Ice fishing and methane pockets.. a warning

bessiedog · #1 11-12-2021, 06:40 AM

Last couple of years the Oldman dam had done 2-3ft areas that pretty much stayed open all year…. Until the -20-30c temps come around…. Then you couldn’t find them. Essentially creating man traps.

I met a fellow last March that actually fell through the inch thick Ice hole… he was the only one in the lake but managed to pul himself out….. one lucky dude!

I just about fell victim to a hole as well… and quite honestly to this day I DON’T know why I didn’t go through……

So, in anticipation of hard water season… perhaps we should share spots to beware…..

Oldman Dam Resevior … North fork boat launch area… there’s 5 or six of these spots so watch yourself.

bezzola · #2 11-12-2021, 07:23 AM

I know first hand thats its scary as hell a few years ago i went into one on my quad. I could see water all around me. I had to be pulled out then hook a truck to the quad.

gube · #3 11-12-2021, 12:05 PM

Lots of them on slave lake. Seen some big enough to swallow a house. These were from little grassy going to cut bank across the lake.

AlbertanGP · #4 11-12-2021, 12:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gube

Lots of them on slave lake. Seen some big enough to swallow a house. These were from little grassy going to cut bank across the lake.

That area is fairly well known by the locals. You should never cross Lesser Slave alone or without everyone well spaced out and prepared.

AlbertanGP · #5 11-12-2021, 12:20 PM

I'm not sure if it's methane or not, but Sturgeon Lake has an area stretching from the overflow campground at Young's Point Provincial Park all the way around the point to the boat launch that is a no go zone for most of the locals. A fellow in my subdivision drowned there not that many years ago, and I know several stories of icy plunges or near misses from that area. I went over there last year and while there was decent ice in February, there was also a constant stream of gas bubbles rising on the Livescope. It is fishable, and I see sleds tearing across it fairly regularly, but people should be aware.

Sundancefisher · #6 11-12-2021, 12:30 PM

Not a methane pocket but under the Wabamun trestles is a death trap after a hard freeze and a skiff of snow.

Ice goes from 3 feet thick to 0.5 inch in a couple feet. Crazy.

Even worse there is a current that pulls you under the thick ice so yikes. My dad saved a boy there one year. Belly crawled as the kid drifted towards him and before he slipped under the ice… grabbed him by the hoodie and pulled him onto the ice.

The dad walked over. Screamed at the boy. Took him to shore and put him in the truck with the heat on and went back to fishing. Never thanked my dad.

Always wondered if the kid remembers and fished again after that.

Sundancefisher · #7 11-12-2021, 12:34 PM

Any reservoir can have air pockets especially along the shore line as water levels fluctuate. Cars and quads can break through as well as people walking.

I had fun one year in the spring as the day warmed the snow melted. At the end of the day as I went to leave I couldn’t climb the sloped ice around the reservoir.

I couldn’t walk or crawl.

I eventually, slowly using my ice scoop as a mini chipper pulled my self up the slope to the shore. Plus scooped water and chipped ice out of a hole and flung it up the slope to create some grip. As the temp dropped and it was freezing it helped also.

Not scary but dam annoying.

Pressure ridges are also very dangerous.

Zip-in-Z · #8 11-12-2021, 12:57 PM

Dec 24, 2019 outside the entrance on Marina Bay on Sylvan, there was approx. 5” of poor ice over a loony bubbling bottom. Stay the hell away from this area, this guy wasn't the first, there were a few others over the years that went down in this area.

This guy went down on March 11, 2020 on Sylvan in the Palm Bay area which is located in the northwest side of the lake were there is normally 26-30" ice. I'm told there's more than one spot on Sylvan that either has a spring or similar methane sketchy ice. I've never seen anyone mark these area's, guess that's the risk of drivin on the ice.

D.

58thecat · #9 11-12-2021, 02:07 PM

Someone’s got their poop pipe running out into the lake....rich people

Red Bullets · #10 11-12-2021, 02:16 PM

Closer to Edmonton Wizard lake has methane pockets too. The lake narrows down 2 miles west of Jubilee park on the east end. This is the area to be careful around. One spot closer to the south side of the lake does not always freeze too.

Howard Hutchinson · #11 11-12-2021, 02:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zip-in-Z

Dec 24, 2019 outside the entrance on Marina Bay on Sylvan, there was approx. 5” of poor ice over a loony bubbling bottom. Stay the hell away from this area, this guy wasn't the first, there were a few others over the years that went down in this area.

This guy went down on March 11, 2020 on Sylvan in the Palm Bay area which is located in the northwest side of the lake were there is normally 26-30" ice. I'm told there's more than one spot on Sylvan that either has a spring or similar methane sketchy ice. I've never seen anyone mark these area's, guess that's the risk of drivin on the ice.

D.

>>
This would be an interesting process to watch from the sidelines. Feel bad for the pick-up driver. Man oh man. Gutsy fella with the winch truck as well hey? Big premium for his services I bet

Supergrit · #12 11-12-2021, 03:34 PM

Little McLeod (Pegasus) lake the north east corner has gas pocket makes thin ice. I tried to get signs permanently put out there. I was drilling holes two years ago and went from 15 inches to like 3 with in couple feet between holes. I knew the ice could go bad but didn’t know it was that bad I will never go back there again.

patrol1957 · #13 11-14-2021, 09:25 AM

Gave up Ice Fishing years ago and i dont miss it one bit

Quote:

Ice fishing and methane pockets.. a warning

Scary stuff

graybeard · #14 11-14-2021, 10:53 AM

If I recall correctly, Lake Newell swallowed 4 vehicles last season.

Two I know for sure....some kids on a S x S quad late at night and a truck and trailer doing a spring removal.

Kokaneeranger · #15 11-14-2021, 11:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AlbertanGP

That area is fairly well known by the locals. You should never cross Lesser Slave alone or without everyone well spaced out and prepared.

Lesser Slave is peppered with these open pockets. Snowmobiled from Joussard to Big grassy a few years back and ran into an open pocket about a mile out that was about 6’ in diameter. On a different trip in March, a large group of us left Andrews after a day of fishing and sledded back to Joussard. About a mile and a half from Shadow Creek marina we came upon an open pocket that was probably 40’ in diameter. Be cautious guys and stay alert!

AlbertanGP · #16 11-14-2021, 11:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kokaneeranger

Lesser Slave is peppered with these open pockets. Snowmobiled from Joussard to Big grassy a few years back and ran into an open pocket about a mile out that was about 6’ in diameter. On a different trip in March, a large group of us left Andrews after a day of fishing and sledded back to Joussard. About a mile and a half from Shadow Creek marina we came upon an open pocket that was probably 40’ in diameter. Be cautious guys and stay alert!

I lived in Slave Lake and Joussard for years and I don't think you could pay me to drive across that lake...definitely not alone or without others who have some "ice savvy". Where you mentioned the 40' open water sounds about where I used to pass over a sunken ice shack heading out from the old Joussard marina to Big Grassy all the time.

LUNKDAWGEH · #17 11-14-2021, 07:43 PM

I've heard the South end of Newell can be really bad for methane, but the lake is treacherous in general. Usually multiple deaths per year.

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