Ice safety

[jonesnforfish]

I am always wondering what I can do to make my trips safer. I am the gear head of my group of friends so I gladly bare the burden.
I always have:
Ice spikes
spud bar/ chisel (to check ice thickness)
two floating cushions
two 30 foot ropes, with floats, in throw bags
(one for my sled and one for a buddy, just in case I go in, I don't want all the rescue stuff in only my sled)
always walk one in front of the other with 15-20 feet between you.
extra clothes, chains, and a battery jump start in the truck.
Also two different people know where we are going. I have check in time and a another time for them to panic / call somebody to save me.


Here is a link on what to do if you fall through the ice.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysnKtuUTt8k
I post this each year as a reminder. Every newbie that I take gets to enjoy this clip.
Lets have a safe year on the hard deck.

I would also like to invite others to please post their safety gear and tips.
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[thefriends03]

Awesome! One can never stress this enough. Thanks for sharing.
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[LurkinLizard]

Great tips, thanks jonesn. Do you have the self-rescue ice claws? I wasn't sure when you said "ice spikes" if you meant the crampon thingies that go on the bottoms of your boots so you don't slip, or the ice claws. I've attached a pic of ice claws. Essentially they're a section of big dowel or broom handle big enough to make a handle, with a heavy hard nail driven into one end. Then you cut off the head from the nail and sharpen that end, so you have a spike. Make a pair of these. Then you put a cord between them and hang them around your neck, that way if you go through you can grab them and use them to claw your way out.

Anyway to your tips I would add, if someone DOES go through, don't approach them, or you may easily go through too. Your floatation cushions (or whatever anyone has to throw to them) hopefully has a loop, so even if the person is starting to get so cold they can't grab, they can hopefully put the loop under their arms so they can be pulled out.

Once they are out, they should stay flat and ROLL away from the breakthrough, back in the direction they came from. That ice supported them up 'til they fell in, so they know it's strong enough to support them. Once they roll away far enough from the hole, they can get up and get off the ice and get warm.

If a person doesn't have the ice claws, they can still get out on their own. It just takes staying calm. Get to the edge where you came from, put your arms up on the ice as far as you can reach, and then get flat as you can like you're trying to float. Then use your legs to kick like you were swimming, holding on to a kickboard or the edge of a pool. That should give you enough momentum to get out. Again, ROLL away from the edge.

If you do get too weak to get out on your own, keep your arms reached up on the ice as far as you can. Your sleeves should freeze to the ice, which will keep you out of the water and give you that much longer to be rescued without going under.

Probably the biggest tip is to stay calm. You actually have more time than you think you do before you start getting weak. Keep your brain plugged in and make every effort count, and you should be okay.

Except for the ice claws, these are tips I learned in my EMT class.

Hope this helps. []

Stay safe everyone! Can't wait for the hard water!!

PS--LOVE your link to the video, they also had us watch that in our EMT class!
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[Jazzperch1]

great info, you cant stress safetey enough on the ice.
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[DeadI]

Very good info. Thanks for sharing.
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[JLW]

I bought a pair of those ice spikes. They do not cost very much. My problem is I am always too excited to get fishing I forget to dig them out and hang them around my neck. I always thought it would be a good idea on thin ice to have a rope tied around the guy walking in the lead and just let it drag behind him. It would save some time if you ever went through and if you went all the way under there is a chance you would not come up in the hole you made. Fishon
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[Enlightened_One]

Edited. Please refrain from posting if all you have to say are negative things.
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[jonesnforfish]

Ice spikes / Ice claws, I have the same thing. When I am really nervous I run my spikes down my sleeve, so they are right there in my hands. The last time that I did that was 1st ice @ Scofield on 2 1/2 inches. The rope has a loop on it and I cut a 10 inch piece of pool noodle on it so it floats. I also have a carabiner attached to the other end to keep it on my sled or hook it to me so I don't throw the whole bag. I could hook the carabiner to the float and throw it.

Enlightened one... I am not going to be a victim of Darwinism... I would rather be the guy the has a problem and gets himself or his friends out, then be the dork on the news that search and rescue has to save. (Or worse) I have been on the east side of Mantua with 6 inches of clear ice. I was using the bar and put it right through a thin spot with 2 inches of thin ice. We were checking it and were able to backtrack. Not a big deal, but it could have been.

No worries I am a self admitted gear head and I am seeking qualified treatment. But my minimum list still stands. Everyone be smart.
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[Bigben32]

Great reminder and tips. Thanks for sharing.
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[Enlightened_One]

Edited. Please refrain from posting if all you have to say are negative things.
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[LurkinLizard]

Better to have it and not need it, than need it and not have it.

