Falling through the Ice/ been there done that

[wapak ice dawg]

Back in the early 90s when the fishing was at its best on grand lake I went out on a March afternoon perch hunt. We had 13" of ice but it rained all day and all night the day before I ventured out. I saw 10-15 people way out front of the sail boat club but they all parked and went out a different route. I thought the ice was safe even though the edges were rotted out and water was sitting on the ice, the temps had fallen below zero again that day .When I got on the ice I did the bounce test and figured I was in good shape (I was standing by the wall in 9' of water) when all of a sudden whoosh the ice let go I hit the bottom came up and grabbed the wall ledge in front of me, pain came quickly and the numbness was settling in very fast i knew I was going to die  and I was less than 10' from my truck, I screamed for help and nobody came, the only thing that save me was my ice shanty rope gave me a little drag I needed to get me out. When I got all the way  out of the water my hair, suit, and clothes were frozen solid, I took everything off except my underwear got back in my truck that was still warm and drove home freezing and in deep pain. When I got home I went straight to bed  stayed there for 2days before I got warm and over the fear that i almost died going fishing. I have since gotton a few safety devices and always lean on the caution side. I still see yet to this day people just walk right out on the ice and never check it once.
'

[davidhoheisel]

Great story because you came out alive. Foe all new to ice fishing here a just a few of the rules to abide by.

Never enter, leave or fish on the ice alone.
Stay calm and try to keep your head above water.
Cary a 50 foot wrope with a loop on both ends so it can be placed over each person. Remeber that when you are cold you will not be able to tie it around you.
Always have spikes on you to get out.
Take a spud bar to check the ice every few feet. If you give the ice 2 hits in the ice in the same spot and the spud bar does not go through than you should be ok. If it goes through get off the ice!
Drill a hole every so often and measure the thickness

Please add any other things i might have missed.

[wapak ice dawg]

I carry a flash light for the early days and late evenings on the ice

[davidhoheisel]

Good point.

A Flash light is a good one and I need to start using it. I have stepped in un frozen holes walking back to the car. It could lead to a broken leg.

[ratherbefishing]

I had a similar experience with late ice..

March of '05 I was over at Hoover and had the ice give under foot. I fell backwards and put my arms straight out to my sides. When it started I only had my left lower leg in the water. I threw my right leg up and over my body and then the ice broke along my left thigh. I got over on my belly and did a combination belly flop/army crawl for about 15' in the direction I had just come from. Very cold and very frightening.... My heart was in my throat and I wound up with a pounding headache for 3 days from the stress of it.

I wouldn't want to imagine what being all the way under would feel like, both physically and emotionally. You were lucky to get out.

Moral of the story:
Late ice is very touch and go, use a spud bar!

[mr bill]

i've been just dang lucky.

1st. like to say yes you can break yer leg or foot stepping in an open hole. i broke a foot.
2nd. it does have to be late ice to go thru. i have been thru twice with 2ft. of ice and it was hard as a rock too. the 1st time i was walking from one spot to the next with my rod in hand and step into an old shanty hole that was made for spearing thru--this happened in mi. where spearing for pike thru the ice is legal-- it had not been mark and had just enough ice over the hole to hold the snow that had fallen the day before. the good news is that there was several people in the area and someone had a rope with a boat cushion tied to it right handy. plus there was a shanty right there for me to get into.

the 2nd time, i was hiking across the lake with a bunch of friends to get to the other side of the lake. i was in the lead and walking along. as i made a step i yelled for everyone to get back as i went thru-- something about how the ice felt under foot said get off this spot, but it was already to late for me.  it was a spring hole about 4ft round that i step in.
my buddies made a human chain and help me get out and we went straight to the nears house and they were of great help in getting those of us that got wet and calling for the help that was needed.

both times the ice was 2ft. thick or more all around the spots that i went thru. it was in mid feb. each time and the tempts were in the teens. both times was on the same lake, one time was in 20 plus ft. of water and the other was in 8 ft. of water. one hole was man made and was not properly mark after moving shanty and the other was a spring seep that made a warm current in the area.

[wapak ice dawg]

We've all had close calls, the one that pissed me off the most was right at black hawk. Was early ice and I started walking off the boat ramp hitting the ice with my spud bar (btw there were 6 guys on the ice staring at me) I got almost to the deep hole on the corner when with one hit my spud bar went through. Butt hole shrunk up, balls in my throat, I slowly and I mean slowly backed up in my steps. When i got back to the boat ramp I put my gear in my truck, drove out to the point where everyone else was parked and asked the guys on the ice from the docks how much ice they got. "4" the one guy yells back, I promptly yell back  to them," hell I almost went through on the corner over there," "well yea" , the guy yells back, "that was open water yesterday" Talk about looking out for each other, I bout went on the ice and used my spud bar on each and everyone of them, but I didn't think it would work because they were already brain dead.

[davidhoheisel]

Great stories guy's,

I almost went in on Sunday at the docks at Black Hawk. The end was fine and the ice looked the same by the docks. As i got closer the ice started to spider crack and i froze. I did not go in. We all need to have our saftey gear on at all times because lik Mr. Bill said you never know when you will go in. Thanks for the reminder Mr Bill!

[mr bill]

i would hate to tell ya how many times i have gone thru the ice. i do know that i have been very luck and the good Lord has been watching over me. don't get me wrong i don't take big chance all the time.
i went thru last year on skeeter off the cause way. because i didn't know the ice around here. i step of the causeway following other peoples tracks going out. i didn't know about the rock you had to step on 1st before getting out onto the ice. so i missed it and went right in. jump back out onto the walk way jumped into the van. good thing i had dry clothes to change into and the van was still warm from my drive to the lake.

i carry safety gear all the time, along with a change of clothes-- at least in the car.