Adam Scepaniak 01.23.25
Ice fishing can be a great winter past time for many as it gets you out of the house during the doldrums of winter, it can provide food, and it is a hobby or passion that you can carry with you for a lifetime. While all those things are true, it can also be dangerous if you don’t understand ice fishing safety and the hazards of being on a frozen lake and how to curb against them. Here, we will walk through everything that you should be doing if you decide to step out on the ice this winter.
Ice Fishing Coverage on AllOutdoor
The Importance of Ice Thickness
The most important element to consider for ice fishing safety is the thickness of the ice that we step out onto. There are innumerable infographics in circulation detailing what thickness of ice is safe for your method of travel across it. From being on foot to pulling an extremely heavy ice shelter, knowing what is and is not safe ice will most greatly dictate your safety while ice fishing.
My home state of Minnesota knows this intimately and our Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has one of the most factual graphics that you can read on ice thickness safety.
- < 4″ of Ice: DO NOT GO ON IT
- 4″ of Ice: Only safe on Foot
- 5″ – 7″ of Ice: Safe for Small Snowmobiles
- 7″ – 8″ of Ice: Safe for ATVs, Four-Wheelers, and Small Side-by-Sides
- 9″ – 12″ of Ice: Safe for Small Cars
- 13″ – 17″ of Ice: Safe for Light Pickup Trucks
- 20″+ of Ice: Generally Safe for Large Ice Shelters towed behind a Pickup Truck
Again, these are minimum ice thickness recommendations. It would be much safer to wait until the ice is twice these recommended thicknesses. Your eagerness to get out early fishing could cost you equipment, a vehicle, or yourself fallen into a frozen lake. It’s simply not worth it. Waite for safe ice depending your method of travel.
Ice Fishing Safety: What to Watch Out For
When you are out on the ice, there are a few things that you can keep an eye on to ensure you continue to remain safe. Some of these you might be aware of while others will surprise you.
- Thundering, Booming Sounds – The sound of ice booming (very loudly) is not the ice beneath you falling apart. It is actually ice expanding and growing. This can make cracks – which sounds counterintuitive – but only because it is, again, growing. If you hear light “crinkly sounds” like balling up tinfoil; however, that is the sound of ice breaking beneath you.
- Tributaries – Springs, rivers, streams, inlets, or any kind of tributary to a larger body of water can create soft ice due to a current underneath the ice. This unseen flow of water can erode the safety of ice, if not it simply being because the water is warmer as well.
- Ice Heaves and Ice Depressions – Don’t trust ice heaves or sunken areas even if you think they have froze firmly again. They flatly are not safe. These can be caused because ice expands so much that it heaves sharply into the air, or sharply below the ice’s surface. In either scenario, it should be avoided.
Ice Fishing Safety: Best Safety Practices
When it comes to ice fishing safety, don’t overstep your luck; abide by recommended ice thickness suggestions. If you are unsure, walk out with a chisel or ice auger, and verify ice thickness yourself if you have to before you drive an implement on the ice (snowmobile, four-wheeler, car, truck, etc). It’s much safer and cheaper than having to make an insurance claim on a sunken vehicle. Here are some other best practices as well.
Drive Slow
Drive and move slow. If a vehicle falls through the ice, you want it to sink straight down. No one wants to think about this, but that will allow you to swim straight up and hopefully get out or be rescued. If you’re driving fast across a lake thinking you can “outrun falling through,” your vehicle will simply plunge through and you’ll jettison away from the hole while underwater. This will likely ensuring your demise; that you’ll remain stuck under the ice and will not not be able to find the hole in which you fell through.
Roll your Windows Down
If you are driving any kind of vehicle with windows – cars, side-by-sides, trucks, etc – keep your windows open. It is easier to jump out if you start falling through.
Keep your Seatbelt Off
Once again, if you were to start falling through while in a vehicle, have your seatbelt off. If a vehicle starts falling through, most people panic, violently pushing at their seatbelt (engaging it), and cannot unbuckle or get it off. The panic factor is so debilitating that they become trapped in their seat and cannot escape.
Carry a Knife
Many of us carry an EDC knife (everyday carry knife) on us at all times, and that can become supremely handy if you fall through the ice. Your local Game and Fish or DNR department might even recommend ice spikes tucked away in your pocket. Then, if you fall through you could execute a “self-rescue,” stab solid ice with a knife or ice spike, and drag yourself out of the water.
Know How to Self-Rescue if you Fall through the Ice
Knowing how to self-rescue yourself when you fall through the ice is very important, too, because help might be minutes away and hypothermia can set in much faster than that. Like we just mentioned, ice spikes or a knife can be incredibly helpful in getting yourself out, but they are not mandatory. This video is a great demonstration of how to “self-rescue” yourself if you fall through the ice.
Final Chilled Thoughts
Ice fishing as we have mentioned is a wonderful activity to get outside for during the winter months. You can catch amazing fish, participate in unique experiences like spearing, and you don’t have to get cold to do so. All that being said, we still need to be smart about our ice fishing safety. Know your ice, be observant, and be careful. And, in a harrowing event, remain calm and have tools prepared.
As always let us know all of your thoughts about ice fishing and the safety surrounding it in the Comments below! We always appreciate your feedback.
