How thick should the ice be before you go ice fishing?

[Spoonminnow]

Guys from my club went out when the ice was 4" out from shore. It's been a warm winter in N.Y. with no ice on smaller waters and the grass green certain weeks when the air temp was near 50.

In my experience, the closer you get to shore, the thinner the ice. In fact one member fell though the ice recently close enough to the boat launch to make it back to land. The water was waist deep where he went through - brrrrrr!!! Imagine if he fell through over deeper water 50 yds. out with no one to save him.

Personally I won't ice fish unless the ice is at least 5" or more near land or in the shallows. For those of you that ice fish, what do you think?

[silverside]

For me, the minimum is 3 foot. I just don't trust it.

[vbottom]

At least 4 but needs to be solid clear ice with no honeycombing or gray after having been cold cold for a week or better. Just not worth it.

Sent from my moto z4 using Crappie.com Fishing mobile app

[chaunc]

I won’t go out on anything less than 4”. I’m just not comfortable with less. If the temps rise for more than four days in a row, I’m done until we get another deep freeze of sub zero temps for at least another week consistently. I have all my safety equipment, float suit and all, but I don’t ever want to have to use it. I enjoy icefishing and my family trusts me that I won’t make bad decisions when it comes to it. I’ve only got out one time this season and none last year. I just put my shanty and most of my stuff back into storage yesterday because the forecast for the next 10 to 15 days doesn’t look promising. Younger guys in my area fished before I went out and after I did and they fished until the ice was too soft to stand on. I’m 72 now. Way too old to chance that now.

[wannabe fisherman]

For me, the minimum is 3 foot. I just don't trust it.

ME TOO !!

[Central Minn]

Safest way is a spud bar “sharp ice chisel”are way out on first ice or thin ice one hit will go through 2 1/2 -3” if it takes two hits your good to go…Ice float suit and picks around your neck are recommended.Early ice: How to use a "spud bar" to check ice thickness - YouTube

[RM Fishin]

I went in one time while fishing with friends on Lamoka lake back in the 80's and we had been out there about 4 hours all ready when I just walked between some tip ups. After that the wife made me promise not to go alone anymore. Used to go bymyself lots of times but usually there would be some other people on the ice even if I didn't know them. The younger son even bought me a pair of ice picks to wear under your coat and thru your sleeves. LOL!

[Ketchn]

no clue here , but falling thru the ice is about the worst cold I ever experienced for sure ,at minus 8 my boot laces were froze solid within a hundred feet to the house ....

[Slab]

Two inches will hold a person fine. But 4 is gooten safe.


Sent from my iPhone using Crappie.com Fishing mobile app

[tlefire]

NEAR DEATH ON THE ICE. Intense footage from pike fishing trip that went wrong. - YouTube



Better be thicker than this.......