Be Safe

[Surface Tension]

Lets all be safe this ice season and follow Northlander onto the ice.

Seriously though, Lakes don't freeze over completely at once and ice thickness can very. Use a spud bar or chisel to test every step as you walk out. Don't go out alone and be prepared for a rescue. Carry a throw bag or some type of long rope with a weighted end that you can throw from a safe distance to a victim in the water. Carry ice picks and have them where you can get at them fast. If you find yourself in bad spot spread your weight out and crawl or roll to safety. Stay away from current areas like narrows, river inlets and the front of damms. Ice cleats makes foot travel a lot easier and will save you from slipping and cracking your skull or hip. They'll also give you are your buddy that grip on the ice thats needed to pull you out of the water.

With cold temps on the way back yard ponds will freeze soon. Every year we hear stories of kids playing on new ice and tragedy strikes.

Sit down and tell your kids they are not allowed on any frozen ponds or lakes till you give them permission. If you have friends with kids call them and remind them too.

[Quickstrike]

thanks for the post surafce tension, some great and important advice, no one needs a preventable tragedy especially around the holidays.

[Northlander]

I agree with everything said except the follow Northlander out part. Dont follow me cause I usually dont know where Im going anyway.

Seriously though like ST said keep a eye on your kids. I hate the storys that tell of a child going threw the ice and the parent/s was in the house doing something else. Always have a partner on early ice or waters you have never been on and yes dont walk together but rather one should follow the other from a safe distance. 20 yards should do.

Of course if your on a snowmobile or wheeler make it 100yards or so. Carry extra clothing in your vehicle incase of a accident and also have a well charged cell phone with you at all times. In your vehicle, 4 wheeler or snowmobiles have some flairs, fire starter of sorts and spare plugs/tools.

Well Im not a survival expert but if you do a search on Outdoor Survival Techniques you should get all sorts of good stuff. Have Fun and be SAFE!!

[gunflint]

As a member of search and rescue in our county, we get called out once or twice a year to recover snowmobilers from either the woods or the water. Almost always these incidents involve to much speed in unfamiliar surroundings and a few to many.

We would much rather have you come back every year with your tourist dollars than send you home to your family in a body bag. Be carefull out there!

[Quickstrike]

just a side note, i fell through out pool as a little kid and luckily enough i made it out safely. however my parents were nowhere nearby and i have a bad feeling that this is too common of an occurance. just a reminder that for a child a 4 foot deep swimming pool can be just as deady as any of the deepest lakes.

[backcast]

Lots of good info. For first ice (and Two Harbor breakwall fishing) I wear a life jacket under my coat. I read an article that alot of people who die in through ice accidents actually succumb to hypothermia first. Also good idea for those who venture out on snowmobiles and atv's. There are a number of products out there such as float coats and floatation snowmobile suits. Not having to try to keep your head above water will save alot of energy and help with the panic factor. Don't wear the above in a vehicle for it could impede exiting if vehicle submerges quickly and you need to exit from underwater.

I have scuba dived in Lake Superior in a wet suit and even prepared, it is still a shock to the system. Your body will go into a mode of self preservation and slow down and eventually shutdown circulation to your hands, arms, feet and legs first to try to keep your body core (chest and organs)warm. Interesting how this actually reduces your ability to "self help" yourself.

When going out with someone else, the person in back should also have a spud bar along with a rope with a loop tied in both ends. If person in front goes through, person in back can throw rope and anchor his/her end of rope with their spud bar (loop rope at base of bar and drive into the ice and hold bar as anchor). Hard for adult male much less smaller framed or less strong people (wives, girl friends, children) to pull someone out or not slide toward person in water while holding rope. This way, person in water can try to pull themself out first.

A little preperation and preplanning for the "what if" goes a long way. Hope all have a great and safe ice fishing season. See you on the ice.

[Northlander]

Great info Backcast. See ya on the ice. Poutfest and 1st Ice Gathering at Fish Lake?

[wormburner]

Hello Guys, it's been awhile! Just got back from a weeks long vacation in Detroit Lakes, boy how the time fly's when you are having fun!

I saw this post and just had to reply, the weather sure took a turn, one day we were fishing open water, and the next we were watching the Geese making there slide in landings across the new ice that formed Tuesday night. Anyways, we were staying on the lake at Breezy Shores in D.L., and on Wednesday morning my wife said to me, "you have to see this", there were two kids about 4 or 5 years old, by their selves playing on the fresh ice about two or three feet out from shore, without a parent in sight! My wife slid open the patio door and gave them a shout to get off the ice and they did, but what puzzled us is "what the heck is wrong with people", to let kids that young roam around like that so close to the fresh ice? Not to make a big deal about it, but it only takes a minute this time of the year, and tragedy strikes! Looking forward to drilling some holes on Fish, is there a date set kinda - sorta yet?

[The Grebe]

All you Northmen, hello! (I always wanted to use the term "Northman" in a writing....heard it used in the movie, "The 13th Warrior" thought it sounded kind of cool!).

Anyways, I have a question for any of you fellas that would care to answer...maybe in a round about way it is about safety, I don't know?

Is there any good fishing done in the winter, in or around Duluth Harbor?

