Crazy....

[RJ]

Bottom line fellas......you'll never convince anyone that wants to go on not to....so I won't even bother...and I won't call you stupid for doing it....I've done it many times myself..

BUT....

Wallyboss, Ever gone thru the ice?..if so share the experience with us...

I spoke to 2 people this week that have gone thru the ice...one called it the "worst experience of his life"....the other just refuses to ever go on ice again....one was on a snowmobile while icefishing....the other was icefishing...Neither of these guys would ever call it...."Just getting Wet"

Another thing to consider fellas.....we all call them "Survival" Suits....I have jumped into the lake in mine...it fills with water in seconds...don't think it adds anything to the time you can stay in water that is 32 degrees....it doesn't....unless you paid in the neighbourhood of $1000 for a real suit.....what you've bought (like me) is a one piece Floatation suit...don't get a false sense of security because you have that on.....all it will do is get you to float...(which is good thing)...but it will never save you from Hypothermia...

Just FYI fellas.....not tryin to start anything...

RJ

P.S. Boat came back out of the garage today...

[BBRich]

I've gone through the ice twice. Nothin like a little dip to wake ya up!

But seriously I am very thankful just to be alive. One time I could touch bottom, but the other time I went right under and just happened to be lucky/quick/calm enough to pull myself right back out.

[Moosebunk]

Fell off a ledge of ice into shallow water up to the nads once. FRICKIN' sucked.

Wasn't so much the water at first, but it was the getting home part after. The rubber boots filled to the brim with ice water, I couldn't take them off to run through the snow, so, I had to wear them home. It burns, it burns, it burns the feet.

[joco]

hi rj......

i did myself went tue ice 2 time.....

the first time actualy not went true but sckate back into it,,,,,i was on lake roddick skating and i felt in the hole we did to get water a 14 inch hole a hole the size that a bucket go into it,,,,,,man was i cold..... ..i was young and a lot smaller then i did enter that hole up to my thigh...so i was not completely in the hole.......

the worst part,it try to go back to the cottage,all wet and its -25 outside,,,,,,,,that was the worst part.

the seconde time,it was in a creek here in hull,,lac des fees creek,,,,,was on the creek in chirsmas time,alone on my cross crountry ski.......i went true the ice with the ski,imagine,,,,,,,,,even whit all the lentght i still went true the ice.........i went 3/4 into the hole.(just under my arm )....because i tuch the bottom ,if it was not that i might still be there.......one ski broke the other one,,,,,,,i try for like 10 min to go up my ski was stuck under the ice,,,, .i was freaking paniking big time, alone in the wood............ .......i did was able to under my bracket on the ski and went up,,,,,,,,,,again the worst part...........walk back home,,,,,1.5km all wet and freez like hell..........that was a real close call....

if it would have ben to not been deap,i would had mabe stay right there...

the fealing was..................like burning.....its so cold it burn the skin almost.................



the water is so cold,its stop your heart almost.......that is one thing that could happen....me it happen i was younger but for sombody older,,,the heart could stop.......






i lost a buddy 6 years ago,,, ,,,,,he was fishing for lakers openeing day.....on 31 miles lake..(april)...and is canoe capsize......he was to far frome shore,,,,,,,he gave is life jacket to the young guy that was whit him,and he never was able to go on shore is heart stop......because off the water to cold.......


i do no,the 14 inch hole is not a great ideal and canoe fishing in cold water to,its just for the storys.....


the survival suit is great at least,,,,,,they will find you..... .noactualy it those help it guive you a bit off a lift to go up...some guive you a bit time because off neoprene cuff and all,,,,,,depending the model ....




joco

[bucketmouth]

I went thru the ice twice this week working on the Rideau Canal. 2'-3' deep both times and let me tell ya it can be quite hair raising. The most surprising thing is how the ice failed each time.

First time (Monday), my coworker and I were on 3" of clear blue ice with some tiny spring holes in it. Our combined weight alone after standing on it for about 5 minutes had caused water to come to the surface and we soon had 2 inches of surface water. 400lbs plus the wieght of the surface water = too much weight, a big section slowly sheared and it slipped under the surrounding ice and we both went down. Had this been over 20' on the river, I might have gotten out with a good set of picks if I didn't panic. But I'd likely be a blue corpse in a bright orange suit when they found me in the spring.

Second time was yesterday (Tuesday), the mild weather had the ice completely softened and walking over about 2' of water I took one step too many on my way to grab some tools and down I went. No warning whatsoever. It just collapsed beneath me that time and I had no time to react.

Basically, early ice should be treated with utmost respect. It doesn't take long for something terrible to happen. If you go, go prepared. If you have second thoughts, stay off 'til you know there's enough ice to make you comfortable.

Be safe,
Don

[Tip-up]

It's sad to hear that falling through the ice has changed some peoples persona about ice fishing...I just don't know what to say? Someone ice fishing on a snowmobile with the weather we have had just boggles me...You think they were asking for it

I know of only one group that went out last weekend... These fellas were able to get on the ice with caution and have a great day of ice fishing...The bite might not have been as good as they had hoped for first ice, but they still managed to catch a meal and return to shore safely without incident..Are these guys stupid Nope...Careless nooo...They have probably done more reasearch and have more knowledge on the sport better than anyone I know I know this because it were these guys who got me into the sport...

