what is considered safe ice?

[Spey_Ice]

Last year we got a late start on the fishing so it was pretty thick ice everywhere...now the start of this year(season) I heart people drilling holes on four inches of ice...which to me seems crazy...So just wondering from those who are seasoned...what do you consider to be safe ice?

[Idahogator]

When ice is 60" thick old timers still say "There is no such thing as safe ice".

[missoulafish]

Yup, no such thing as safe ice. But I'll fish 2-3" of clear, hard ice. I wouldn't have a bunch of people stand together on 2" of ice and I wouldn't go stroking out Into the middle of the lake without lots of test holes.

[Strippnthedream]

It's all what you feel comfortable fishn on. 2" of good hard ice is plenty for me. I like 2 use a spud bar when it's that thin though. Always use safe judgement.

[Spey_Ice]

Hmmm....wow I for sure thought the answer would be around at least 5"...So would 5" of ice be considered "safe" for two people in a hut? Sorry if these noob questions annoy some people I just don't have any where or anyone to glean this kind of info from with that being said thank you for everyone's input

[missoulafish]

I say DEFINATELY yes if it's good hard ice. Others will disagree but your not going to fall through 5".

[Strippnthedream]

Ya 5" would be plenty 2 put a hut n probly whoever u wanna fit in there with Ya. If it's good hard ice I would consider driving a wheeler on that's just me. Always Make sure it's good hard ice n know your lakes some have springs or methaine pockets.

[bullpine]

6inches wheeler, 12 inches truck.  It's the thin spots that get ya.

[Rebelss]

[Bucket Brigade]

2" of CLEAR ice is safe. Watch out for the GRAY or CLOUDY ice. Always use safety gear no matter how thick the ice!!!  Carry hand picks tethered to your jacket. Carry rope that you can toss to a person in the water.  If you can afford one, purchase a "floating" ice suit.

[Idahogator]

A short story.

A dozen guys out a 1/4 mile, I go out 200' and get set-up on 6" of ice.

45 minutes of watching the sonar, there is 2" of water at my feet and looking out, the POOL is 50 '  all around.       

Water is really coming up the holes.

I'm old and want to get older, so, in 0.68 seconds, 5 rigs were in the sled and ashore I went.

First time ever to see sinking ice, ha.     

Whew !  Nice to live to fish another day.   

[DAPOS]

Spey, so many excellent comments above. When I first started, I always approached heading out on the ice, VERY CONSERVATIVELY! I would walk around with a 50' rope tied to my waist...in case I fell in...someone could pull me out!!! Since I've now been at it for nearly 30 years, I still carry picks, I wear a (floating) ice suit, I test, test, test unknown ice, etc. I'd recommend that you approach lake ice with a back up plan for the worst case scenario........what will you do if you fall in! I also found it to be an interesting experience in the spring, to put on waders, and go to a shallow place and walk on late or rotten ice (I know of a small pond that's only 1-2' deep, so I know I can't go totally under). I always thought falling through ice would be like walking on a pane of glass, and it would break instantly. I have yet to experience that, the ice always talked to me before giving way, and falling through can be a quite variable, yet interesting experience.

[chucknduck]

I won't go on anything less than 4 inches.  If it's four inches I like to drill my way out checking ice as I go.  Since I've became a adult with children I am way more cautious than my younger years especially if the boy is with me. Of course there is no magic number because ice condition plays into it also.

[fridayfish]

i have an inner tube with a bottom that I pull instead of a sled so I can climb in it if I go through. it also makes a comfy place to kick back while fishing.

[fishermantim]

Less than 4" , no go!
Less than 12", no vehicle.
More than 20", shanty town begins to pop up.
more than 30", shanty city WITH vehicle parking lot

I will check the ice as I head out, and unless it's a completely new body of water, I know where the shallow areas are and will enter there.

New pond:
I walk out 5 feet and cut a hole to measure thickness.
Move out 5 more feet and repeat. then another 5 and repeat.

Familiar pond:
do the same!
Really? Do you think that just because I know a ponds depth that I automatically know how thick the ice is??

Anyone that will risk walking out without checking is lookingh to become a statistic.

I'd rather be safe than sorry....or DEAD!

[Spey_Ice]

Great info guys....So with this scenario say at gtown where there us usually a well established trail(s) especially around the pump house would you still drill as you go out or trust the people who already went over it?...not trying to take shortcuts just don't want to look like an idiot drilling holes when everyone else just walks out and starts fishing...

[Rebelss]

Just had a guy this weekend, north of here, out on CLEAR ICE, his opinion, 2-3" thick.  He died yesterday after it cracked and he went through into 7' of water. If you're dumb enough to gamble with your life, fine. I just won't tell people 2" of ANY kind of ice is safe. Ya, you can go fish on it all ya want. I won't.

[NordicJigger]

I need 5" of ice before I feel comfortable even walking on it. Safe ice is all one's perspective though.

Last year I was on some ice that was 7" thick but it was of poor consistency and I didn't feel comfortable and left in half hour.

Living where I do, I am quite often the only soul on the ice and need to play it very safe.

[Mt.Bucket]

Buy a spud bar and ice picks, get some experience with the spud bar. Learn the lake your fishing, don't always assume just because someone has been there it is safe. Maybe later in the year when there has been traffic everywhere then  you could be confident. Pay attention to the weather as it affects the ice conditions, and sometimes rapidly. Always carry a set of dry clothes. Use caution around pressure ridges. Try and not fish alone on unfamiliar waters alone.

