Ice conditions have varied everywhere this year. The big ponds have barely had a coat of ice while a small pond might have six inches of solid black ice.
So what is safe and how do you know how to stay safe?
First, you need to know ice thickness is not safe at two inches. It might be safe for a person but it is best to hold out for four inches of black ice. This will hold a group of people safely. Five inches of ice will hold a snow machine, eight inches a small car and 12 inches will hold a truck. These guidelines come from several sources including Mass Wildlife.
When you venture out onto ice caution is the key. You need to have ice picks around your neck just in case you do fall in. Walk out three steps and drill a hole to measure the ice. Continue this to your desired location.
If you fall through, never panic. Don’t take your clothing off and try to turn in the direction you came from. Yell for help and if you can, call 911. You must remain calm and get those ice picks out. If you don’t have them try to place your hands flat on the ice in the direction you came from. You walked on this ice to get you out here so it must be safe. What is further out is most likely thin. With your hands flat on the ice, kick like a motor boaters engine and roll up on the ice and keep rolling away from that hole.
Once on shore, if there is no house nearby, start your car and get warm. Get out of those clothes and change as fast as you can. Those clothes that saved you in the ice hole will now try to kill you so get them off even if it means being naked in your car once the heat is going.
If you happen upon someone who has gone through the ice the first thing you do is call 911. Tell them how may people are in the water and your location. You would be surprised how many calls 911 gets and the caller forgets to tell them where they are and the town.
If you feel you can help, get a ladder, a long tree branch or anything long but don’t go to close to the hole, as you will become part of the problem, not the savior.
When all of these steps are followed, people will always return home to fish another day.
AROUND THE REGION
The warm weather the past few days cost ponds a couple inches, but the new cold air will patch that up fast. The Townsend Rod and Gun Club had six inches of black Ice and is making more every night for its Jan. 26 derby. Doors open at 6 a.m. for the trout event that has fish over 3 pounds stocked.
The Fishing Expo at the Boxboro Regency in Boxoro is Jan. 24-26. There will be a host of vendors and boats on display and Mass Wildlife will have a display where you can buy your license.
OTHER NOTES
For you birders, the great snowy owls are showing up again on the north shore. The best place to find them is the Parker River Wildlife Refuge in Newburyport.
The deer state in New Hampshire is off a little from the record kill of last year. Hunters took approximate 13,200 during the fall season. These numbers may change slightly when the final tally is done next month.
Bill Biswanger can be reached at bboutdoor1@aol.com.
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January 13, 2020 at 05:06AM
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Safety is key when it comes to ice fishing - Sentinel & Enterprise
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