WARNING-WARNING-WARNING..., Your Ice Picks are no good at all.

[Chainsaw]

I have on video some footage with a guy in the water trying desparately to get purchase with the nice neat looking ice picks on the 'phone cord line around the neck that hook into each other and look cool. they DO NOT WORK at all, period, end of story, almost.

I watched as his wheeler went through and started filming right away as I could not be of any help at all due to distance and the bad ice between us. He pulled the picks and tried frantically to get them into the ice far enough to help get himself out. They just kept pulling through the rotten surface ice junk and he'd try again and again to get them to bite with no luck at all. Two guys with a line had to help get him out, and funny thing, when I talked to the same guy later he had those same picks around his neck. He said they were useless and was warning folks NOT to depend on them except possibly for new, hard ice.

I have a pair I made years ago with picks about four inches long, which may be a tad too long but at least they will go in far enough to get some purchase to help you get out. If you have a pair of those cutesy $6.00 ice picks that module together toss 'em away and make a pair with stabbers at least three to four inches long. I thought this a bit excessive 'till I saw the guy in the water clawing away like a cat in a glass jug at the ice surface that was crumbly and not holding the pics at all. Now I wonder that they can even sell these things anymore since all they do is offer a false sense of security in a dangerous situation.

If you make yours out of old screwdrivers, like mine, be sure the driver shafts go all the way through the handles so they don't break off and leave you in deep water. They may be bulky and ugly but I learned a lot about how innefective they really are and am passing it along to hopefully prevent a drowning death.

[Steelhead71]

Nice, i just bought them yesterday. Thanks for the information.

[Fridge]

I bet 90% of the people on this site have them.......thanks for the info.

[TimK]

All depends on how much weight you have to put on those picks to pull yourself out

[o2rmk800]

i would have to disagree with you that they don't work at all. you have to remeber that most lakes have a layer of snow ice on them right now that melts as the temps warm during the day. of course they aren't gonna hold. what do you expect. i have seen them used before and worked the way they should!

[SNAGGER]

   good food for thought, thanks..

[coreyl302]

Good topic. I dont see anything longer going into the ice deeper. It seems to me that the Ice was totally unsafe and nothing would have helped but a rope and some friends.

[#1bassfisher]

All depends on how much weight you have to put on those picks to pull yourself out

Ya if theres no ice they won't work!  shouldn't be out on ice like that anyway. at least there OK 
But remember its not the picks fault there not enough ice around you.  people just need to use common sense. accidents do happen but at least try to be carefull, especially this year.

[Chainsaw]

I'm not about to argue with clods that want to stand up for those things. I saw them not work and from going through myself I know mine do. I was passing along some info that I have on video regardin them. You do what you want.

[got em]

  wow..those "little cheap plastic pics that go around you neck" don't work they saved my ars last year from a drowning....and not being here at this moment typing this....YES they do work..I also have a pair that I made...longer spikes,better handle and they DO go around my neck.. ..I'm SURE they would work also...just NEVER go without some form of spikes and NEVER go alone..tight lines and stay safe..

[Chainsaw]

wow..those "little cheap plastic pics that go around you neck" don't work they saved my ars last year from a drowning....and not being here at this moment typing this....YES they do work..I also have a pair that I made...longer spikes,better handle and they DO go around my neck.. ..I'm SURE they would work also...just NEVER go without some form of spikes and NEVER go alone..tight lines and stay safe..

Now we're up to a different set of spikes for different ice condotions eh? Mayhap a contest is in order to see if any one of you want to get into the water and thrash around like the guy I have on video. Ten bucks or more says very few could be as effective as the 200lb 6foot tall guy in wet through Carharts flailing away like a windmill and the spikes ripping back through the surface. If you believe what you have works stick with it. Whatever.

[prchslyr]

I have a pair of the little cheapos. They are better than nothing but I and some others definitely appreciate you sharing that. Maybe a market for better ice picks is in order. You never know. Some of the right people could be checking these threads out. I'm not a handy dude but i would definitely buy longer spikes if I could find some. Bigger is better whether you're talking fish OR safety.

[Walleye64]

I feel through a week ago without picks. I just used my elbos and lifted myself out, staight up and out. not to mention it was on a river!!

[jettro]

I feel through a week ago without picks. I just used my elbos and lifted myself out, staight up and out. not to mention it was on a river!!

onelucky man! glad to hear ya made it

[got em]

  oh I believe they worked...I'm here because of them...I'm about 5ft 10 inches and around 225...a little over weight..lol...had carharts on and snowshoes also...no thrashing around..I stayed calm and thought of what to do.....yeah that sounds smart,have a contest where you fall through the ice and see what picks work the best  ya said you were video taping him  ...did ya bother to dial 911 for help for the poor guy .....whats with the wharever at the end of your post  like prchslyr said better to have something than nothing at all... whatever...