I wish I could have joined you guys! The pictures were all I needed to clear the little itch that has been buggin' me through this whole transition period... I had to find a little pond myself...

A happy group of anglers...

[RJ]

These accidents did not happen this year....

[Tip-up]

These accidents did not happen this year....

Sorry, thanks for clearing that up RJ..My uncle died many years ago on his snwmobile by falling through the ice...They did not find him until next spring.. Because of that, I never had the chance to meet him..Just got to know him through memorable stories

[joco]

hey bucketmouth......


twice in one week.......

good job you got there........ ...is there a lot off guy working for that company.......if there is and your got more segnority,just send sombody helse in front....... .

but be friendly put a rope on him.....


i just hope to dont hear about anything bad this year.....i hope,.

and people dont think its NOT DANGEROUS in feb or january.......its safer a lot off place but there still a lot off place that are not safe during ALL WINTER.......

its never safe 100% all over......

i got 2 nabers that drown 3 years ago at the cottage,on roddick lake,,,,,,snowmobile again,,,,,, .......something about booz.... .


i remember going on ice last winter at wendover and see that hole on ice,,,,,,, ..(hole off a truck going true 6 days before,,,, ).......jee i was just 30 feet frome it sit in my truck thinking,,,,,,,,,,, ........it was right in the middle off all chaks and beside the ice road,,,,,,,,i never taught i would saw this.right there....hey wallyboss remember that....


joco

[Wallyboss]

Yes I went thru the ice a couple of times. Once I was a bout 12yrs old . It had been a very cold Fall but no snow. The whole lake at my Dads hunting camp was frozen. we were skating all over the Lake. One of us had the great idea of skating up the creek to the beaver dam, bad move. the water from the beaver dam fed into the lake and you guessed it, I fell thru. wasn't my fault I was going for a pass, we were working on our hockey stick control on the way up.

The second time was in the spring trout fishing on a lake in the Calabogie area. We put the canoe in the water i got in first and then when my buddy got in we quickly figured out that the canoe was on a rock and because I was the heaviest of the two I'm the one that went over. It sure was a chilling experience.

Nice picture there Tip up, that camera sure takes nice clear pictures. Wish I had one like that.


Dan aka WB

[Wallyboss]

yes Joco that was wild. But like Gil said it is a known spot. So guys any body going to fish in Wendover when you get on the ice at the minnow shack and heading towards the Nation please follow the tracks if there is no tracks wait and ask a local . If nobody around , when you get on the ice stick close to shore. Don't start cutting across right away even if there is a lot of Ice Shacks out there.

My buddy in Wendover tells me that there is a difference of a couple of feet of ice from the tracks where everybody goes on and 20 feet away. your best bet is to ask or follow a local. Or ask at the baitshop.

By the way if you ever go to Wendover and there is nobody at the minnow shack, right beside the door there is a Bell that you can ring just by pulling on the rope beside it and in 2 minutes the guy will come down, he lives right up the hill from the shack.

Dan

[joco]

that place was almost in front off the boat launch.....

but there was truck and chak all over like realy close to that place...

somtime if your not local,,,,you dont no.

that hole was just beside the road like 30 feet is to mutch said look more 20 foot,,,,,realy close to the road,,,,,and people still past beside it,,,, .

wen it come to me and my truck on ice...........i think twice and mabe 3 time.......


joco

[Kpin]

It's never happened to me but I've seen survival video's and the way the cold water seems to cut off your ability to breathe from the shock, best described as a kick in the ribs, one said.

Just saw yet another warning in regard to ice on the news tonight, followed by a warning to be carefull of fire, hot xmas lights and how somehow during the holidays accidents go up by an incredible rate.

Now, I may be sounding insensitive here but these things seem to be common sense. Ranking right up there with warnings on snowblowers or lawnmowers to not put hands or feet in places that will obviously leave you without appendages.

I know alot of you guys are craving getting out there but I'd like to think you all have a healthy respect for not pushing it and common sense. The ice will come soon enough...and stay even longer...(than I'd like at least).

Be carefull out there gang, no one wants a tragedy around the holidays.

[Wallyboss]

KPin I like your take on the Snowblower warnings.
. Hey I'll start a post on this

Watch for it.!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Kpin]

Sadly your prob right Wallyboss. Accidents will always happen and it's a shame. It's the dumb@ss, obviously preventable ones that are truly sad, when they never needed to happen. "Acts of God" + pure flukes don't count.

Was refering to the preventable ones....like the everpopular...keep hands, face, (basically whole body) from rapidly spinning fan blades when in use.

Silly comparison but rem. when we were all told NOT to touch that metal pole with our tongue during sub-zero temps and did it anyway? Just to go home teary eyed, chunk of tongue left on the pole unable to speak properly and when mom finally figured out what you were saying, gave ya a smack for pulling such a dumb@ss move.

Sorry, I've off-topic'd the thread. Appologies gang.