Can't anyone walk out anymore? I see this so often the last few years. Walk and check ice as you go. Better yet, wait for better ice. Cold swimming

Totally get it- NOW. Back in my younger years I took chances, stupid chances. Folks- IT'S NOVEMBER!!! Even with record cold and such doesn't mitigate the warmth lasting in many lakes. It takes time , not just record cold, to remove that heat. Walking is one thing with a spud bar, driving a 4 wheeler or such across unknown / unchecked ice in NOV is asking for problems.

the temps/conditions have really gone up and down the last couple of weeks , way to unstable , even for walking in the metro area IMO(smaller lakes maybe), temps above 32* the next few days.

Some people like playing roulette. While I was out checking lakes last weekend one of the lakes I was at only had 3" at the access and someone was walking across the middle. If you are going to go out on the ice this time of year you really have to take the time to check the ice as conditions can change so quickly. Some areas have good ice right now but you can't just assume there is good ice everywhere or on every lake.

Yikes, the guy who went into the water was 49 years old, plenty old enough to know better. I was expecting him to be 19 years old, one of those "immortals' who are fifteen times more likely to die an accidental death than their female counterparts.

Like I said so many people who own ATV's they have to drive on to the ice and use them, even if they only have to walk a block.

Pinetree: "Like I said so many people who own ATV's they have to drive on to the ice and use them, even if they only have to walk a block."

Ever look at a lot of those folks? Laziness and stupidity often go together...

That said, good, solid ice was commonplace on smaller lakes by late November when I was a kid in the 1970s, and ice fishing was pretty common by Thanksgiving.

Young folks have NO IDEA how winters have changed in Minnesota during the past 30-40 years.

I LOVE paddling a canoe. I have paddled several times in chop that perhaps I should not have attempted. Everytime I successfully land my canoe after these ill advised paddles, I chuckle to myself that at least I won't be ridiculed on the news or the internet as the idiot that should have known better.

Sure, at 49 yo he should have known better. Had he died, we might even have suggested, "He died doing something he loved". Let's just say, his passion overwhelmed his reason. I suspect we've all been there. We just got away without ending up on the news.

OCDave: "Let's just say, his passion overwhelmed his reason. I suspect we've all been there. We just got away without ending up on the news.


"

That's a good way of putting it. Thin ice isn't quite the same as choppy water though. One is gambling that something outside your control is safe, and the other is gambling that your skill is sufficient enough to pull you through. We do all do risky things at one time or another though.

Seems like it happens every year. I call it the "Trio of Minnesota Idiocy". Someone falls through the ice well before it's ready, probably in a vehicle or ATV. Someone shoots themselves/someone else deer hunting in some ridiculous way. And someone goes for a run in shorts/t-shirt when its -25º and gets frost bite.

As the expression goes.... "If they had brains they would be dangerous".... another is in reguards to Darwinian selection...

dr bob

35 rescued

Pinetree: " 35 rescued "

This happens more than you’d think too. For a while I recall people dragging boats with them in case. I remember the one time a guy was rescued but his four wheeler went the way of the Fitzgerald.

Pinetree: " 35 rescued "

With this being rather common in this area, I'll never understand why these fishermen don't drag an aluminum canoe to haul their gear instead of those plastic sleds????

nctry: "

Pinetree: " 35 rescued "

This happens more than you’d think too. For a while I recall people dragging boats with them in case. I remember the one time a guy was rescued but his four wheeler went the way of the Fitzgerald. "

Yeh I remember a time or two fishermen were rescued by choper and left snowmobiles and 4 wheelers behind.

The Great Outdoors: "

Pinetree: " 35 rescued "

With this being rather common in this area, I'll never understand why these fishermen don't drag an aluminum canoe to haul their gear instead of those plastic sleds????"

Yeh or a little flat bottom boat.

I know anglers tell when they were in portables they knew they were in trouble when their line was horizontal with the ice and the ice was moving. they were trolling.

Pinetree: "Like I said so many people who own ATV's they have to drive on to the ice and use them, even if they only have to walk a block."

Twenty years ago a guy would venture out with a six pack, a five gallon bucket that doubled as chair and somewhere to put the dozens of fish they caught , a chisel, and a jig stick. Contrast that to today when someone goes out they have a twelve pack, a flip over shelter, a heater and propane tank, a sonar unit, an underwater camera, a power auger, a GPS, a rod bag with six spinning rods, and a tackle box with 5000 different jigs, and a 5 gallon bucket for fish that more often than not goes back empty.

nooneuno: "

Pinetree: "Like I said so many people who own ATV's they have to drive on to the ice and use them, even if they only have to walk a block."

Twenty years ago a guy would venture out with a six pack, a five gallon bucket that doubled as chair and somewhere to put the dozens of fish they caught , a chisel, and a jig stick. Contrast that to today when someone goes out they have a twelve pack, a flip over shelter, a heater and propane tank, a sonar unit, an underwater camera, a power auger, a GPS, a rod bag with six spinning rods, and a tackle box with 5000 different jigs, and a 5 gallon bucket for fish that more often than not goes back empty."

Agree the old chisel was standard along with your 5 gallon bucket. Hardly nobody fishes without a Vexilar ice sonar,except a few using tipups.
Yes the old white Bunny boots if you were lucky at that time.

nooneuno: "

Pinetree: "Like I said so many people who own ATV's they have to drive on to the ice and use them, even if they only have to walk a block."

Twenty years ago a guy would venture out with a six pack, a five gallon bucket that doubled as chair and somewhere to put the dozens of fish they caught , a chisel, and a jig stick. Contrast that to today when someone goes out they have a twelve pack, a flip over shelter, a heater and propane tank, a sonar unit, an underwater camera, a power auger, a GPS, a rod bag with six spinning rods, and a tackle box with 5000 different jigs, and a 5 gallon bucket for fish that more often than not goes back empty

Don’t where your point of reference is, but you don’t make much sense /

personal experience

Don’t be a sissy! The thinner the ice the better the fishing! Don’t be a sissy and miss great fishing opportunities!

primitiveguy: "Don’t be a sissy! The thinner the ice the better the fishing! Don’t be a sissy and miss great fishing opportunities!"

I was out on Yellow out of Webster over the weekend, 9" of clear hard ice they will be driving out by next weekend guaranteed.

Pinetree: "

nooneuno: "

Pinetree: "Like I said so many people who own ATV's they have to drive on to the ice and use them, even if they only have to walk a block."

Twenty years ago a guy would venture out with a six pack, a five gallon bucket that doubled as chair and somewhere to put the dozens of fish they caught , a chisel, and a jig stick. Contrast that to today when someone goes out they have a twelve pack, a flip over shelter, a heater and propane tank, a sonar unit, an underwater camera, a power auger, a GPS, a rod bag with six spinning rods, and a tackle box with 5000 different jigs, and a 5 gallon bucket for fish that more often than not goes back empty."

Agree the old chisel was standard along with your 5 gallon bucket. Hardly nobody fishes without a Vexilar ice sonar,except a few using tipups.
Yes the old white Bunny boots if you were lucky at that time."

Leave it to a guest paddler to mess up the text. Haha! Or should I say Huh huh!
Living next to a landing I’ve seen it all. Yep, we thought we had our ice castle when the first portables came out. Now if they don’t trust the ice to a 30’ trailer they go somewhere else. This year I’ve been impressed at people’s patience. All the impatient ones must have gone to Duluth to fish. Haha.

not yet folks

< careful folks

Know your area