Rescuers prep for ice fishers

[Hamilton Reef]

Rescuers prep for ice fishers
Departments get ready for lifesaving efforts this winter by testing new gear.

As temperatures drop, law enforcement officials in Macomb County are preparing for the potential dangers of the upcoming ice fishing season.

http://www.detnews.com/2004/macomb/0412/08/C05-27000.htm

[IceFishingManiac]

Have any of you ever had to be rescued on St. Clair?

[RichP]

Someone should now write the article "Ice Fisherman on michigan-sportsman.com begin to prepare their arguments for not having to pay for being rescued."

sorry, couldn't resist. :p

[WILDCATWICK]

May they themselves have a safe season. I think we all apreaciate what they do. It's unfortunate that a few of us sportsman give us all a bad rep becuase they go out on unsafe ice. :bash:

[WALLEYE MIKE]

May they themselves have a safe season. I think we all apreaciate what they do. It's unfortunate that a few of us sportsman give us all a bad rep becuase they go out on unsafe ice. :bash:

Just as people who don't know how to drive and yet are behind the wheel. There are idiots everywhere.

[shadow7663]

Just as people who don't know how to drive and yet are behind the wheel. There are idiots everywhere.
What about those that are educated and the ice is in a safe condition and an unexpected storm brews such as the one in 99 and blows the ice out. That doesnt make anyone an idiot! These things happen it doesnt matter how safe you are, how many precautions you take, eventually the inevitable can happen and thats what these (rescue units) people are here for.

I cetainly hope THAT NOBODY has to go through the horrific experiance that those went through back in 1999.

I am not posting this as a flare or to stir the pot but merily just to point out that no matter how much caution you may use it doesnt make you "SAFE" Sometimes anything can and will go wrong. Just hope that someone is there to help you

[WILDCATWICK]

What about those that are educated and the ice is in a safe condition and an unexpected storm brews such as the one in 99 and blows the ice out. That doesnt make anyone an idiot! These things happen it doesnt matter how safe you are, how many precautions you take, eventually the inevitable can happen and thats what these (rescue units) people are here for.

I cetainly hope THAT NOBODY has to go through the horrific experiance that those went through back in 1999.

I am not posting this as a flare or to stir the pot but merily just to point out that no matter how much caution you may use it doesnt make you "SAFE" Sometimes anything can and will go wrong. Just hope that someone is there to help you


There are a couple of different types of ice fisherman. Ones who will only go out when there are "safe conditions" and those who know it's "risky" and go anyway. Already on this website there have been talks of going when there is first ice and they were discussing 1". Last year there were several people posting pictures and these people were with in a very short distance of open water! These are the idiots that give us the bad name. I say charge em.
In reguards to what happened in 1999. These things will happen. To blame anyone is wrong. Accidents will happen. But going out on 1" of ice and falling thru is not an accident. :bash:

[WALLEYE MIKE]

What about those that are educated and the ice is in a safe condition and an unexpected storm brews such as the one in 99 and blows the ice out. That doesnt make anyone an idiot! These things happen it doesnt matter how safe you are, how many precautions you take, eventually the inevitable can happen and thats what these (rescue units) people are here for.

I cetainly hope THAT NOBODY has to go through the horrific experiance that those went through back in 1999.

I am not posting this as a flare or to stir the pot but merily just to point out that no matter how much caution you may use it doesnt make you "SAFE" Sometimes anything can and will go wrong. Just hope that someone is there to help you

Yes "accidents" do happen. But watching the weather report before going out is important. A storm just doesn't come from nowhere. It may be calm in the morning but if there are calling for 30mph winds, you know its coming sometime. In that case I stay home or real close to shore.

[shadow7663]

As often as the weather forcast is wrong for all we know the forcast for that day could have been for zero wind, sunny and 10degrees. As many people that were rescued that day(I think 30) and the other people(many people) that made it off the flow just in time I find hard to belive that none of them didnt watch the weather.

Just curious as to what you call close to shore? 50 yrds,100, 200,300 yrds 1/2 mile?

That ice that broke off near metro in 99 was less than 300 yrds from shore

[salmonslammer]

I was out there that day in 99 ..... I knew that the front was coming in and I knew what the winds were going to be doing... I made my friends, that drove 150 miles, pull lines and haul butt once the winds changed direction and started picking up. Since we were on fish, they weren't too happy about it but I was venomitly insistant about it and they finally gave in. We were sitting in the bar when the floe broke loose. If I would have given in to them and wanting to stay, we would have been out there too. No subsitute for experience.


