow down or crowd less around here

[Prairiegoat]

Generally people are pretty good if you ask 'em to slow down or crowd less around here

My point is, why should we have to ask them? What ever happened to common courtesy and respect for others?

[walleyeslayer]

i dont mind the snowmobilers, i just hate when they feel the need to set up their racetrack 25 yards from where i set up.  also, when youre out there at night, i see lotsa beer drinking going on, and i dont like the thought of some inexperienced rider flying around half drunk.  you see a few casualties every year where a guy on a sled plows into a shanty.  id say probably 90 percent of guys on sleds are cool, and are safety concious.  theres always a few that are daredevils, and its a little unnerving when someone zips past you in a blizzard.  i guess im getting used to it over the years, it used to freak me out when i first started icefishing as a hobby.  as far as distance? i dunno, far enough away that he doesnt kill me i guess lol

[Thriller]

Well, in Manitoba, I'd have to look up the distance (50 meters perhaps), but being 250 yards from a fishing line would be considered leaving it unattended, therefore illegal, and he would have no right to confront you at all.

Again, the common courtesy thing which no longer seems to be common in our society is what is needed to be applied.  Stumper, it sounds like you exhibited it as well as self-restraint when he confronted you.

[stumper]

He caucht me in a good mood,LOL. What really caught me as funny was that he was more upset about me screwwing around  by my own shack,3/4 of a mile away from him. I will add that my quad has stock exhaust that is not loud at all. Im guessing this guy has had bad experiances in the past.....

[pizalm]

If I can throw something and hit them as they pass it's to close. The worst thing that happened to me was last year I was out and there was a snowmobiling course that decided to use our shack instead of a pylon to turn around. And this was on a big river.

[Skipper]

I would rather deal with wheelers and snow machines than mo-effin jet skis! I don't get too worked up about it, its part of life.

I would say that anything less than 50 feet is inconsiderate. The safety rule that applies to driving on ice is not to exceed 20mph. If everyone stuck to that I think we would have allot less controversy on the issue. The other half of the argument is those jerks who hold a deed on half the lake, like the .357 guy. Some people bawl like little nancy girls no matter what you do, so why worry about it?

[stumper]

So is there any reason I shouldnt be able to go out in the middle of the lake ,1/2 mile from everyone and ride wheelies back and forth?LOL

[Skipper]

Some people bawl like little nancy girls no matter what you do, so why worry about it?

[AirManCam]

So is there any reason I shouldn't be able to go out in the middle of the lake ,1/2 mile from everyone and ride wheelies back and forth?LOL

Meh, I do the same thing man, What kind of wheeler do you have, sounds like a sportquad. I race them anywho. But there was these fisherman on a lake I fished last year that were being douche's( I WALKED over to talk to them, and they told me to beat it) so I decided to take my race quad out (heh, not exactly quiet..by anymeans, I would say about 115 DB's) I kept riding wheelies up and down the lake, and then I rode a wheelie around the bay they were in and left. Probably wasn't the right thing to do, but they pissed me off so what the heck. I'm a friendly guy to talk to, if you come up to me I'll shoot the chit with ya. However, a fella rode up to me today on his quad and asked me how much ice there was because his buddy was nervous to bring his kid out on thin ice. There was a good 8" so I told them that, and I also told them if he's worried about bringing his kid out on thin ice to ditch the quad, and walk..its not a hard concept.

[stumper]

I have a 05 660 raptor SE, But I also like wheelieing my 700 prairie when I can get it to hook up.

[BASSandICE65]

One year a young kid started by my traps on his snowmobile and crushed an HT trap!  I waited til that lil craphead came around again and watched where he went. I approached him, and his farther was there.His farther began defending his son until I flashed my badge informing him that his son was too young to ride and had crushed my trap.Then the dad became so nice and I told him that next time I would arrest him and his son. Gee haven't seen them this year. Some of these idiots don't understand you have to MAKE them