Please Pray...This could happen to any of us.

[Banker]

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/705396225/Wyoming-man-dies-after-falling-through-ice-at-Flaming-Gorge.html

Here is a situation where he was fishing alone in an area that is usually not connected with ice shore to shore. He called for help...and someone heard him.

Even with a helpful person with long enough rope can't save you from risky decisions on the ice. This man lost his life over the sport of ice fishing and I totally could see this happening here as we have more and more new people getting introduced to the sport who are used to fishing on ice that is pretty thick about now. If they aren't checking the forums and just go with their buddies the same time they did last year it could be fatal.

So if you see someone walking on shaky ice- or posting that they are going out to a lake that you know is not safe do their families a favor and try to let that person know their error before it's you on the other end of the rope.

Please pray for the family of the ice fisherman and the man who tried to save him. I can't begin to imagine how he must feel.

[lowellhturner]

This hits home with me; i can`t count how many times I went out at night alone, 1000s of feet from shore, no one even knowing where I was with NO safety equipment, and refusing to even take a cell phone so "I wouldn`t be bothered." THEN punching a hole thru 2-3" of ice, "grateful" I didn`t have to drill thru more than that...needless to say that I was much younger and felt I could and would survive anything. NOW  I wouldn`t DREAM of trying those stunts again, and I make it a POINT to carry about EVERY piece of SAFETY GEAR short of a wet suit...

[snowcone]

wow i can relate here fell thru as a kid and was alone and was very lucky to have survived, even now 45 yrs later have went thru a few more times and each time was lucky.    just last year went thru at berlin on a well traveled path, watched hard water junkie go thru last year also , some advice .....stay calm , it may save your life, when your walking along that ice ask yourself what will i do if i go thru? carry your hand spikes,  even vetran ice fisherman fall thru, so if your new at this watch other people, ask questions, be smart....

[slabslayer]

For sure.  If you ice fish long enough, we all get wet.  Happened to me twice.  But with proper safety equipment and someone with/near you your chances of being fine are pretty good.  But, I always carry a change of dry clothes in my truck.  You don't want to go thru and wait for several minutes for the truck to heat up in the freezing cold.  Hypothermia can set-in in a matter of seconds.  We need to be safe, and smart!

[lowellhturner]

#1 are the "cat`s claws"; if you can`t get back out within 8- 10 minutes tops, the rest don`t matter. #2 is certainly the 50` rope; HAVING 1 AT HAND (not in the trunk or at home !) has saved many a life without the need to endanger another #3 is having a cell phone, to call for rescue services if necessary. #4 a thermal "space blanket'- you simply cannot believe the training films I was periotically required to have our pilots watch/ rewatch. NASA developed this gem back in the late 1960`s; you simply would not reasonably think a person soaked in cold water stripped to their shorts could wrap up in 1 and survive for 8 hrs at 10 degrees but in fact you could...however, of course it would be a  VERY MISERABLE 8 hrs...can`t imagine where they found a willing volunteer for that 1. UGH!