New ice?

[catchinon]

So did anyone get out and find some solid ice to fish? Any actual catching? The snow this morning is really making me antsy to get on the hard water.
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[SkunkedAgain]

We tried it again and took the side by side up but got into two foot deep snow and couldn’t make it to the lake. About two blocks short and the wind and snow was so blustery we decided to turn around instead of hiking in. Fun attempt but no wetted lines. Almost made it, but probably have to take snowmobiles if we go again. Had my FIL, BIL and nephew with me and had about froze two of them to death so it was time to call it. Anyway that was our trip. Later J
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[joatmon]

Hey catchinon, I’m hoping some of the accessible lakes will freeze by the time we finish our cow elk hunt. I need to get that new auger out of the box and see how it works!
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[dubob]

[quote SkunkedAgain]We tried it again and took the side by side up but got into two foot deep snow and couldn’t make it to the lake. About two blocks short and the wind and snow was so blustery we decided to turn around instead of hiking in. Fun attempt but no wetted lines. Almost made it, but probably have to take snowmobiles if we go again. Had my FIL, BIL and nephew with me and had about froze two of them to death so it was time to call it. Anyway that was our trip. Later J[/quote][font "Comic Sans MS"][#800000]Kind of what I was thinking on Friday after looking at the forecast. [cool][/#800000][/font]
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[SkunkedAgain]

Yup there was a cloud that stuck over the high country and even though it wasn’t bad at the 6000’ level it sure got nasty by 7800’. I knew better, but everyone was up and we needed an adventure rather than being bored around the house. So we tried and got a ride out of it anyway. Helped get a stuck SUV out of the snow bank so it wasn’t a wasted trip. Later J
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[catchinon]

Yeah, I'm still pulling my stuff together, so that's probably soon enough. I just keep hoping someone will have a report about Huntington or Mill Hollow. Maybe I'll just have to be the pioneer and go see. Oh, nice icon by the way. And with just one more post you'll magically turn from a worm into a shiner!
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[catchinon]

According to a post on the Contests board it's game on at Huntington. But NEVER take anyone's word for ice thickness if there's any chance it could be thin. All I'm suggesting is to drill your own test holes just to be sure. Happy fishing![fishon][laugh]
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[SkunkedAgain]

Craig, I joined the league of spud bar this year and it’s sure a lot easier to use the spud bar for checking ice thickness as you go rather than drilling holes. If you can jab the ice hard twice and it holds you are probably safe to cross it, but everyone needs to test this on their own and find their comfort level. Just thought I’d mention that since I’d always been a drill holes as you move out kind of guy. I found an easier way this year. Later J
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[ice_sled]

My method is also easy. I find the heaviest fisherperson on that body of water. Then I follow their tracks out. Hasn’t failed me yet😊
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[SkunkedAgain]

Is that why everyone keeps following me around??? Gosh.... hate it when that happens.... It is a good idea to follow someone, in my ice goose hunting days I watched my dad fall through the ice in front of me one day... I quickly backed up and went the other way... after he got out... Ice can be funny stuff and you sure have to respect it, especially whenever there is any current at all.. Later J
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[ofishal_chris]

I was at Huntington yesterday (Tuesday).

I decided to get a spud bar for early-ice safety, but after a few whacks at the ice as I went and no water, paranoia led me to drilling with my hand auger anyway to check ice thickness.

Ice was 5" nice and clear, but there was 6" of slush on top and almost a foot of soft snow on top of the slush.

After drilling any hole, water would continue to gush out to fill the hole I made in the snow to get to the ice. I've never seen water continue to come out of the hole like that. I didn't have a shovel, but it seems like if I would have dug out a spot for my tent, it would have been filled with water after a while. It was very wet conditions.

Fishing was hot! I caught a tiger every few minutes. I was actively jigging, but caught just as many with a jawjacker set up with a small glow lure and a wax worm. I was fishing about 15' of water and could see the bottom. I loved seeing the fish come right up to my lure! That's my favorite part of ice fishing.
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[catchinon]

Thanks for the firsthand report; sounds like a great trip. Is the water level such that regular boots will keep you dry or should I take my waders? Do you mind sharing what they were biting on and where you were on the lake?
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[RonPaulFan]

I also have a simple method except with the advantage of the freedom to go anywhere without having to follow anyone. To find out if the ice is too thin, I simply walk wherever I want on the ice. If I fall through, it's too thin. Then I get out and continue ice fishing. Anyone is welcome to follow. I generally bring plenty of food to share and I always have plenty of safety equipment including extras of warm clothing and boots though more so to be able to rescue others.

Ronald

[Jmorfish]

Ron, you're killing me!
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[RonPaulFan]

[quote Jmorfish]Ron, you're killing me![/quote]

You might think my comments were my attempt at being a comedian. But, the truth is actually MORE comical. I'm serious and that is really my nature as that is really the way I think and really the kind of things I do.

Fortunately, my health and fitness allows me to get away with the consequences of my stupidity (doing what I know better and would advise others against) to do what I know has a high chance of harshness. But then, is it really stupidity since I just view harshness as opportunity to test and further develop valuable preparedness skills?

That's true about me as well because I'm often having a great time in the harshest of conditions and sometimes solving some of them with learning for the purpose of getting beneficial preparedness experiences.

Is that unusual among us? Perhaps not because we are the exception as most people won't go ice fishing -- I know because I've been inviting my friends.

An example is I've been sleeping outdoors trying various ways in the cold with thoughts of overnight ice fishing to be able to wake up and already be set up on the ice before dawn at the breakfast time for fish which I otherwise have been missing a lot.

What I've been learning will make that a fun adventure with what might be harshness for others mitigated by experience with methods and equipment.

I don't mind being laughed at for being me because I'm happy being me and often laugh at myself.

I was once laughing at a long series every stupid decision I was deliberately making being the absolute worst and opposite of what anyone else would do as I was going deeper and deeper into extreme harsh conditions that everyone else was avoiding. The odds of anyone being there was nil.

But, it had a great outcome because I found a person lost there who would have otherwise died from his poor choices in a blizzard.

Ronald

[Jmorfish]

Ron, Guluk with that....maybe you can demonstrate some of your 'extreme preparedness' techniques at an ice expo.
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[RonPaulFan]

Great idea! We can all display what equipment we have on us for preparedness. I'll bring some of the extras on that. People concern themselves with getting out once you fall through the ice, but the danger isn't over. It's good to have an extra set of clothes and boots. A Thermos full of a warm soup is also good and plenty of food is good to bring up lost body heat. If core body temperature drops too far, then it will need to be restored by warmth before the body can utilize food.

Ronald