Doug Leier 2023 column NDGF
by Doug Leier
The phone call was from a Florida number and I had no idea where the conversation would lead.
Low and behold, it turned to ice fishing.
Growing up and living in North Dakota my entire life I’ve never thought twice about an electrical plug hanging from the front grill on a pickup, taking a cooler to keep food from freezing in January and driving on the ice.
Of course, none of these things would make much sense to someone in Florida.
But it also served as a reminder how much caution and respect we need to give winter and ice on the Northern Plains. While first ice can be dangerous, even more dangerous is assuming any ice, no matter if it’s mid-January, is 100% safe.
An overly cautious first-time ice angler from Florida could teach us a thing or two about always respecting the ice whether it’s your first time on frozen water or you’ve been ice fishing for decades.
One key point is how variable ice conditions can be. Grafton to Golva, Fortuna to Fairmount and everywhere in between, veteran ice anglers know how conditions can change even on the same body of frozen water.
Here’s some guidelines from the North Dakota Game and Fish Department.
■ Snow insulates ice, hampering solid ice formation, and makes it difficult to check thickness. Snow also hides blemishes, such as cracked, weak and open water areas.
■ Avoid cracks, pressure ridges, slushy or darker areas that signal thinner ice. The same goes for ice that forms around partially submerged trees, brush, embankments or other structures.
■ Ice thickness is not always consistent and can vary significantly even within a small area. Ice shouldn’t be judged by appearance alone. Anglers should drill test holes as they make their way out on the lake and use an ice chisel to check ice thickness while moving around.
■ Daily temperature changes cause ice to expand and contract, affecting its strength.
■ The following minimums are recommended for travel on clear-blue lake ice formed under ideal conditions. However, early in the winter it’s a good idea to double these figures to be safe: 4 inches for a group walking single file; 6 inches for a snowmobile or all-terrain vehicle; 8-12 inches for an automobile; and 12-15 inches for a pickup/truck.
■ If someone does break through the ice, call 911 immediately. Rescue attempts should employ a long pole, board, rope, blanket or snowmobile suit. If that’s not possible, throw the victim a life jacket, empty water jug or other buoyant object.
■ To treat hypothermia, replace wet clothing with dry clothing and immediately transport the victim to a hospital.
These tips aren’t meant to scare anyone away traveling from Florida to Fargo and going on the ice, but we all should thoroughly assess ice conditions before venturing out.
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