I've fished the streams along the Northshore, in years past, trying to catch some of those spring Steelhead, but I have never done the ice up there?

I did try fishing for Splake and whatever else would bite, in (Sp) Che-wam-i-gin Bay, through the ice, but we were not to successful as far as fish go....we got one Splake for 4 guys, for the day!

I would like to ice fish the Duluth area, maybe make a week-end of it...any general suggestions?

[Surface Tension]

The Grebe, Duluth has some great and diversified fishing. Theres Looper and Coho action off the river mouths all winter long, either from shore or off a sheet of ice. Some years the whole lake will freeze but thats rare. Usually theres a couple week window of opportunity that you can get out deeper for coho, herring and if we have really good ice, lakers, still that ice is iffy unless the whole lake freezes. If you want trout from the inland lakes they open up in January. Then theres the countless walleye, pike, crappie and gill lakes to pick from.

If you want consistent ice thats locked in then Chequamegon is the place to go. The WI forum will have up to date info when it starts to happen out there.

[The Grebe]

Good info, thank you.

[Ely Lake Expert]

ST,

I could be wrong, but I see it says you live in Twig and I thought I talked to you last winter and you said you lived in Superior.

Ryan

[Surface Tension]

Maybe your thinking Stfcatfish?

[Steve Foss]

Hey Frank, I lived in Ely last year, Superior the couple of winters before that.

[Surface Tension]

Stf my dear Friend, I know how long you've been away. You may only be a fleeting presence on the forums but the flicker of our friendship still burns strong in my heart.

As always, Best wishes,

Frank

[Steve Foss]

Well, get your butt up here once in awhile. Plus, we have SLEDS this year! They don't have suspensions, but I haven't shed all of the catfish padding (my rear end), so I'd be up for a combo trail ride/fishing deal. Reckon Chunky would too.

Plus, the main part of Burntside hasn't iced, and with this blizzard today (2 to 4 inches of snow, N winds gusting to 40 mph), it'll be even more wide open. With only a month or so until opener, we may be on sleds instead of pickups.

You turned into a poet since I moved up here. Absence can be inspiring. Uh, absence, not abstinence. When you get to town, I imagine we can run down to the package store and pick up something to put out the flames in our hearts (check your e-mail for more.)

[Northlander]

Boy you two arent going to kiss over the computer now are ya? Frank maybe we need to run up there as long as we can fish Crappie or Eyes! Steve do ya remember how to do that?

[Ely Lake Expert]

ST,

You are right it was that was catfish. (I must be losing it)

stfcatfish,

It was you, I forget how long I have been reading and writing on this site. It must have been winter of 2001 or 2002.(Before my old login randonly quit working ) I lost all concept of time on here after I moved out of my parents house and didn't have internet at home for the first year. (Either that or I have really just lost my mind) Anyway, thanks for clearing that up. I hope to make it out the the FM fishing events this winter and meet all you guys. Until then we can just talk about fishing on here.

Ryan

[Steve Foss]

Yeah, Ely Lake Expert, amazing how time moves on from us. We'll hook up at one of these events.

Northlander: Sure, I remember how to fish crappies and walleyes. I learned in kindergarten, which is where I learned all the simple tasks.

[Northlander]

Oh ya thats right. At nap time you dreamed of catching walleyes and Crappies. Then you had those Pike Nightmares.

[Steve Foss]

No, Steve. Like learning to tie my shoelaces, once learned by rote, who needs to pay attention to it again?

[eagleeye2000]

Hi Frank, Its Darrel Nunnu and Petes buddy just wanted to say hi and that we are going to RED LAKE on Jan 14-15-16 Pete,Nunnu,Rachele about 9 of us maybe we will see ya up there..... see ya good fishing..Eagleeye2000

[Surface Tension]

Hi Darrel, Thats opener of Lake Trout season and I have a date on the Gunflint trail. I'll be sleeping on the ice just like you. Look up to the Big Dipper and toast the Crappie Gods as I toast the Laker Gods. Then ask nunnu & Rachele to tell you the story of "Magellan", they'll know what you mean. It'll start out as "That so in so".... I told them they'll laugh about the experience one day, maybe that'll be the day.

[nunnu]

That's too funny! Richele will always have fond memories of that day. ST, stop by the shack sometime and have a bump . I've got it on Caribou.

Nunnu

[AmeriFinn]

Oh,I don't know how fond...

ST, know any good short cuts??!!

[Surface Tension]

AmeriFinn, welcome aboard. Nothing that could top the shortcut I showed you.

Somehow I feel that shortcut may have been one reason you, Pete and nunnu sold your wheelers.

Have a good trip to Red this weekend. Hope you have enough batteries to keep the furnace going. We canceled our plans to winter camp on the Gunflint on account of the cold weather.

[nunnu]

ST,

Amerifinn won't be going this week-end because she's in sunny California visiting her mom. She posted from CA. Actually I'm pretty surprised she's on this sight .

We had a couple of our group concerned about going to URL with the upcoming weather but we quickly nipped the idea in the bud of them cancelling. So we're still headin up Friday morning.

We're still trying to talk Pete into going but he's holdin out till the last second.

L8R,

Nunnu