# Careful boys...



## Big Brown (Sep 18, 2007)

Went out on a little lake in Kalamazoo yesterday. There was a good 6 inches of ice but alot of snow and slop on top of it. I drilled 2 holes in about 20ft of water. My buddy went out another 15yds and went right through!!!!!! he was able to use the auger and climb out luckily. its been in the single digits around here for a week but with all the snow, we were taken off guard!! Ive never had an experience with someone falling through the ice but I needed to wipe after that one...BE CAREFUL!!


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## stinger63 (Nov 25, 2003)

Glad your buddy got out safely that must have been scary:yikes:


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## steve1983 (Sep 26, 2006)

man that would suck!! but glad everything worked out okay!!!


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## Chad Smith (Dec 13, 2008)

Dam! Yeah I quit spudding this year, thinking all was good. Thanks for the heads up, that hit a little close to home! I'm packing the spud again!


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## IamSpartacus (Dec 18, 2008)

Could you give us the name of the lake? Just don't want to be on it, had a similar experience out on Wolf. Not with someone falling through, but the spud went through easily with just its own weight. Scary stuff...

Mike


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## jimbo (Dec 29, 2007)

yikes, i may want to carry both my spud & auger if i go back on some unwalked lake. i always carry a 1/4" nylon rope my dad had 30 yrs ago .
i may need to check it again


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## jacktownhooker (Apr 7, 2007)

ya i just put spud away today and got the power auger out !!!


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## Where's the FISH? (Dec 11, 2008)

Yeah, I never leave home without the trusty SPUD!:tdo12:


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## Catchin Sumpin (Dec 25, 2008)

I definately agree dont trust the ice right now. Ive been on several lakes that were very slushy this past weekend and I did not trust a couple of them. I seen 2 1/2 solid ice with a maybe an inch of junk ice on top and that wasnt going out to far. This cover on the lakes is a very good insulator that these sub-zero teps cant even penetrate. There isnt hardley no frost in the ground niether!!!!! I think the larger laakes are in better shape than the smaller lakes & ponds right now for sure.


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## Elk5012 (Mar 27, 2008)

I was out on a lake with my quad that had 7 to 8 inches of ice everywhere I drilled. I went to one end of the lake and noticed water comming up as I went by some holes someone drilled earlier. Threw it in reverse and backed up about 20 yards, drilled a hole and I was driving on 4 inches of ice. :yikes: I've never been through the ice, but this scared me pretty good.


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## Michigander1 (Apr 5, 2006)

Elk5012 said:


> I was out on a lake with my quad that had 7 to 8 inches of ice everywhere I drilled. I went to one end of the lake and noticed water comming up as I went by some holes someone drilled earlier. Threw it in reverse and backed up about 20 yards, drilled a hole and I was driving on 4 inches of ice. :yikes: I've never been through the ice, but this scared me pretty good.


 There ya go.I bought Pick -of- Life. Ice Awls from Gander Mountian last time there.10 bucks to save your life or a chance God forbid is well worth it.They have Retractable pick covers which is nice and they FLOAT. They are made by www.angelguardproducts.com . Be Safe guys .Think about your Familys  Mich


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## TrekJeff (Sep 7, 2007)

Michigander1 said:


> There ya go.I bought Pick -of- Life. Ice Awls from Gander last time there.10 bucks to save your life or a chance God forbid is well worth it.They have Retractable pick covers which is nice and they FLOAT. They are made by www.angelguardproducts.com . Be Safe guys .Think about your Familys  Mich



Great reminder!! I'm planning to head out tomorrow and one of the areas I want to check is under a bridge. The snow doesn't collect, but the lake is actually just a damned up river and in the spring there is a good current.

I'll have to put together some climbing spikes and a steel walking stick, as I don't own a spud. I'd love to stand up on the bridge and just drop a 20lb weight on to the ice, but that's probably not the most responsible thing to do.:lol:

I may even put on the Xcountry skis just for better distribution:yikes:

Be safe out there!


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## Steelplugger (Mar 8, 2006)

Thanks for posting that link Michigander! I was looking for a pair of those and didn't know where to find them... 
My buddy and I went out on a washtenaw county lake yesterday, a lake that had safe ice a week ago, but now has some very strange spots. first I stepped into what looked like a crust on top of the ice, just to fall into water that went up and over my boots...luckily there was decent ice underneath, but my left foot soaked instantly, not a good way to start a 2 degree morning out... Later, I found a patch of ice out deeper in about 20 feet of water. I quickly realized that I was in fact standing on 1.5 inches of crappy crust that had 3-4 inches of water underneath, same as earlier, except the "good" ice underneath that was only 2.5 inches thick... not thick enough for my tastes..be careful out there.


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## Fred Bear (Jan 20, 2000)

I should have never read this thread!

no, really. If it saves someones life it is worth it.

I can not believe the ice is so crappy with all of this cold weather. Is it the amount of snow? Is the snow and water actually melting the ice? I was on clear lake sunday and there was 8" of ice with 4" of slush. I was amazed.


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## Huffy (Jan 19, 2009)

Michigander1 said:


> I bought Pick -of- Life. Ice Awls from Gander Mountian last time there.10 bucks to save your life . . . is well worth it.They have Retractable pick covers which is nice and they FLOAT.


A friend and I went through the ice last year. Never expected it, as we were right near several shanties that had been there all night; one of which had four guys in it. 

Anyway, my friend had the Ice Awl picks referenced above and got out with no problem. I, on the other hand, had the other kind of picks - you know, the ones you're supposed to loop around your neck and then join together by sticking the pins into the handles. Well, as usual, I had joined mine together before we went out on the ice; i.e., when the plastic handles were warm and pliable and the pins slipped into them easily. After sitting out in below freezing temps all night, the plastic had contracted around the pins. When I went through, I couldn't get the picks apart to use them. (I'm a pretty big guy, too, so they were good and stuck). 

Needless to say I now use the Ice Awls, and highly recommend them over the kind I used to have.


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## jeffthedj (Mar 27, 2006)

my friend just went through on his quad this morning out on duck lake..it only went in on one side so it didnt go all the way through! they also seen a guy out on the lake in his truck that fell through to the frame:yikes: they said there was only about 4 inches of ice in most spots that had 8 or 9 last week!

Ill stick to yote hunting for now!


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## Big Brown (Sep 18, 2007)

I think it is called Asylum Lake over by the WMU engineering campus. It was my first time out there and also my last! We were talking to a couple guys coming off the ice as we were going on so like an idiot I felt pretty confident......I saw the stream coming into the lake from Drake road but we were at least 200 yards away....SCARY


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## Chad Smith (Dec 13, 2008)

Big Brown said:


> I think it is called Asylum Lake over by the WMU engineering campus. It was my first time out there and also my last! We were talking to a couple guys coming off the ice as we were going on so like an idiot I felt pretty confident......I saw the stream coming into the lake from Drake road but we were at least 200 yards away....SCARY


Hmmm, I was out there 2 days ago and didn't spud, ice was pretty good. Maybe you were a little to close to the creek or happened to find a big spring. I didn't see any signs of anyone falling in, I should take a better look next time I'm out there. Ive fished that lake since mid December, if you go to Winchell Road the ice is defiantly safe there. Atleast everyone is safe.


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## IamSpartacus (Dec 18, 2008)

Yeah, I have been out there too... I'll make sure to spud as I'm going out tonight, the other side of the lake though. I'll report back on what I see.


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## Oldgrandman (Nov 16, 2004)

A gravel pit here in Kent co. was from 3-8 inches in a spot just 20 feet apart. A lot of snow on the ice too.


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