Lakes Will Soon Begin Freezing,
Ice Anglers are Urged to Use Caution
Iowa Department of Natural Resources
LEWIS – The recent warm
spell may cool hopes for an early ice fishing season, but winter
weather is not too far away. As the lakes begin to freeze, ice
anglers will be itching to get out.
"People always want to
hurry to get on the first ice of the year," said Dale Anderson,
recreational safety officer for the DNR and an experienced ice
angler. "You really need some good, cold weather over a period of
time to get a good layer of ice."
Ice fishing is an
excellent social activity, but anglers should never assume the ice
is safe, Anderson said. "It would be wise to cut some test holes
on your way out, especially if there is some snow on the ice
because you don’t know how much ice is under the snow," he said.
For early season ice fishing, he recommended taking some rope or
other device that could be used to rescue someone. It would also
be a good idea to wear a life jacket.
"I know anglers who will
not go on the ice unless it is at least six inches thick," he
said. "And I know anglers who are chomping at the bit to get out
on the first ice. There are no certainties with ice fishing; ice
thickness can vary from place to place on the same lake. There is
a certain amount of risk involved whenever you walk out on the
ice."
The Lumberman’s
Association and other sources have tabulated ice strength figures
and what load it can support, based on ice in good condition.
1 inch of ice – not safe;
2 inches of ice – one
person on foot under good conditions;
3 inches of ice – group in
single file or spread out;
4 inches of ice – general
use;
5 inches of ice –
snowmobiles;
7-1/2 inches of ice – car
(2 ton gross);
8 inches of ice – light
truck (2-1/2 ton gross);
10 inches of ice – medium
truck (3-1/2 ton gross).
Blue ice is stronger than
clear ice. Clear river ice is 15 percent weaker than clear lake
ice. Use caution around clear or honeycombed ice and stay clear of
dark spots in the ice. Don’t walk into areas where the snow cover
looks discolored.
