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Member
Posts: 2680
Location: Essexville, MI./Saginaw Bay. | Got A REAL CHILL yesterday while ice fishing. And so soon after fishing guide Jim Hudson's tragic accident on Lake Superior it makes me wonder how I ever avoided some serious accidents myself in my younger/more carefree expeditions on the ice.
I Met my buddy at Northwoods Wholesale Outlet in Pinconing at 6:30am sharp yesterday morning. Picked up shiners there because it was closer to his house and our fishing destination. We were the first 2 vehicles to arrive and parked right on the ice. It was -4 degrees when I jumped on the back of my buds 4 wheeler for the short 2 mile ride out. Riding behind on the rack and being a tad higher up and exposed then him, the wind chill was brutal even at a slow speed. We jumped on the main trail out and ahead in the distance, I could see 4 very huge ice pile up's that blended into the clouds on the horizon. That along with the shoreline outline made it look like we were riding into a very huge canyon or sorts. We got to our spot, drilled 4 holes into 16+ inches of ice and began setting up. My bud then pointed and told me that only a little ways past and to the right of the ice jams was open water the day before when he was fishing and did so well. The frigid over night temps and the fresh snow made it all blend in almost seamlessly, so knowing this recent fact was priceless in case we wanted to re-locate.
Anyway's we started to catch a few very nice perch but the action slowed quickly by 11:00am. So around that time I stepped outside to take care of some business. I see this guy clipping along off the main trail on a snowmobile at about 50 MPH as he passed us maybe 100 feet away. He was heading right to where it was open water the day before. So I ask my bud how far he had to go before he hits the new ice and right then the sound of his machine changes drastically. I watch his progress and can now see a very distinct black line being created behind his machine by open water as the guy now really get's on the gas hard. His machines azz end is breaking through and he knows it. His machine is screaming now with only the front ski's, and his tracks speed and momentum keeping him up. But still he's slowly making a very long and wide circle and barely makes it back to safe ice. If that guy would have went down where he was, there was no way we could have helped him. Maybe with a 911 phone call and that's about it.
This is the type of thing and the circumstances we talk about here on the board a lot. This guy was very lucky for 1 that he was not on a 4 wheeler and 2 that he was not pulling anything behind his machine when this happened. And very lucky he simply did not let off the gas when he realized he was breaking through. 
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Member
Posts: 113
| i got chillls reading your post. Last year I went thru with a 4 wheeler I was in the water for 50min and when someone realized I was missing and called 911 I was almost to the end. I hung on body core temp was 89 so I was almost done I had been preaching safety and then it happened to me I was on 14 inches of ice. when i WENT OUT a car and truck went out infront of me each vehicle had 3 plus kids in the vehicles I was heading back to pick up a friend on the same path the ice gave way I jumped off spread eagle and still went thru. I wish someone could come up with a life vest that you could wear over the parkas and heavy clothes I would be the first to wear it. consider the fact that when we are on the ice there are spots that we go over that are only a couple of inches next to 20 inches. I now have artic armoour and the 4 wheeler will be getting j wheels so that the atv floats I want everyone to enjoy themselves but always be aware that things can go wrong in a second |
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Member
Posts: 2680
Location: Essexville, MI./Saginaw Bay. | Absolutely Fish N Fool.
A part I didn't mention in the post was that even though the new ice was fersh frozen and lighty snow covered, a trained eye (even from a distance) could see that it was darker then the thicker/older ice around it. But I surely didn't make this post to keep people off the ice. Ice fishing has given me some of the best fishing memories of my life. But a mans inner senses have to take in and be at full awareness whenever he heads out on any ice. And it seems every single body of water has it's own distinct characteristics and dynamics after it freezes. There are so many learned lessons, things to watch out for and self taught rules to both share and abide by when ice fishing, even the mistakes when made and written about can teach and maybe save some lives. |
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Member
Posts: 2300
Location: Berlin | I had my fair share of problems on the ice and have zero interest in stepping on it again BUT if I did I would be wearing one of these:
http://www.idigear.com/arcticarmor.php
I would hate to be clinging to the edge of a hole as I die thinking I should have spent the money on one of these suits. You can be the smartest most careful guy out there and still have an incident. |
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Member
Posts: 113
| Rich I had a set ordered the fire trucks and ambulance held the ups driver up didnt matter i was in the water be aware the suit will only keep you p so long ntil it gets satrated by the way i bought my wife a set too I still think there shold be a life jacket that can be worrn over the suit |
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