Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations Ice thickness

I've been swimming thru the ice (well, actually swimming once), wet up past my belt 2x and played a Cecil - although I kept my boot once. I slipped on the bank of a pond last week and got wet up to my pants pockets.

Being cold and wet is one thing, having to try and haul yourself out of the water up onto the ice is another. Yes, it is quite a shock to the system!

I've been fishing on ice that was glass clear, and at the most 2" thick. No snow whatsoever on the lake. I didn't try to walk out to the center of the lake (1/4 mile across) but I was out in 7' of water about 200' from shore, and the pucker factor never wore off all day long. It was more interesting to slowly walk along and see the whole bottom of the lake. Visibility was probably 10'.

You can walk on thin ice by sliding your feet along and keeping some weight on both feet at all times. Thinner ice can be walked on that way than if you took normal steps. I found out that tidbit of information the hard way..........

And I think 2" of ice can hold more than 200# or both Mike and myself would have been swimming that night.

When the auger went thru, we both looked at each other with wide open eyes and withotu speaking a word to each other we both moved apart and to shore. I don't know who was scared more, me or him. Neither of us had picks or any safety devices with us, the ice was thick enough, right Mike?