Another Ice Tragedy

Apparently a two males, a 20 year old and and 18 year old, went through the ice on Blackwater Lake near Hackensack yesterday evening between 5 and 6 pm on an ATV. The 20 year old called 911 and crews were dispatched using his cellular location. He was still in the water when rescue crews arrived and was pulled out and treated for Hypothermia then transported by helicopter to the hospital in St. Cloud. The search for the 18 year old continued through the evening and into today, but the search today has reportedly ended. Reports say that the ice was only 1 to 2 inches in the area they went through. So tragic.

I know I thought I was bulletproof at one time, tested it way too many times. Please make an effort to remind those who either don’t know better, or those who think it won’t happen to them, how much sorrow and pain the people they leave behind will suffer if tragedy strikes. I know that may be harsh and may not be the appropriate method for every single instance, but I think it may hit home with the force necessary to spark caution in at least a few so they will consider learning more before venturing on the ice.

My grandson texted me today about going on the river Saturday to fish. I told him no, I didn’t think the ice was safe plus the currant situation. His birthday is today, he turned 15, I would like to see him make some more birthdays.

Thoughts and prayers for those 2 families. These things always happen right before Christmas it seems.

Unfortunately, social media plays a role now in that everyone has to be the first one out for the validation and likes/views. “Yo, yo, yo, it’s your boy, out here on first ice…”

Fish bite all year around. Marginal/sketchy ice conditions aren’t worth dying over for fish. My wife would probably have an anxiety attack as well if I choose to make a selfish decision to go out and risk it all on thin ice. My wife cares about me, those fish sure as hell don’t.

Very sad. I have the bug too, but waiting a couple days will make a huge difference.

3 guys drowned fishing in a boat below the Mississippi dam near Bellevue’ Ia over the weekend. They were in a restricted area below the dam when the boat capsized and they were sucked under by the under/back tow.

My brother in law and a first cousin both push the limits early every December.

At one point, several family members tried to reason with them to wait a week or two. They weren’t having it. Told us to “watch our own bobber.”

People value personal freedom here. If they choose to make decisions like this, that’s their business. I don’t agree with it, but I am not going to argue or reason with them anymore about it. I don’t see it any differently than wearing a PFD or a motorcycle helmet. It’s strictly personal choice.

The incident posted above is tragic, unfortunate, and also preventable.

Stay safe

Gim…..getting outta bed can be tragic……..but i agree with ya….for the most part.

you werent ever young and a wee bit foolish risk taker back then. and i’m not advocating this is OK…..its Definitely a bad deal for all involved.

Update: The 18 year old’s body was recovered at 12:55 pm today.

I know people with that same mentality – they don’t want to be told what to do or think. That’s why I suggested getting them to consider the feelings of others. If that crosses their mind at all, they may re-evaluate, and that could make the difference between blind ambition and proceeding thoughtfully. It pays to instill this in them as early as possible, but probably not worth pushing it beyond the point where they no longer even listen anymore. I have tried to imagine how horrible the family must feel during one of these recoveries, and that is my motivation to say how I feel to people I think need to hear it.
They don’t need to never go on the ice, they just need to know what ice they can venture onto safely.

I went through the ice in my early 20s on a snowmobile I had purchased days before. It was dark out and terrifying. In hindsight it was incredibly dumb.

Sad to hear when it happens to others, especially when it’s a tragic outcome.

They don’t need to never go on the ice, they just need to know what ice they can venture onto safely.

Problem is other than the ice in my cocktail there is no safe ice.

mojo wrote:

I know people with that same mentality – they don’t want to be told what to do or think. That’s why I suggested getting them to consider the feelings of others. If that crosses their mind at all, they may re-evaluate, and that could make the difference between blind ambition and proceeding thoughtfully.

It’s the stubbornness personality trait where every decision made in life is the right one, even if in reality it’s a poor choice. They play the “watch your own bobber” and “my freedoms” card to mask this defect. No one is telling you what to do, it’s just advice on making a rationale decision…one human being (gasp) caring and looking out for another.

We been fishing for over a week. I think what you meant was to teach them how to safely check ice conditions especially early and late in the season. Doesnt have to do with freedoms and being stubborn.
Some people are just idiots though and they are untouchable. Ice saftey is a much more important teaching then telling them just to stay off. If that were he case i wouldn’t ever go on the ice, my dad’s told me not to my entire life, just like gims family member, I ignore him and smile. I preach and teach my kids ice saftey, I do it on the ice while we check lakes and first start venturing out. Which has been a week now.

Well said bearcat. Being safe on early ice is not difficult. Education and safety should be the focus for kids just like we do with firearm safety. Preaching avoidance is not the answer.

I do not know of anyone who has died who was using proper early ice safety. If these kids drove on to 1-2 inches with an atv they were clearly being careless. Tragic indeed.

The earlier you teach some one proper saftey, the longer it’ll be with them. It’s never to early to teach kids saftey, weather it be ice, gun, out side playing solo or whatever it may be. As well as it’s never to late to teach and preach to some one who may not no better. My dad’s told me all my life I’m crazy for some of the things I do, especially ice time. But to this date I’ve never had a incident. And that’s because I practice what I preach

Ryan Schwartz wrote:

Unfortunately, social media plays a role now in that everyone has to be the first one out for the validation and likes/views. “Yo, yo, yo, it’s your boy, out here on first ice…”

Fish bite all year around. Marginal/sketchy ice conditions aren’t worth dying over for fish. My wife would probably have an anxiety attack as well if I choose to make a selfish decision to go out and risk it all on thin ice. My wife cares about me, those fish sure as hell don’t.

