# Be careful out there.



## Catherder (Aug 2, 2008)

https://kutv.com/news/local/man-rescued-after-falling-through-ice-at-mantua-reservoir

Early ice can be a lot of fun, but be careful out there. Mantua often has "bubblers" of gas release which causes thin spots.


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## taxidermist (Sep 11, 2007)

I saw the news clip and the wife tells me...."That had better not happen to you". Early ice is fast action for what's under it for sure. I'm not as daring anymore and I'll sacrifice possible fast action fishing for a thicker deck to stand on.


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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

Foreshadowing? I was literally looking at rescue throw bags on Amazon when this story broke. I'm very skittish early in the year when ice is thin... 6" is minimum, I like a good foot.

-DallanC


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## Jedidiah (Oct 10, 2014)

There's been times where I have one hole that is six inches next to another one that's four, makes me wonder if you can't also have four next to two. Five seasons into ice fishing now and I find that I'm more cautious than I was at first, probably because I've been lucky enough to be standing on ice that is sagging under 200 lbs of me and another 100 lbs of gear and managed to get off of it safely. Have to say though, the scariest thing ever was stepping on a soft edge on a steep slope and going almost up to my chest and still not feeling the bottom.


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## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

There are always those who will push the limits of ice thickness. I usually don't start ice fishing until January and even then if I am the first one out onto the ice I'll drill a few test holes just to check the thickness of the ice. I have driven past a few areas where there are fishermen out on the ice and I have thought that they were Darwin candidates sooner or later. 

The same can be said for late season ice fishermen. Those who take a 2x12 plank just so that they can get over that section of open water to the ice. No thanks.


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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

About 5 years ago I was on Currant Creek when a guy stopped on a snowmobile near the inlet river and went ker-plunk. Lucky for him the water wasn't super deep where he was... and the rest of his party was right there with him and got him and the sled out. We were 400 yards away and ice was over 14" at our spot. 

-DallanC


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## Vanilla (Dec 11, 2009)

Catherder mentioned the "bubblers," or springs out there on Mantua. They always cause there to be a little thinner ice in areas. You definitely need to be careful. 

6 inches is when I start feeling safe, even though I know I am "safe" on 4. I fished Mantua one time with 4.5-5 inches of ice and there was a bit of a butt pucker factor, for sure. 

I love 20+ inches on Scofield, it doesn't even make me nervous when the ice pops at that thickness. Drilling with a hand auger in that type of ice isn't the most fun, though. That's the whole reason I bought a power auger!


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## Catherder (Aug 2, 2008)

Vanilla said:


> 6 inches is when I start feeling safe, even though I know I am "safe" on 4. I fished Mantua one time with 4.5-5 inches of ice and there was a bit of a butt pucker factor, for sure.


Does that mean you won't be joining me for a "fish taco" run tomorrow at UL?


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## backcountry (May 19, 2016)

I'm looking to head up to Panguitch tomorrow but I'll be bringing my fly rod so I don't commit to pushing myself into dangerous conditions. I've got my safety gear and really nice spud bar but this will be the earliest I've gone and I'm rightfully nervous.

Worst case is I cast a few flies. I'll probably bring the fly setup for a while. It's just too easy to become committed because of the drive time and excitement not to bring a Plan B along.


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## taxidermist (Sep 11, 2007)

In the 80's we were at Fish Lake and the ice was clear as glass near Twin Creek. Pucker factor was extremely high walking out!! After drilling the 1st hole it was 7" thick. I felt safer but it was spooky walking on glass.


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## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

Come next month some need to come fishing with me up onto the Grand Mesa east of Grand Junction. The lakes up there will have 7+ feet of ice to drill through.


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## Vanilla (Dec 11, 2009)

Catherder said:


> Does that mean you won't be joining me for a "fish taco" run tomorrow at UL?


What time you heading out? Can't you fish off the docks?


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## Catherder (Aug 2, 2008)

Vanilla said:


> What time you heading out? Can't you fish off the docks?


Yeah, the docks are where we usually fish from. If I go, it will likely be in the early afternoon.


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## backcountry (May 19, 2016)

Critter said:


> Come next month some need to come fishing with me up onto the Grand Mesa east of Grand Junction. The lakes up there will have 7+ feet of ice to drill through.


&#128563;

Never made it up there during the winter. Stunning place though.


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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

Ok, I waffled a bit but decided for a mere $25 I'd rather have an emergency throw bag in my gear kit than not have it and need it. Thinking back of that snowmobile we saw go through the ice at CC convinced me.

Curious just how much safety gear people use when out on the hard deck? Anyone use those ice spikes? Throw ropes? I'm sure most use boot traction cleats of some form.


-DallanC


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## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

I have a portable ice shed that folds up into a 3x5' platform. To drag this around I attached 100' of 1/2" rope so the loop is 50' long. If I am headed out onto the ice and there is no one around or I am the first one out I'll walk at the end of that 50' loop and on the end of that loop I have 2 ice spikes that I made. 

