ICE FISHING SAFETY

Ice fishing safety is the single most important thing to consider before going. You will often see people with one ton trucks with 35 foot fifth wheel trailers in tow out on Southern Alberta Reservoirs.

Ice fishing safety should always be in your mind when on the ice, many people become to comfortable ont he ice and that is when things go wrong.

The strongest ice is always blue in color and clear or transparent. I never venture out onto the ice until there is at least 4 inches of good solid blue ice.

There are some general guidelines for safe ice thicknesses. They are as follows.

2” – 4” of clear blue ice – A single person or multiple people in single file

5” – 6” of clear blue ice – A group of people or a single quad or snow machine

7” - 9” of clear blue ice – A small light truck or passenger car – 2 tons Maximum

10” of clear blue ice – A medium duty truck – 3 tons maximum

12” of clear blue ice – A heavy duty truck – 8 tons maximum

16” of clear blue ice – 12 tons of weight

18” of clear blue ice – 20 tons of weight

20” of clear blue ice – 25 tons of weight

30” of clear blue ice – 70 tons of weight

Colored ice, white ice or ice that is porous has a weight limit of at least half of what clear blue ice has. White ice is generally safe for a vehicle if there is 12 inches of it but never venture onto unfamiliar waters or around a lake without constantly checking the thickness of the lake.

Ice fishing safety can change when fishing because Ice thickness can vary greatly over a lake, lakes and ponds often have springs or gas pockets in them that will not allow the ice to freeze or it will freeze very slightly. Never drive or walk on ice that looks unsafe or looks different from the rest of the ice on a lake.

Never go out on a river with flowing water running under the ice. It becomes very unstable and dangerous.

When driving on an ice covered lake drive very slowly to avoid flexing the ice surface. Always drive with the windows down, especially in a vehicle with power windows. If you do fall through the ice you don’t want to have to break a window in sub zero weather to get out of it.

Whenever you are pulling a lot of weight out onto the ice, follow a long ways behind anyone else, and drive at a very slow rate of speed. And before you leave the tracks of the person in front of you very far, drill a couple holes to check ice thickness.

If you see open water in an area it doesn’t mean the lake is unsafe, just stay away from those areas, and be cautious about driving on the lake near those areas.

Always tell someone where and when you are going fishing, always call after you get back on the dry ground, let your loved ones know you are safe.

Always consider ice fishing safety! It's your life at stake!

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