A++ post right here…

at the VERY LEAST, if you’re gonna go out on early ice, wear a float suit and spikes…

JoeMX1825 wrote:

at the VERY LEAST, if you’re gonna go out on early ice, wear a float suit and spikes…

My son has gone out 3 times already. He has a floating suit, my studded Korkers, ice picks and a spud bar. He has been seeing up to 8 inches of ice on the small areas he has fished.

I don’t remember social media when I was a kid, but I sure do remember the early ice bites

i used to be one of them guys…..no issue going out on 4 inches of ice. not anymore gotta be 6 plus.i’m leaving friday morning for the cabin…..i’ll be by myself. fortunately this cold snap will bring thicker ice up there by then. i also wont be traveling over any water deeper then 10 ft. the lakes i plan on going to…..i’ve been ice fishing for 40 plus years.

same in the summer……….i spend alot of time up there by myself. when i go to a lake with the boat………its got whitecaps……i dont fish it that day….

glenn57 wrote:

i used to be one of them guys…..no issue going out on 4 inches of ice. not anymore gotta be 6 plus.i’m leaving friday morning for the cabin…..i’ll be by myself. fortunately this cold snap will bring thicker ice up there by then. i also wont be traveling over any water deeper then 10 ft. the lakes i plan on going to…..i’ve been ice fishing for 40 plus years.

same in the summer……….i spend alot of time up there by myself. when i go to a lake with the boat………its got whitecaps……i dont fish it that day….

Are you 11ft tall? Not sure why staying in shallower than 10ft makes any difference. Maybe easier to find the body?

Just another preventable tragedy. Don’t tell kids to stay off the ice. Teach them how to be safe on the ice.

Find out where the funerals are for these kids that have drowned and take your kids to them. Let them get a gander of the body in the box and simply say “thin ice, you choose”.

nope not 11 ft tall. like i said i’ve fished these same lakes for 40 plus years… ice tends to be thicker in shallow water early season!!!

yea i know every year is different……….i have a history with those bodies of water…..

i’m not getting into it……..

Jimmy Jones wrote:

Find out where the funerals are for these kids that have drowned and take your kids to them. Let them get a gander of the body in the box and simply say “thin ice, you choose”.

Or…… take your kids to the lake and show them how to check ice and be safe…..
Or we can keep scaring the kids back inside to play video games instead.

Dutchboy wrote:

Problem is other than the ice in my cocktail there is no safe ice.

Betting you could choke on that.

Bearcat89 wrote:

I think what you meant was to teach them how to safely check ice conditions especially early and late in the season.

CaptainMusky wrote:

a floating suit, my studded Korkers, ice picks and a spud bar.

This is the way.

I used to think I was invincible too, until a couple scary/dumb choices were made. Now I start walking when people are taking ATV’s out, ATV’s/snowmobiles when people are driving vehicles, and I drive out when there are established roads to follow.

Tragic story that could have been prevented. I try to teach my kids about ice safety and explain why we can’t go sometimes even tho others are out on the lake. My son was on red Sunday with some friends. Resorts were allowing ATV’s and had roads staked. Even with all that they were finding thin ice. One spot they set up in had 8in on one side of the house and 4in on the other. You just never know especially early ice.

BigWerm wrote:

Now I start walking when people are taking ATV’s out, ATV’s/snowmobiles when people are driving vehicles, and I drive out when there are established roads to follow.

This is exactly what I do too.

I would agree there is no way of knowing ice is 100% safe on an entire body of water, so getting people to take precautions and make informed decisions is all we can do. Learn from others and check it often.

I am shocked that the lake where this incident took place had areas of only 1-2 inches of ice – lots of people have been on decent ice for over a week in that area of the state. Two guys on a 4 wheeler had to have started out on good ice, maybe a current or spring in that area prevented better ice formation, but that’s the kind of thing people need to learn about ahead of time. For those with the “Stay in your own lane” attitude, I have no problem telling them I don’t want to go to their funeral too soon.

Be aware that a float suit will push a person up against the underside of the ice if they have any momentum when they go through. Still way better odds than without, but it’s not the same as going in with a PFD in open water.

You can tell people what ever you want. But if you don’t teach saftey then your words are nothing more then just words.
My dad used those words for many years to scare me but I realized if it were up to him then nothing would be done in life, every thing can be scary without the right precautions. Using 2 senseless kids who didn’t use caution and rode a atv in to thin ice is nothing more then a teaching lesson on how to do such a thing safley. Just blaring the ice isn’t safe anywhere is nonsense.

I think that particular lake has springs.

Another update: The 18 year old (Blake Herman) was the adopted brother of the 20 year old (Dylan Wheeler). Dylan had lost his sister to a car accident last summer, and another brother last Christmas Eve. That’s more than a rough patch. Feel bad for him.
The family has set up a Gofundme. I’m sure you can find it if you care to help out.