[albo]

Safe ice is the cubes floating in a glass of good Kentucky Bourbon

[fishin7]

In my opinion ice is only as safe as you make it.  Most if not all the horror stories about people losing their lives ice fishing are usually the result of not being prepared or not using common sense.   Walking out on ice with no safety tools (picks, rope, floatation devises), fishing by yourself on sketchy ice or extreme elements, driving 4 wheelers into open water the list goes on and on.  Falling through the ice isn't a death sentence unless your not prepared. 

[Wenger]

In my opinion ice is only as safe as you make it.  Most if not all the horror stories about people losing their lives ice fishing are usually the result of not being prepared or not using common sense.   Walking out on ice with no safety tools (picks, rope, floatation devises), fishing by yourself on sketchy ice or extreme elements, driving 4 wheelers into open water the list goes on and on.  Falling through the ice isn't a death sentence unless your not prepared.

No, but falling through ain't fun. Most any accident can be pinned on poor decision making. Being prepared for the worst is never a bad idea, but not putting yourself in a position that leaves you floating around in 12 degree weather is better. You won't catch me driving 80 on black ice because I have airbags.

These guys claiming 2" is safe are idiots IMO because three feet away it may be 3/4" especially in reservoirs or lakes with inflows where small shifts in currents can be the difference between a couple feet and a couple inches.   Crooked Creek is a prime example, when you get into an area where the old river channel or even close in where the 'shell flows in the old channel it can change overnight. 2 inches on any lake of even medium size can break up with a stiff wind.

I'll stick with 4 inches of solid ice and staying close to shore until there is at least six.

And we need to think about the people who are charged with search and rescue when that 2 inches of ice is cracking up. At some point you have to ask what catching a few fish are really worth.

[Perch-Eye]

Just had a guy this weekend, north of here, out on CLEAR ICE, his opinion, 2-3" thick.  He died yesterday after it cracked and he went through into 7' of water. If you're dumb enough to gamble with your life, fine. I just won't tell people 2" of ANY kind of ice is safe. Ya, you can go fish on it all ya want. I won't.

I'd rather look like a live idiot than a dead duck.


Ken...........

[fishinwithbrittanies]

I had an experience on francis a couple years back that forever humbled me on ice.  It was spring and warming up there.  We made the trek all the way up from butte so we were pretty well commited to fishing that day.  Ice looked dark blue and we test holed the whole way out and were getting like 15".  Later in the day we experienced what I can only imagine was the ice shift.  None of us could see our lures with the fish finders anymore.  I remember reeling up and dropping down again and watching my spoon drift off at a hard angle.  I didn't think much of it at the time, just thought to myself "huh, thats weird".  A pile of perch later and it was time to go in for a burger and a beer.  We started making the trek to the car and saw ducks landing on water that had 15" of ice on it that morning.  Not cool.
We got lucky we found one stretch maybe a couple hundred yards where the ice was still touching land and we got off.  I'm sure we would have lived even if things would have gotten worse but sometimes you gotta ask yourself is it worth it.

Truth being told, after that experience, I'll be out on three inches of clear black ice when its cold before two feet of honeycomb in the spring.
People die every year ice fishing.  That's just the way it is.  From a living room couch it's easy to say what they did wrong or whatever.  I know I've never talked to an ice fisherman that said he's going ice fishing to die that day.  Things happen.  They just do.

[sra61]

I have a full size Frabill spud bar that I really stab that ice with, make sure you have the damn strap around your wrist though. I also tend to wait a little until I know other guys have been out some too. After season has been going a while and I have been going consistently I will get a better feel for what the ice is like, but I tend to fish one place that I love for the most part. When I go to Nelson or Fort Peck especially I don't pioneer very much. I look for the trails and follow other guys until I know what's safe and what's not.

[blusam]

5 inches

[Idahogator]

5 inches

I will kindly remind you to re-read reply #10.     

[coldcreekchris]

I've always been a little concerned that people show pics on this site of catching fish standing on 2 inches of ice...most of these people are well educated of the body of water they are on..and are comfortable doing what they do....there is logic to the old saying.." if so and so jumped off a bridge..would you" I have been ice fishin for 30 yrs and have never gone thru....been sketched out many times....for all you newbies.....don't rush or push anything just cause you see a post of fish caught..be safe....yes  its smart to have ropes and pic axes and such in sketchy conditions..but one should ask themselves..if I need ropes and pick axes and spudbars.. in my humble opinion ,yes  its a smart idea to have em but you may ask yourself why get on the ice in the first place..don't want to ruffle any feathers....but you won't find me on the ice. till 4 inch minimum....

[fishin7]

My comments weren't saying if you have ropes, picks and a spud bar then you can fish when ever on what ever thickness of ice and your good to go.  I'm stating that if you are prepared and use common sense then it makes the ice a lot safer.  For me it's 3".  Maybe for someone else it's 2" or 4" or even 6".  I can tell you this though most these guys on here that are talking about fishing on 2" of hard ice are experienced ice fisherman and I would say they are a lot safer on 2" then a bunch of idiots drinking beer and socializing out on 6".  It's like anything in life there are going to be risks but the more prepared and experienced you are at what you are doing and the body of water your doing it on the safer it is.  To call these guys who say they fish on 2" of hard ice are idiots is wrong. I guess I'm wrong for hunting the back country where there are bears cuss some guys got mawled last year, or its Idiotic to kayak cuss people drowned doing that.  All I'm saying is the ice is as safe as you make it.  Being prepared, knowing the body of water your on and using commen sense is a safer approach than just saying I need 5" and I'm good to go!

[Spey_Ice]

Wow some spooky stories out there I think once I can afford it I'm gonna buy a floating ice suit...I've got rope and retractable ice picks and a heavy heavy spud bar that I use to bust any edges around my holes after I'm done drilling then out.