[JS]

Great Post.

[Gamma Fish]

Listen to the words of Chainsaw !    He's not joking.  Those orange picks are junk !   Sure, under ideal conditions they'll save your butt....maybe but there's other drawbacks with then other than the spikes being too darn short.
  Main issue is that most guys wear the picks around their necks and have them connected together by the seemingly nice "Pick into handle" design.   Looks nice and all but in a pinch, just try to get those picks apart !   It's not happening...while you're sinking.   9 times out of ten, they'll stick together !     DON'T connect the handles while on the ice !  Let them hang loose around your neck.

   

[Chainsaw]

oh I believe they worked...I'm here because of them...I'm about 5ft 10 inches and around 225...a little over weight..lol...had carharts on and snowshoes also...no thrashing around..I stayed calm and thought of what to do.....yeah that sounds smart,have a contest where you fall through the ice and see what picks work the best  ya said you were video taping him  ...did ya bother to dial 911 for help for the poor guy .....whats with the wharever at the end of your post  like prchslyr said better to have something than nothing at all... whatever...

We're all glad yours worked...for you. Just trying to warn folks about conditions that change, (you remember that part?), where the ice surface changes to junk and the picks can't make it through to solid ice? I merely suggest longer picks.

Yes, I was video taping him, not running pell mell over bad ice when I had nothing to help with, and he was 200 yards away. I ain't using this as an excuse but I'm almost 70 years old and running over bad ice is something I'll leave to you who knows it all.

We all thought the guy with the snowmobile was going out there to help, not drill holes near the guy to fish, (Holler at HIM whydoncha?), and most folks bother to spend time on cell 'phones where they work eh(?), and there were thirty other people closer to him on safer ice than me. An aside here: Try a 911 call on your cell 'phone. If you're from a 607 area code you get a 607 911 dispatcher who won't have your On The Ice Location right handy. Almost a waste of time sometimes, (I said SOMETIMES...)

My younger partner ran out toward him with a line but could not approach closer than about 50 feet because of bad ice while others came from the other side and got him out. HE IS THE GUY THAT SAID THEY DIDN'T WORK TOO after he got out.

After re-reading my post I cannot find a 'Wharever' anywhere. The 'Whatever' is for you, as in do 'Whatever' you want 'cept that you can't be in our 'Thru the Ice' contest while wearing snowshoes.

[Chainsaw]

oh I believe they worked...I'm here because of them...I'm about 5ft 10 inches and around 225...a little over weight..lol...had carharts on and snowshoes also...no thrashing around..I stayed calm and thought of what to do.....yeah that sounds smart,have a contest where you fall through the ice and see what picks work the best  ya said you were video taping him  ...did ya bother to dial 911 for help for the poor guy .....whats with the wharever at the end of your post  like prchslyr said better to have something than nothing at all... whatever...

[michianafisherman]

The two times that I have fallen in I can't see why I would have needed them. I came out both times fairly easy. I can say, what most fisherman need is options. Having extra tools can be like having jigs of different colors or a selection of poles.
 Better safe than sorry. I won't tell anyone not to use them, just in case. I would recommend to get the long ones after reading this post. We need to remember not all fisherman are the same size. Some fisherman even struggle to get out of a chair. Because of this how can we say what is better?

[FenDog]

Chainsaw, were is the video? Am I missing it in the post?

[Steelhead71]

Chainsaw, no matter what you say someone will find fault. Let them findout the hardway. I appreciate the information just wished i saw it a day prior.

[bcons]

SPOONS!  Real, regular spoons you eat with.
The picks will work if you fall through thin hard ice with temps below freezing (spoons or even the long picks won't).  When you have spring ice on a warm sunny day the ice is so soft, picks may not.  Think about how easily & quickly an auger chews through the soft ice at 2pm on a 40+ deg sunny day, you can buy snocones from a roach coach that are harder.
So carry both if in question.  A couple stout reg spoons, drill a hole through the handle, a cord or band through the hole, wear around your wrist, tuck the spoon up your sleeve. You grip the handle and dig the rounded end into the soft ice, the spoons face is so wide it doesn't slip. 
I was a rescue rat when I was a teenager, the Volunteer FD chief was my boyscout leader, and his son & I were good friends.  We were often the practice dummys.  Young & foolish willing to jump in the water through bad ice.  Looking back at first thought  , yet I'm fairly comfortable climbing out, done it dozens of times.
I've often thought it might be a good idea this time of yr when it's warm & sunny some of the rescue teams should do a "show & tell" so to speak. Near shore where help is easy and demonstrate falling through, or let anyone try it.  Getting out is like anything else a little practice, being comfortable & confident, and having the right tools.

