What’s everyone’s preference for walkable ice?
Was scouting on some 2-3″ the other day and the cheeks were puckering with every crack under the feet.
Heard that the ice is thicker away from shore early on bc the ground keeps the shore ice thinner, any truth to that?
Needed to gauge the spud bar so feel good about what that handles now.
I’m comfortable fishing with just my flasher and rod on 2″. Once 4″ hits, I’ll bring my 1 man along. Once find 6″+, I will bring my small ATV and bigger houses. The difference for me, my early ice spots have some current, so thickness can vary.
Comfort is such a personal choice.
Few thoughts.
Best phrase I’ve heard: Do you want to risk your life for a fish you’ll throw back in the summer?
Risk assessment
Fish with partner, spud bar testing every step, ice picks, life jacket, and roped up like glacier travel. Lower number
Fish alone or no safety protocols besides beer. 6+ inches
3 inches might be fine but a few feet over it’s less, then sploosh. Margin for error needs to be a factor
When I see a bunch of ATV’s on the ice, that’s when I go out. If people are only walking out, then it’s just a spectator sport for me.
It really depends on the ice quality and temperature. 1.5″ of clean COLD ice will hold a fair amount especially not too far out from shore, my main concern there is ice sagging. But, the strength of ice changes with temperature, the closer it gets to 32 deg the softer it is and the less weight it can hold. If its less than 2″ i stay in water that i can stand in generally and i use my spud bar everywhere. Snow cover also has a lot to do with ice quality, last weekend where the ice was bare i had 2″, there was about 1/2 inch of snow on some areas and i threw a spud right through that stuff with little effort. It really isn’t worth a large risk for a few fish, be careful and use your head.
On early ice I won’t go unless I have a buddy with.
#1
Risk assessment
Fish with partner, spud bar testing every step, ice picks, life jacket, and roped up like glacier travel. Lower number
But if I am bringing my son with I go with what eelpout says.
When I see a bunch of ATV’s on the ice, that’s when I go out. If people are only walking out, then it’s just a spectator sport for me.
x2 I walk once the ATV’s hit the ice, and drive out once there are plenty of other vehicle’s tracks or a road to follow. So to answer your question 6+” and I’ll start walking. Most years this means waiting a week or two longer, which is fine by me.
2-3″ on a cold day. 4″+ on a warm day.
Spud bar every other step until 6″.
There’s more risk for my life on the way to the lake.
first ice is a team sport. Remember you want two guys to help one in need. Going solo on 2-3″ is not smart. Remember that if you go in that others are going to have to risk their lives to save you. Finally your gear… Float suits, ropes, pics, whistle, spud, and a phone.
Comfort is such a personal choice.
3 inches might be fine but a few feet over it’s less, then sploosh. Margin for error needs to be a factor
This.
I lean towards 4 inches. At 3 inches there’s too good a probability that your next step will be on less than 3.
It really depends.
3-6″ with a spud bar, ice picks, striker suit, and a small sled that has rods, flasher, auguer, tackle.
8″ of pretty consistent ice and an ATV.
18″ of ice just to consider driving, and I am scared sh!tless doing it. 24-30″ before I would consistently drive. It’s been since I believe March 2014 since I drove on the ice. For most lakes I fish, I have no problem being the only vehicle in the parking lot and driving the ATV a couple miles with the sled attached.
Dinking around with questionable ice isn’t worth it. We’ve learned that the hard way this year (I thought I heard we’ve lost 4 people so far this winter in MN, but it’s at least 2 that I know of for sure).
I used to be out there early every year. Fun, put the biggest walleyes of my life topside on early ice, but I could’ve held a dime between my cheeks without dropping it the whole time I was out there. Now, I have two young kids under 3 years old. The higher possibility of a 30″+ doesn’t even come close to outweighing the possibility of them growing up without their father.
This time of year ice is GENERALLY thicker close to shore-skinny water cools and freezes first and has more of a chance to get thicker. The opposite happens in the spring.
3 inches and I go slow and check about every 10 yds.
I don’t even own a spud bar. I don’t go out till there is lots of atv and snowmobile traffic on the lake. 8″ is a comfortable number for me.
The older I get the thicker the ice has to get!!!
The older I get the thicker the ice has to get!!!
Same here. When I was in my early 20s and in shape, I fell through a few times. Now that I’m in my 50s, fat, and out of shape, I need a lot more ice.
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