Once again, it is that time of the year when people are worried about the ice when it gets a bit warm. In my area, ice is 16 to 20 inches at this time. I'm all for peoples safety. But there always seems to be some unnecessary worry or even panic about the ice this time of the year. From your experience, when is it time to really be careful, and at what point should people stay off the ice?
Ice Fishing
The weather is warm! The ice is dangerous!
3/12/19 @ 3:42 PM
Displaying 16 to 30 of 43 posts
Things are just heating up in the northwoods. Two guys with 11 crappies over 14" and 3 over 15" this weekend. Best day of fishing that I'll probably never experience again. Shorelines are getting soft but still 2'+ of solid ice on the main lake. Late ice at its finest!
The sky might be falling but: today out on Winnebago (by AsylumBay), we drilled holes in ice that had about three inches of honeycombed ice (corn) on the top, some good ice, then the rest had tunneling from the bottom, up. No one drove out. Everyone walked out and a working crack stopped us cold. We were too chicken to try and cross it!...brawwwk! On the way back my buddy crashed some ice in the shallows by shore.
I'll usually keep ice fishing until either the shorelines are bad or the main lake's ice has big chunks of ice coming up as you drill and has craters on the top of the surface. Last year someone put a plank out onto the ice and the main lake was fine for almost two weeks after the shorelines went bad (Madison area lakes), some years I've been out on lakes until a day or two before they open up. Most ice can hold up pretty good long as there are no strong winds to break it up.
This always makes me just chuckle.
Ice is very resilient. It takes a long time to melt. Many warm days are needed. Everyone's definition of safe is different, but once the shorelines go, usually the main shelf is fine for a while. It all depends on how long someone wants to keep going out, kind of getting a feel for it as the season progresses. There is no formula or exact science to "safe" but those of us who fish late ice just kind of know when it's time to say "Done."
I've fallen in twice. But, both at Lake Puckaway in less than 5 feet of water. It wasn't fun. But, pretty easy to get out of those situations. No way would I have been on deep water in late conditions like I was on Puckaway. Kind of live and learn. One of the benefits of going fishing now is that the trucks are not going to be present in most of the state, then a few weeks later, the 4 wheelers, then fewer and fewer are willing to foot travel. So, the numbers get lower and more water to ourselves.
I will say this, first ice is safer than people realize. That's good hard new ice. Doesn't take much to get me out there. I don't do anything dumb, but it's ready before many people think. Late ice is a bit more of a science and "get a feel for it" situation. Gotta use your eyes and thinking skills a lot. Still then, there is always risk....just like driving in a car everyday. Stuff can happen.
Depends on the fishing of course! Another 3ish weeks and the floatation/safety gear comes back out. If the bite (stays) hot, ice is safe until you can't access it via waders or until you fall through that first time. Best fishing of the season, gotta do what you gotta do!
Is bago really ever "safe" for driving? I know I never feel comfortable driving out there the one or two times a year I fish it.
Displaying 16 to 30 of 43 posts