I figure that if I needed to I could cut it loose from my shed and have 100' of rope that I could use to throw out to someone if needed. So far I have never had to use it that way but like I said earlier I usually don't venture out onto the ice until January and most the times there is at least a full foot of ice in most places, that is unless there is more. This past week or so the temperatures where I fish have dropped to below 0 every night so the hard deck should be just that, hard.


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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

I like your method for getting out on the ice safely. I also wait for January and thicker ice before we start the season. I usually hang close to shore and punch holes before venturing out... unless there are alot of sled or atv tracks showing it being safe.


I usually carry 100ft of 1/2" heavy rope... we use that for yanking out stuck snowmobiles when tied to the snowbungie. My son got his sled stuck this past winter in 16"of slushy water on top of thicker ice. Barely had enough rope to reach him. It would suck to try and throw it very far however.


-DallanC


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## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

For throwing I figure that there is always something in my bucket that I can tie onto the end of the rope that would add a little bit of weight to be able to throw it easier. Even a ice scoop would add some weight to it.

But thinking about it I might have to add a bunch of my surplus mule tape that I have stockpiled. Even a couple hundred feet of it doesn't weigh enough to worry about and with a little bit of extra weight tied onto the end of it you should be able to get some good distance with it.


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## backcountry (May 19, 2016)

DallanC can't see my replies but I carry ice spikes all year and use my heavy spud early and late season. But I fish mostly alone. I also have a pair of flotation bibs. 

If I went with others I'd carry a throw bag. We have one from our rafting kit that would be fine. I will say, throwing those things isn't as easy as it looks until you practice. Hitting a target more than forty feet away with standard techniques does require some skill but they are an invaluable tool.

I carry a Zoleo Satellite communicator now and love it. If I did fall in and self-rescued there would be a good chance I'd need emergency help afterwards. I've had hypothermia from cold water immersion and it's a slow, brutal process to recover from. Panguitch lacks cell coverage so it's nice to have the satellite option.


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## taxidermist (Sep 11, 2007)

A few years back we were at FG and the ice was a good 6-8" thick. (IN THE MORNING) Where I have the best luck is a little sketchy because of a pressure ridge in the ice. Every time I fish this area, it never fails, at 9:00am the ice pops and the pressure ridge will open up about a foot and water comes poring over the ice. 


The last trip out I had a guy trying to come back across the ridge. I stopped him and told him to walk to the cliff and climb over the rocks. The ice is safer and less chance of falling in. He said he could make it and his next step sent him through the ice to his chest in 98' of water. Luckily his elbows and arms kept him from going all the way through. We had ropes and were able to drag him on the ice to safety. 


Its no joke falling through! It's the time it takes to get back to a vehicle to warm up that will kill you, not the falling in the water.


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## TOgden (Sep 10, 2007)

You must have one heck of an auger.:mrgreen:


Critter said:


> Come next month some need to come fishing with me up onto the Grand Mesa east of Grand Junction. The lakes up there will have 7+ feet of ice to drill through.


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## Catherder (Aug 2, 2008)

TOgden said:


> You must have one heck of an auger.:mrgreen:


Good point. -Ov-

How would you drill through 7 feet of solid ice?

Hopefully, UL won't be that thick in a couple hours.


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## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

Catherder said:


> Good point. -Ov-
> 
> How would you drill through 7 feet of solid ice?
> 
> Hopefully, UL won't be that thick in a couple hours.


You have a auger that has extensions for it. We now have one with two 36" extensions if we need them.

But that reservoir is usually only a one or two trip a year fishing spot.


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## Vanilla (Dec 11, 2009)

Critter said:


> You have a auger that has extensions for it. We now have one with two 36" extensions if we need them.


And a step ladder to stand on to start the drilling and pull the auger back out?


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## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

Vanilla said:


> And a step ladder to stand on to start the drilling and pull the auger back out?


While it is going down it isn't bad, you just add them. But to pull it out you can buy or make a collar that fits around the coupling and keeps the lower augers assembly from dropping into the lake. Or you can just pull the whole drill out at once and hope that you don't bend anything.

Either way that you do it you really need two people

Sent from my SM-J737V using Tapatalk


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## Catherder (Aug 2, 2008)

Vanilla said:


> What time you heading out? Can't you fish off the docks?


It was only 2-3 inches thick. The fish didn't seem to mind though. 8)


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## 2full (Apr 8, 2010)

Vanilla said:


> And a step ladder to stand on to start the drilling and pull the auger back out?


I would pay money to watch that !!

Fish Lake is the thickest ice we've ever drilled. The motor was just about to the ice when it finally punched through. Was getting nervous. Didn't have an extension.


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## Catherder (Aug 2, 2008)

Another close call.

https://kutv.com/news/local/3-people-dog-rescued-from-strawberry-reservoir


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## backcountry (May 19, 2016)

Makes me want to puke 🤢

I've experienced days in low 40s with 15"+ plus of ice but bailed on today with a previous 6" of ice and 50F temps. I have no interest in learning first hand how quickly ice melts this early in the season.

That linked story is just scary.


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