Ice Fishing?

[vivi1]

Since I live along the Gulf Coast, I have never had the chance to ice fish. I have a friend that lived in Michigan and he told me all about it. He said they have these little huts, like one room cabins over the hole. And that families fish over the same hole for years and years. It sounded like an odd rite of passage to go out and catch your first fish in your little ice hut. I'm not sure it would satisfy my need to cast, since you drop a line in a hole and that's just not the same at all. I also wondered if something you weren't expecting could pop up through the hole, yikes. He thought it was great fun.

 

[Gift3d]

Yeah. When you hear it cracking get out of there as soon as possible. But make sure you all don't rush off at the same time. Also Ice Fishing can be done at the end of a pond or lake. You'd just need to walk onto the ice somewhat to drill a hole. But you could just sit on the edge of the pond on the ground, and throw your hooks in from there. Just make sure the hole is large enough for fishing for two or three people.

But even 3 or 4 feet of ice still cracks.. You should not go for a while after the lake freezes over period. The smaller the lake the quicker it will freeze. But just because it cracks doesnt mean you will go through.

 

[tosaytheleast]

I curious how long before the easy could break. I mean if you hear a crack would it break right away or after 15 to 30 minutes? I never had experience hearing cracks while on the icy surface so never really had that rush of adrenaline.

 

[Gift3d]

if its thin it will break right away.. prob before you ever even hear it crack, lots of times thick ice cracks just because the ice is shifting.

 

[tastykakk]

Can't say that I've done this. I've gave it thought a few times here and there. Only problem there's really nowhere near I'm at to go out on the ice to give it try. Maybe when I vacation this season I'll try to go somewhere I can give it try. It sounds and look like a lot of fun. Only downside is the ice would have to be pretty think and the thought of it cracking scares me.

 

[NickJ]

Michigan is a good spot. Kansas and Oklahoma as well. Although I'd recommend, if you're gonna visit places like that you'd better be ice fishing or there's no reason to go really.

 

[Esperahol]

Lol don't listen to him... just dont be an idiot and go out as soon as there is ice on a lake, make sure its a couple feet thick and ur set

I wouldn't advise deepening on ice depth as a safety indicator. Really the only thing thick ice does is give you something to ride on with the sheet cracks up. That's why you really need it to be cold, because the colder it is the more likely the sheet won't come apart from stress.

 

[Esperahol]

I curious how long before the easy could break. I mean if you hear a crack would it break right away or after 15 to 30 minutes? I never had experience hearing cracks while on the icy surface so never really had that rush of adrenaline.

If the ice is cracking that could mean it's about to give, it has given, or its simply under stress. If its about to give you may well be under water before you know the difference. If it has given that may not be where you are - depending on the size of the area it could be going on quite a distance off. And if its just under stress be careful, but don't completely freak.

 

[r. zimm]

As a Florida Boy I just cannot wrap my head around it! Wait, wait, you mean you guys walk onto frozen water so you are faaaar from the shore, chop a hole in the ice, then sit around in sub-freezing weather fishing? You must be nuts!

Oh, you drink while you're doing this, I'M IN!

 

[Gift3d]

I wouldn't advise deepening on ice depth as a safety indicator. Really the only thing thick ice does is give you something to ride on with the sheet cracks up. That's why you really need it to be cold, because the colder it is the more likely the sheet won't come apart from stress.

The only way of getting thick ice is from being cold.. I thought that was a given.. You cant have thick ice and warm weather bud, sorry

 

[r. zimm]

I think you should go with an experienced person who knows that lake and how the ice behaves. Not every lake is the same and ice could have places you need to avoid. Also, an experienced ice fisherman will have all the proper gear so you do things right and are (fairly) comfortable. Me I'd be making a huge fire on the ice to stay warm and that would likely be the last time I went ice fishing!

 

[Esperahol]

The only way of getting thick ice is from being cold.. I thought that was a given.. You cant have thick ice and warm weather bud, sorry

....I think we speak at cross-purposes. I am saying that an eye should be kept on the temperature gauge because as that rises the chances of icebreak do as well. That doesn't mean there won't be thick ice - it just means it won't be stable ice. Which is how that group of ice fishers got caught out on one of the Great Lakes the other year or so. The ice was thick enough to hold them, but overall weak enough to break up into pieces.

 

[BigBigFan]

Actually the ice those people were stranded on had broken apart days before they got on it, it just hadn't started to shift quickly yet. The temperature on the day they got stuck was colder than in the previous two days but it was too late, it would have taken a deep freeze to solidify the chunks of ice together again. An iceberg is thick but it still moves freely even on the coldest days, thickness and current temperature don't always tell the full picture.

 

[NickJ]

Well you all make great points. So I guess ice fishing would best be done in a small pond or something? That way you have better control over things. But small ponds don't have a large quantity or diverse range of fish.

 

[r. zimm]

Well, being from the tropics, I still cannot wrap my head around "Ice Fishing." Just to go outside at all you need to add 6 layers of clothing! I would likely just stay indoors and play a fishing game on the Internet!