The most important thing you can do before going out there is check the wind direction. It is the primary factor in moving the ice around. We all know that the long term forcasts are pretty much a shot in the dark, but the short term forcasts are pretty accurate. LSC can get pretty mean sometimes, doesn't matter what time of year it is. I hope that we don't have any rescues this year, but you know it's just a matter of time.

As far as charging for rescues.....What do my tax dollars go for??? It's part of the gig. That's why they are called accidents...Nobody sets off thinking that they are going to need to be rescued. It's still our responsibility to reduce the odds

[WALLEYE MIKE]

As often as the weather forcast is wrong for all we know the forcast for that day could have been for zero wind, sunny and 10degrees. As many people that were rescued that day(I think 30) and the other people(many people) that made it off the flow just in time I find hard to belive that none of them didnt watch the weather.

Just curious as to what you call close to shore? 50 yrds,100, 200,300 yrds 1/2 mile?

That ice that broke off near metro in 99 was less than 300 yrds from shore

I don't trust weather forcasts 2 day ahead of time. But a weather forcast the morning of I would saw is 98% accurate. I follow the weather for my business everyday especially in the winter(for snow). I just take the local forcast off your favorite radio station and dismiss it. WWJ will have accurate forcasts for the day along with local TV stations. I normally listen to WOMC for instance and laugh when they give the weather. Very generic. Maybe I just know where to look for accurate forcast.

Close is determened by how fast I need to be off incase something does come up. It is not a certain predetermed distance. Every instance is different.
But if 30mph winds are forcast, you bet I won't venture out.

[Ed Michrina]

You Ice fisherman better stop knocking other ice fisherman. There is enough of that on the news about ice fisherman. They all- (everyone who doesn't ice fish)- thinks WE are all idiots just being on the ice, makes great news. Carefull for what you wish for and never say (NOT ME).

First you will see people getting charged then The CG or what ever town ship you put in at will tell YOU when there is safe ice and when they will let you access the lake---- most of them would say 12" is safe . Lets start our season then???? good Idea????

Some of you guys are giving ice fisherman a worse immage, by bashing us in public, than the guys that go out on one inch of ice. Fine job.

I think down hill sleding and skies are to dangerous, more people die doing that and Snow sleds and 4x4 that go over 35 mph are dangerous more people die doing that in the winter. I could go on and on.

Carefull for what you wish for and don't be so quick to judge, your fellow ice fisherman. If we don't stick together, you won't like the results.

[Fried Fillets]

Well put Ed, very well put! That ice fishing article had some good safety tips too. Now I wish the weather would stay warm or get frigid, but either way the freakin' wind has got to STOP!

[WALLEYE MIKE]

I agree with Ed. Wished the article was neither printed or posted here.

[WILDCATWICK]

Some of you guys are giving ice fisherman a worse immage, by bashing us in public, than the guys that go out on one inch of ice. Fine job.




Well I completely disagree. I'll bash anyone that goes out on 1" of Ice. IF you and others want to "support" their stupidity I think that is a poor decision. I for one will never say it's O.K. To go on that thin of ice!

Accident will happen. I have no problem with that. My sister went thru the ice and almost died right in front of me. We were on snombiles. The ice thickness was about 10" everywhere. Except thru the snowdrift that she went thru. That is an accident. If there is 10"'s of ice there will not be many incidents...maybe none. But when you go out on 1" of ice there will be a hell of a lot more incidents.

I also would not support someone on 1" for the following scenario. Friend of family memeber calls and say's theres ice about 1" in our usually area. He says lets go. I'm busy and can't go but suggest that he goes with out me (see I'm supporting this) then he finds someone else to go with and they both fall thru ice that was questionable to begin with. I will not live witht the guilt of me supporting what led to his death! I'm sure other friends and family would not be to happy with my support of them going either.

I have known several people who have died thru the ice. One was what I would call accidental and I stated as such. ANother one was a couple of dumb as*es being where they shouldn't. And it killed them. ONe survived our of three. He even states it was dumb. He lives with a tremendous amount of guilt.

