New to ice fishing

[MaxxiD]

I searched the forum already and didnt find much help, also I like you guys

Went to Chain lakes last week and there was another guy there who gave me some pointers, got a few bites but never managed to set the hook

My main concern with this new endeavour though, is ice thickness. It was about 5"-7" when I was there, but this week is going to be warm. My optimism has me thinking that it will be below 0 longer than it will be above 0. My cautious side is wondering if these freeze/thaw conditions are going to undermine the integrity of the already "thin" ice.

All advice on this topic is very much appreciated

Be safe

[Remps17]

It’s good to be asking these questions instead of just risking it. We will be loosing some ice, I have no idea how much. I would be taking a spud bar out with you and check ice thickness as you walk. Clear ice good, white ice bad. What thickness people walk on is up to them but I wouldn’t be walking on less then 4”.

[MaxxiD]

Originally Posted by Remps17

It’s good to be asking these questions instead of just risking it. We will be loosing some ice, I have no idea how much. I would be taking a spud bar out with you and check ice thickness as you walk. Clear ice good, white ice bad. What thickness people walk on is up to them but I wouldn’t be walking on less then 4”.

Thanks for the info. Just to clarify though, if the ice is white or cloudy, it is probably weak? Clear ice is stronger?

[58thecat]

Originally Posted by MaxxiD

Thanks for the info. Just to clarify though, if the ice is white or cloudy, it is probably weak? Clear ice is stronger?

clear is stronger and just be careful of snow covered ice too....

http://www.outdoorsmenforum.ca/showt...safe+thickness

[AlbertanGP]

Welcome to the sport.

Watch for overflow as well...when you step and sink through snow into water lying on top of the ice. That also greatly weakens ice early on. You will see it as large grey areas right now. Just stay away from that stuff completely if you're new to the sport. Be aware that daytime temps slightly above freezing in the absence of strong sunlight and/or wind aren't as detrimental as you might think. It was warm last week as well and all the lakes up by me still managed to make another 2" of ice during the week.

If you want some tips on Chain Lake, shoot me a PM. My parents had property at Whispering Hills on Baptiste Lake for many years, and we made regular trips out to Chain.

[Scott N]

All good advice mentioned above. I was going to say something similar to what AlbertanGP mentioned - the shortness of the days and lack of sunlight makes a difference at this time of year. Unless it gets really warm and stays warm over night for a period of time, it's usually the top inch or two of ice that is affected, and that's usually the white ice to be cautious of.

Always be cautious and use your best judgement - it's easy to drill holes at this time of the season, so drill some test holes to check thickness once you're on the ice.

[HuyFishin]

If you’re nervous then wearing a life jacket will help if you’re uncertain about ice conditions. Better safe then sorry


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[The Fisherman Guy]

Welcome to Hardwater Fishing!

As mentioned above, the lack of sunlight and long nights of below zero temperatures are all good at building ice. It's warm wind that eats ice more than anything.

Last year, on a solo overnighter on a Southern Alberta lake, the temperature rose significantly, well into the plus side of zero - and after dark. This was shortly after the ice was drivable, with 15" of good clear ice to drive on.

Around 2am, I awoke to a full on downpour. Pouring rain and some intense winds. This lasted for more than 3 hours, and I began to worry that I might sink alongside my truck. Being so worried about it, I fell back asleep.

The next morning, I exited my tent to find the ice in good shape and truck still on top. Total ice loss was less than 1/4".

Just be mindful of ice conditions, and play it safe. No bites are worth your life.

[LKP.80cal]

HuyFishin, that is no doubt one of the smartest things I have ever heard mentioned on this site. Great advice, for beginners to experts alike.