going thru the ice

I went thru 2yrs ago and have experience as to what to do I was in the water for 50 min you can do it with some common sense.
1 make sure your cell phone is well protected so that you can call you have to do it within the first 10 min after that you will not be able to. your hands slow and make it hard to grasp

2 wear bright clothes or have something to wave that is bright. They could not see me eveen tho i was yelling and waving like crazy

3 dont panic you will be cold but if you panic you will suck in water and then your really in trouble slow your breathing down

4 dont go out by your self make sure if you go into shore that someone is aware that your going in and what direction.

5 there are a lot of products to keep you afloat life jackets and even bibs and jackets that float.in thin ice wear it

I just want people to be safe and have fun and think that you are not invinceable because if you fish a lot it may happen

Good advice. Thanks for posting!

REgarding the phone, I now use LifeProof case, which is waterproof, and this is one reason why… just in case. Also have floating jacket and bibs, hope to never need them. (I did test them though in summer, and they work)

Good advise watched my dad go in about 10 years ago late ice with 2+ feet of ice where we were at and the best thing to do is never to be alone on the ice

My buddy just went thru about a two weeks ago! Rope and a buddy are two things i wont go without! when i go out on first ice i keep a towel and a change of clothing in the truck as well!

I have been through several times early and later ice. After having issues with my back 4 years ago I bought a arctic armor suit. The following spring I jumped from a pier into the water to test the floatation. It’s pretty amazing how well it floats. I do have plastic pics in my front left chest pocket on that suit. I have not gone in since getting that suit either. But for any early or late ice encounters it’s on. Cheap life insurance for $300. With advances by striker and norfine, along with arctic armor, there’s no reason to not save up and buy a float suit.

If your looking for snow suit Joel Nelson has a XL for sale in the classifieds.

I personally haven’t gone through, but with all the new floating suits that are available now is this showing a trend?
Is it showing that to many people are taking unneccesary risks on thin ice?
and
If you have a suit that floats does that encourage you to go out earlier to take a risk?

Personally I think it’s a great idea to have floating suits for the just incase because no ice safe ice. but we all know there are guys out there that may get a little cocky and walk out earlier. But I think for early ice the buddy system combined with a floating suit is probably the safest thing you can do. My questions/ concerns ae geared more to the individual fishermen.

Also like stated above what to do if you go through is to stay calm etc etc.
But what do you think the chances would be if you go in and you “drift” under the ice and ultimatly get trapped because of a floating suit.
for those who have gone through with a suit how manuverable are you in these?

I haven’t went thru with my suit but unless your jumping onto the ice I would think the suit will automatically keep you at ice level. The only way I see you under the ice sheet would be a strong current and if that is the case odds of getting back to the hole you went thru are not good.

As far as feeling I can push the envelope because I have the suit, same as if I didn’t have it. I bought mine for my family and friends. I owe it to them to come home at the end of my adventures.

Great discussion fellas!

Here’s a link to an article in which James Holst and the IDO pro-staffers share tips for NOT going through the ice.

http://www.idofishing.com/forum/showflat.php/Number/1295331/travel-light-on-early-ice-carry-safety-tools

I would love a little more detail on your fall through fisherfool. Who pulled you out? How long were you in the hospital after being in the water for 50 mins? Were you pronounced dead?

Let’s not try to fool ourselves by saying a floating suit is going to allow us to fish less ice than we normally would. Even if you fall through with a floating suit on – hypothermia is going to take over and make it very hard to complete any simple task.

Not saying a floating suit is a bad idea (I have one myself), but I definitely do not change my thoughts because I have something that floats.

I took a dip in the St. Croix this year during sturgeon season, the water temp was 67 degrees and I thought I would be fine. Needless to say the minute I entered the water, my body started to shake, my breathing slowed down, and very simple tasks were hard to complete.

I can’t even imagine taking a dunk in 33 degree water temps…

Please be safe out there and use your heads!

a sheiff saw me with binoculars and the emergency crew came and pulled me out they threw me a ring and i knew I had one chance if i miss im done. I wrapped my arm around it and locked my hands and was pulled out I was wearing carhartts they weigh a ton you will not get out with them on .My core temp was 90degrees I spent one day in the hospital and was good to go I was told that my orgins came close to shutting down I was more then lucky

Bought my coat to help if I fall over board in the boat or to help if god for Bid i go threw the ice. My wife and friends pushed me to get one for the oh crap moment. Hope I never experiace using it other than to stay dry and warm out of the water.
Worse case I will be found if the outcome is grim.

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I would love a little more detail on your fall through fisherfool. Who pulled you out? How long were you in the hospital after being in the water for 50 mins? Were you pronounced dead?

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Excuse me if I am wrong but I’m reading some skepticism. Please watch this video completely thru and see what a professional has to say.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysnKtuUTt8k

I also hope that you didn’t misunderstand my view on the suit. There is no way I would risk unsafe ice because I have a flotation suit on. It is just there God for bid the holy crap moment would happen.

A week after i went thru Jim Hudson died when his smowmobile went thru he had all the safety equipment andleft it home treat the ice as unsafe at all times I just wanted to remind people we are all biting at the bit to get out stay safe