I support safe ice fishing. All should. I don't support unsafe ice fishing. I don't support going on ice 2" or less. I don't support going ice fishing alone. I don't support people ice fishing near open water. I'm shocked that you guy would...or don't you really :confused:

Supporting the things in the last paragraph would be like supporting an unsafe hunter. A hunter who drinks before they hunt. Shoots without knowing where the rest of the party is. Runs with a gun not on safty!
Hey but were all hunters we should support everyone of them! :bash:

[Ed Michrina]

[QUOTE=WILDCATWICK]
Accident will happen. I have no problem with that. My sister went thru the ice and almost died right in front of me. We were on snombiles. The ice thickness was about 10" everywhere. Except thru the snowdrift that she went thru. That is an accident. If there is 10"'s of ice there will not be many incidents...maybe none. But when you go out on 1" of ice there will be a hell of a lot more incidents.Quote:

Its kinda funny you bring this up. When I'm using an atv on the ice I keep my partner in the sled on well beaten tarils. If I travel through new snow or "snow drifts" I have the passenger get out and spud the way out. Its still easier than draging the stuff. So in a way I think what you did was carless almost as bad as going out on 1 inch of ice. PS I'm glad your sister is ok. We all have our thoughts of what is safe. I'm sure the 1" of ice is more like 2"s and over 1 to 3 foot of water. The kind of stuff you break your way to the shore 25 foot away.

As far as drinking and hunting I agree 100% that is illegal. Ice fishing is not. Well not yet anyhow. keep pushing it.

They will start by making cars ect illegal to travel on the ice. then they will work on our sleds and atv's and go on from there.

It's incredible how fellow sportsman knock legal fishing and hunting pursuits because others don't do it like they do?

PS I wear a $400 survival suit. Do you? Do you even wear a lifevest? It's a good idea but I wouldn't knock someone who didn't wear one, and I certainly wouldn't push the envelpoe and bash legal ice fisherman who don't wear one. next thing you know the dnr will be giving our tickets for not having your safety equipment. life jackets, flares, light, ice spikes, compass and an audible device. You know how the world works today, be carefull how you spew your opinion, you may not like the results.

[Anger]

One thing I have learned about Ice conditions is that no ice is ever safe. I had a friend fall in when the Ice averaged 15+ inches. I fish on my lake and surrounding waters when the ice is 1 inch or close thick but only because of therse rules!
1) don't ever go on Ice or a body of frozen water that you are not familiar with.
2) Never wear thick clothes and always untie your boots first.
3) Always have a partner-never go alone. Never stand close to each other.
4) Always fish the morning shift -Ice is harder than at mid day after the sun comes up; as with the temp.

[Ed Michrina]

good tips angler. Welcome to the site.

[WILDCATWICK]

It's incredible how fellow sportsman knock legal fishing and hunting pursuits because others don't do it like they do?

Let me just clarify a few things. My sister went thru the drift. Not me. Stupid on her part. She didn't know better. This happend when we were young. Yes it was stupid.

Yes, I will knock and I think everyone should knock and not support the anglers and hunting that do obvious legal unsafe practices. You picked one of my examples that was illegal but how about the others?
Once again I ask, you support and condone people who go on 1" of ice? People who drive a truck on 3" of ice? people who sit right next to open water on thin ice? :bash: Hunters who run with a loaded gun and safty off? Hunters who fire their weapon without knowing where the rest of their party is? :help:

Come on. How else are these people ever going to change their habit if fellow sportsman don't say " hey going out on that ice today with it being 1" inch all by yourself was just plain stupid!" If you say"oh yeah well how did you do? You must of nailed them the fishing is alway great when it is at it's most dangerous...I wish I was there." How is that ever going to help?

Sorry Ed. Just don't see it and I don't know that I ever will.
Nice tips Anger there are alot more that could be added. Maybe it would be nice if we start a newbie tips page on this site! But when I see someone making what I feel is a possible life threatning mistake, your darn tootin I'm going to let them know. It's better than them dying. How can you deny that? :confused:

Oh yeah, When you say "keep pushing it" and Carefull for what you wish for and don't be so quick to judge, your fellow ice fisherman. If we don't stick together, you won't like the results.

I say the same to you. Because having ice fisherman practice safty first will do more to keep ice fishing around than allowing a few dumb *****eS to keep ginving us the bad press. The bad press comes from those dumb *****e$, not from people like me who are judgmental and voice it!:sad:

[shadow7663]

Boy did this thread go in the wrong direction!!!!!!!!!!

GOOD GRIEF!!!!!!:rolleyes:

[WALLEYE MIKE]

Your right shadow, I'm closing this thread because its just not going nowhere. All had some valid points.