[BOCHASER]

Thanks for the info. and the warning Chainsaw. People can obviously do what they want with the information  you offered and make the best decision for them based what you said. It at least made more people aware of potential pitfalls of a product. I know your post has helped me be better informed.

[reeleyz]

SPOONS!  Real, regular spoons you eat with.
The picks will work if you fall through thin hard ice with temps below freezing (spoons or even the long picks won't).  When you have spring ice on a warm sunny day the ice is so soft, picks may not.  Think about how easily & quickly an auger chews through the soft ice at 2pm on a 40+ deg sunny day, you can buy snocones from a roach coach that are harder.
So carry both if in question.  A couple stout reg spoons, drill a hole through the handle, a cord or band through the hole, wear around your wrist, tuck the spoon up your sleeve. You grip the handle and dig the rounded end into the soft ice, the spoons face is so wide it doesn't slip. 
I was a rescue rat when I was a teenager, the Volunteer FD chief was my boyscout leader, and his son & I were good friends.  We were often the practice dummys.  Young & foolish willing to jump in the water through bad ice.  Looking back at first thought  , yet I'm fairly comfortable climbing out, done it dozens of times.
I've often thought it might be a good idea this time of yr when it's warm & sunny some of the rescue teams should do a "show & tell" so to speak. Near shore where help is easy and demonstrate falling through, or let anyone try it.  Getting out is like anything else a little practice, being comfortable & confident, and having the right tools.

They had better be really stiff spoons. Not the kind that bend when you're trying to scoop out icecream!

Why not just use a screwdriver? Seems like that would work.

[SoftSpot_716]

different pics for different ice conditions. when theres a few inches of snow and slop and soft ice two inch pics arent going to grab where a set of big philips screwdrivers may. better have options i guess no different then using an ultra light for pannies and med for walleye different scenarios different gear simply put. stay safe everyone and remember your life is nothing to take the cheap way out on

[Jack Magnum]

I have on video some footage with a guy in the water trying desparately to get purchase with the nice neat looking ice picks on the 'phone cord line around the neck that hook into each other and look cool. they DO NOT WORK at all, period, end of story, almost.

I watched as his wheeler went through and started filming right away as I could not be of any help at all due to distance and the bad ice between us. He pulled the picks and tried frantically to get them into the ice far enough to help get himself out. They just kept pulling through the rotten surface ice junk and he'd try again and again to get them to bite with no luck at all. Two guys with a line had to help get him out, and funny thing, when I talked to the same guy later he had those same picks around his neck. He said they were useless and was warning folks NOT to depend on them except possibly for new, hard ice.

I have a pair I made years ago with picks about four inches long, which may be a tad too long but at least they will go in far enough to get some purchase to help you get out. If you have a pair of those cutesy $6.00 ice picks that module together toss 'em away and make a pair with stabbers at least three to four inches long. I thought this a bit excessive 'till I saw the guy in the water clawing away like a cat in a glass jug at the ice surface that was crumbly and not holding the pics at all. Now I wonder that they can even sell these things anymore since all they do is offer a false sense of security in a dangerous situation.

If you make yours out of old screwdrivers, like mine, be sure the driver shafts go all the way through the handles so they don't break off and leave you in deep water. They may be bulky and ugly but I learned a lot about how innefective they really are and am passing it along to hopefully prevent a drowning death.

Hey, Thanks chainsaw !!!! I used to have a set of homemade ones out of ols screw drivers and they worked fine. I received new manufactered ones and am using them now and never gave it a thought about not getting enough grip. Thanks, I;ll be going back to them.

[AKA Kodiak]

Ill tell you what,fish with a buddy and you wont even have to worrie about spikes,only the ones you put on your hook.A lenght of rope though is a must for everyone.

[michianafisherman]

Ill tell you what,fish with a buddy and you wont even have to worrie about spikes,only the ones you put on your hook.A lenght of rope though is a must for everyone.

What if you both fall in at the same time?

[AKA Kodiak]

What if you both fall in at the same time?

Well i guess if you gotta walk next to your buddy,because your more than fishin partners,then bring ice picks!