01-18-2011, 02:29 AM
When the water in a lake rises, keep an eye on the shore where you are accessing the ice. Look for a gradual slope. If the ice does break at least you will be in shallow water that you can turn around and wade back out of. If it's a steep bank the water will be over your head imediately.
Scofield usually rises in the spring. I've taken hip waders, waded out to the hard deck and stepped up on 24"+ of ice. Switched to boots, fished all day, threw the waders back on, stepped off the ice and waded back out. Not for everybody, but it works for us. Watch the spring ice though, as it can start to deteriorate from the bottom. When it does game over till next year. Not worth takng any chances.
One year we built a rock bridge out to the ice at Echo. We almost got caught getting off though. The water had gone up or the ice shifted and we had to make a big jump to our rock bridge. Sometimes it's worth a little wading at the end of the day[:p]
Don't do anything your not comfortable with. I always have someone with me to pull me out when the edges get mushy. Watch the other fishermen...especially the heavier ones like me! Let them test it first.
Slow friends for bear hunts, and heavy friends for ice fishing...it's a rule!
IceAndFly
[signature]
Scofield usually rises in the spring. I've taken hip waders, waded out to the hard deck and stepped up on 24"+ of ice. Switched to boots, fished all day, threw the waders back on, stepped off the ice and waded back out. Not for everybody, but it works for us. Watch the spring ice though, as it can start to deteriorate from the bottom. When it does game over till next year. Not worth takng any chances.
One year we built a rock bridge out to the ice at Echo. We almost got caught getting off though. The water had gone up or the ice shifted and we had to make a big jump to our rock bridge. Sometimes it's worth a little wading at the end of the day[:p]
Don't do anything your not comfortable with. I always have someone with me to pull me out when the edges get mushy. Watch the other fishermen...especially the heavier ones like me! Let them test it first.
Slow friends for bear hunts, and heavy friends for ice fishing...it's a rule!
IceAndFly
[signature]