01-24-2002, 08:04 PM
· Wear a personal flotation device and don't fish alone. <br>· <br>· Leave information about your plans with someone -- where you intend to fish and when you plan to return.<br>· <br>· "Know before You Go." Know the conditions of the ice before venturing out; taking into consideration recent possible effects changes in the weather have had on the ice. <br>· <br>· Children should ALWAYS be supervised on the ice. <br>· <br>· Use an ice spud bar or an auger to test the ice ahead of you. <br>· <br>· Before venturing out onto the ice, check with local sources, such as bait and tackle shops, for the most up-to-date information. <br>· <br>· Avoid ice formed over flowing water near shore, around inlets and outlets of streams, or on lakes with springs. <br>· <br>· Avoid aeration devices such as warm water bubblers used near marinas. <br>· Early winter freezes and thaws, occurring now in the Upper Peninsula and in the northern Lower Peninsula, render ice unsafe for any type of traffic, especially in December and early-January. Temperature fluctuations typically occurring in March and April will again make for uncertain ice. <br>· <br>· Be suspicious of gray, dark or porous spots in the ice as these may be soft areas. Ice is generally strongest where it is hard and blue. <br>· <br>· Heavy snow cover insulates ice and prevents it from freezing as evenly and as quickly as it would if the snow weren't there. Snow cover is also deceptive and makes evaluating the ice cover difficult. <br>· <br>· Be especially wary of river ice, as it can be highly variable in thickness due to the erosive action of the underlying river current. One can be standing on ice eight-inches thick on a river and just a few feet away, the ice may be only two-inches thick. <br>· <br>· Carry a couple of large nails and a length of light nylon rope. If you should go through the ice, the nails could help provide a "grip" on the slippery surface and aid in getting out. <br>· <br>· Should you break through the ice, try not to panic. Remember to turn toward the direction you came from -- toward the ice that supported you. Use the nails or your hands to gain a hold on the unbroken surface of the ice, and advance by kicking your feet. <br>· <br>· Once you are out of the water and are lying on the ice, don't stand! Roll away from the point where you broke through until you are on solid ice. <br>· <br>· If you do see someone fall through the ice, do not run toward him or her. Carefully extend a rope, ladder, pole or line to the victim. <br><br>· A personal communication device is always a +<br>· <br>· Safety tips provided by state of Michigan Natural Resources. <br><br><br>