How do you test ice thickness?

[Gopher on Ice]

How do you test Ice thickness when you go out ice fishing?

[Kevin23]

Follow your fat friend out then drill a hole.

[adkRoy]

Get an ice chisel (aka spud) and give it a good whack every few feet on the way out. Or just send the fattest person out first and hope for the best.

[meatman]

spud bar.

[codewordcs1]

Two small pieces of wood put together to make the shape of an L and mark inches on it. Drill a hole and hook the L on the bottom of the ice and read your measurement. Simple but pretty accurate.

[OldSailor]

Follow your fat friend out then drill a hole.

X2--- Ya beat me to it!!!

[strike1st]

X2--- Ya beat me to it!!!

Great idea...unless your the fat friend! 

[DBK81]

I weigh 240lbs, so I always have a spud bar, as most have said I usually am forced to go first. hahaha

[Gopher on Ice]

What's a spud bar? And how do you use it.

[Skipper]

Pretty much a heavy long handled ice chisel.

http://www.fishusa.com/Eskimo-Economy-Redneck-Chisel_p.html

You bounce it on the ice as you walk. If it pokes through, you STOP.

It will blast you a fishing hole in less than 6'' of ice faster than you can start your auger too.

[DBK81]

What's a spud bar? And how do you use it.

[Loudmouth879]

at only 125lbs I usually get sent out and drill holes with the hand auger as I go every few feet and everyone follows me if we are the first one to fish the body of water

[Chris338378]

A spud bar is the most evil thing ever invented when used on ice thicker than 10 inches.  You use it like an ice chopper, pick it up and slam it down on the ice and it breaks the ice.  I use a hand auger to drill holes, and measure the ice thickness.  It maybe just me but I feel safer drilling a hole rather than hammering on ice I'm not sure about.

[muskyon46]

Follow your fat friend out then drill a hole.

So that's why I'm always 1st with a rope around my waist  that's ok though cause I get 1st choice on where I want my holes 

[Fergie2u]

spud bar.

[filetandrelease]

even though you use your over weight bud and he does go in you will be wasting time pulling him out of the water instead of fishing a spud is a must in my book ,just last year i showed the value of one to a much younger fishermen , i'm getting to old to spud out a mile now he does it for me ya whoo

[Gillfisher]

Spud bsr when I am walking, and drill when I take the four wheeler or my truck.

[BaitBucket]

at only 125lbs I usually get sent out and drill holes with the hand auger as I go every few feet and everyone follows me if we are the first one to fish the body of water

Im in the same book as this guy. My friends actually bust my balls about it. They send me out with a spud or hand auger. They say if it starts to crack, im so light i can just run on the water lol..basteds..

[lefty2053]

I don't own a spud bar and most of the time never go out until I have seen tracks of others. If my friend comes over to go with me I send him out. He always tells me how fat he is so I let him test the ice. He walked across the ice once to the other side of a lake and was fishing for a while. I went over there and he said:"I see you followed my tracks" I said of course I knew I wouldn't fall in if I did.

[perchnut]

Unless those tracks lead to a big hole!! I listen to local reports, talk to friends that have been out, use a spud, learn where the springs or moving water under the ice might be, etc......And when Im spud-ing my way out there...if in doubt to the thickness, I'll hit er a few times in the same spot just to be sure...

[backwoodswalker]

I send my wife out with hand auger to measure how thick, She goes through---- I don't go out Just joking. I used a spud also. I don't go out till a few others have already went. I am not a "floater" I am a "sinker"  Steve

[smitty]

Have the biggest guy lead the way!

smitty

[JAM3S]

I hate to say it out loud, but I usually just assume the ice is safe if I see other guys out and I find at least 5" in my pilot hole near shore.  I know I need to get a spud bar, just been lazy.

[eriksat1]

It is a spooky feeling when you are walking along then all of a sudden plop the spud bar goes through. You can't back pedal fast enough. But the psi of a spud bar is the best way to test because it will go through the ice way before your foot will. I won't go out on unsure ice without one.

[petrgill]

Spud bar, and since I'm near 3 bills I slam that sucker down good, lol

[wileyc3]

Follow your fat friend out then drill a hole.

The only problem with that is if they go through , now ya have to fish a fat guy out instead of a lil guy !!!

[Layne]

Big rocks if im alone.

Im 220(thats eyecatcher00 in the pic not me but it was my rock) and have an artic armour suit so I almost always get sent out first, it will usually take me a good hour or two to work my way out to 25-28 FOW where I want to be at first ice and the first time out is always the most nerve wrecking. I bring a 6" hand auger and drill every 10-30 feet.

[wileyc3]

(Image removed from quote.)

Big rocks if im alone.

Im 220(thats eyecatcher00 in the pic not me but it was my rock) and have an artic armour suit so I almost always get sent out first, it will usually take me a good hour or two to work my way out to 25-28 FOW where I want to be at first ice and the first time out is always the most nerve wrecking. I bring a 6" hand auger and drill every 10-30 feet.

Sure hope ya dont loose your rock 

[Artjr]

I let my sweet pea go first. I act all polite and say "Ladies First" she thinks I am being a gentleman. I know if it can hold her then it can hold a bulldozer! 

[addicted to ice fishing]

First time out on early ice, I fish only shallow water lakes.  I use a spud bar to check thickness. I go with someone, or if I have to go alone, I will not fish a lake where no one else is fishing.