FISHINGNUT Posted December 19, 2007 Report Share Posted December 19, 2007 I know they say 4" is generally safe for ice fishing ,But this is the first year I have my own set up a .I have a 4 man clam 6800 aprox 100lbs plus gas auger and gear and there will be three guys in the hut for Saturday .How thick do you think the ice should be before I head out on it?.I called the place we are going and they said they have 7 to 8 " of ice as of today.Even if it warms up by the end of the week I would think thats enough ice?What do you guys think? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Posted December 19, 2007 Report Share Posted December 19, 2007 click here for chart Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fisherman Posted December 19, 2007 Report Share Posted December 19, 2007 Never mind how thick the ice is, how big are the guys? 7-8" inches, as long as you're not doing a "Lew" snowdance, go for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
douG Posted December 19, 2007 Report Share Posted December 19, 2007 Plenty, as long as there really is that much ice. That would be enough for a sled or 4X, but leave the big truck parked on shore. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danc Posted December 19, 2007 Report Share Posted December 19, 2007 It depends a lot on the quality of ice. All ice is not created equal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
huntervasili Posted December 19, 2007 Report Share Posted December 19, 2007 Yup... Should be fine as long as it is infact 7" of ice rather than 3 or 4 black ice and the rest slushy or airy ice Be safe and have fun Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clampet Posted December 19, 2007 Report Share Posted December 19, 2007 Pay close attention. This is what you do. If you want to be absolutely sure you wont break through the ice. Buy a long handled axe. Chop the ice as you are walking. A good swift chop. That should penetrate about 2-3 inches. As long as the axe doesn't go right through, proceed. When you swing the axe and it goes right through, stop. It is no longer safe to proceed. I was taught that by a dear friend of mine, awhile back. We kept going even when the tip of the axe went through and the water seeped up through the crack the axe made. But when he chopped and the axe went through easily, we turned around and went home. The next few days of cold was enough to freeze the river sufficiently to go safely. When you are fishing on 2" of ice, the water comes up slightly out and around your fishing hole as you approach it due to your weight. It is a bit unerving, but hey, you're the one that wants to go out fishing early in the season. Usually the fishing is quite good at first ice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted December 19, 2007 Report Share Posted December 19, 2007 3 inches Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigfish1965 Posted December 19, 2007 Report Share Posted December 19, 2007 We're talking about ice here, Rich, not.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uncle Buck Posted December 19, 2007 Report Share Posted December 19, 2007 We're talking about ice here, Rich, not.... Classic Rick, Classic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OhioFisherman Posted December 19, 2007 Report Share Posted December 19, 2007 I`m waiting for the next ice age! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whopper Posted December 19, 2007 Report Share Posted December 19, 2007 Two or three cubes and a couple fingers of Crown Royal in a short glass will do ya Happy Holidays! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nautifish Posted December 19, 2007 Report Share Posted December 19, 2007 I just got back from up north 3 1/2 hrs north of north bay. They were allready out on the lakes with the snowmobiles........Crazy just crazy.. My heart was skipping beats just watching them: ......Its gotta be atleast 40 inches thick for me to feel safe.....lol.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FISHINGNUT Posted December 19, 2007 Author Report Share Posted December 19, 2007 Thanks for all the input .Looks like 80% chance of rain now Saturday Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uncle Buck Posted December 20, 2007 Report Share Posted December 20, 2007 the rain is actually a good thing... it'll pack the snow down and make it freeze quicker... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mistyriver1 Posted December 20, 2007 Report Share Posted December 20, 2007 the rain is actually a good thing... it'll pack the snow down and make it freeze quicker... Hope you're right Goran. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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