Sorry you think we "Westerners" are laughable but my kid(s) go fishing with me, and I'd pack in and pack out twice that amount of equipment to make sure my daughter(s) are safe.

I don't know what area you're from that makes you think you know better than "Westerners" but I'll give you a bit of a hint, okay? There are a lot of springs in Utah, including in the lakes and reservoirs. This includes warm springs. YOU CAN'T TELL through the ice where they are. You just walk along to find your spot, and all of a sudden instead of being on 6 inches of clear ice, with a couple inches of snow on top, you're on half an inch with a couple inches of snow on top.

Jonesn's list isn't all that crazy.

I was raised by a backwoods New Englander, and he doesn't laugh at preparedness or having extra gear. In fact he's the one that always calls after me as I head out the door to go fishin'--"did you bring an extra pair of shoes and socks?" ("Yes Dad, and the gas tank is full, and I also have a spare jacket, and extra firewood!")
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[Fishrmn]

I have a "Redneck Chisel" by Eskimo. It DOESN'T go through 2 inches of ice. At least not with one punch. I was on Huntington on the 31st of November. We were on some sketchy ice. The spud bar was used as we walked along. When it went through on one punch, we stopped going any further. It didn't take any longer to get where we were going than it would have without the spud bar. But it wouldn't have taken any longer to walk out on ice that would support you for a second or two and then let you fall through either. If you don't think it's worth 35 bucks and a little bit of effort to check the thickness of the ice as you walk out on early ice don't buy a spud bar. I fished on Rockport Reservoir about 15 years ago on ice that was about an inch and a half thick. I didn't take a spud bar or auger. I was busting a hole with the heel of my boot.
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[Enlightened_One]

Edited. Please refrain from posting if all you have to say are negative things.
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[smittyts]

Your user name says it all. . . .
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[CoyoteSpinner]

[quote LurkinLizard]Better to have it and not need it, than need it and not have it. [/quote]

Amen Brotha! If I had a nickel for everytime I've quoted that to my kids. Yet - the boy STILL wants to leave the house w/o a jacket when it's 10 degrees outside.

[url "http://www.bigfishtackle.com/forum/Utah_Fishing_Forum_C55/Utah_Fishing_General_F58/gforum.cgi?post=704546;forum_view=forum_view_collapsed;page=unread#unread"]This post [/url]includes a link to a youtube video that demonstrates the methods described above on what to do. Take home lesson - chill out, don't panic!

Ah - enlightened one - I see you're spreading your goodwill and concern for your fellow angler - again. All I can say is - I'll let YOU go first! You are a spud bar!
I'm thinking I found a [url "http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z9zY3nxZBmE"]video of you taking a Polar Bear Plunge[/url], no? Well almost. Maybe [url "http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i3N04Z3W4uc"]THIS [/url]attempt?

Yup - us "westerners" are a bunch of sissies compared to a mid-westerner like yourself. I snapped this shot of ya on 'early ice'. You are tuff!
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[CoyoteSpinner]

[quote smittyts]Your user name says it all. . . .[/quote]

I was actually thinkin' he otter change it to "Antagonistic_One" [url "http://www.bigfishtackle.com/cgi-bin/gforum/gforum.cgi?post=704984"][/url]

Just look for him at the next Darwin Awards.

PS: Thanks for taming the shrew Fishkillr!

[Enlightened_One]

I've done what you have pictured there with the kid at the edge of the ice. Safe if you know what you are doing. Hammered the walleye with such a tactic.

I've had Utah folk freak out when I drive out on the ice with an ATV. Some have even stopped to ask me if what I thought I was doing was safe. I asked them how much ice there was......They said over 18 inches of ice. I laughed and drove off. I'd drive a truck on 18 inches.

It is easy to watch a video and ok, just don't freak out or panic. I'd love to see that when someone goes in unexpectedly.

Fact of the matter is, if you're smart you won't go in.
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[jonesnforfish]

I was out at an undisclosed location in Idaho yesterday and was using my chisel. you were right I was over estimating. I could punch through 3" of Ice with two hard hits.
We had a good day, the fishing was slow but somehow it kept our interest. This was my first hard deck fish of the year... 24" and 5lbs...I still haven't wiped off the .
Thanks to all those who do their best to keep things civil here, both Mods and members.
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[hatucat]

I've never been fishin on the 31th of November, however, I can tell you that thin ice is scary. Once at East Canyon I went up to my waist and I thought I was a goner. I know how fast the depth changes there. Be careful on this new ice.
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[patstarfish]

Beautiful fish man. One thing I really enjoy about fishing (and hunting and hiking etc.) with you is that you are always well prepared and never stupidly overconfident. We've had some gnarly outings and always come back in one piece.

PS: I am his "qualified help" regarding the gear obsession and can attest that he is not improving.
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