Ice Fishing Safety
By Mark Pieniozek
As an avid ice fisherman for over 5 decades, I’ve learned there are a lot of things we can do to be safer on the ice and increase our odds of returning safely home. Having gone through the ice myself and been part of rescuing other ice anglers that have gone through, I wanted to cover a few of the things that will help you get home safely this ice fishing season.
When I ran ice fishing charters, I was very strict about ice safety and went thru the list of tips and tricks with my customers and friends before every trip. My focus was to make sure everyone had a job to do if one of us happened to break thru. If you had a job to do there would be less “panic” and more thorough working together for a common goal. Getting everyone on the same page BEFORE we hit the ice also meant our odds of surviving a soaking were high.
Here is my pre fishing game plan on EVERY TRIP:
1) File a float plan with someone, update it if you deviate from it!
2) Ice picks worn around your neck or you don’t come with us, period!
3) Follow the sled or 4-wheeler in front of you but be 75 ft to 100 ft behind them. If the sled or lights disappear in front of you, STOP NOW.
4) No riding side by side or jumping in front of another sled.
5) 4th person in line had the throw ring and 100 ft of rope.
6) Last person in line is responsible for setting up an ice shanty with heater going to warm up the person that went in.
I’m a firm believer in helmets, but with the new full-face helmet and how tight they fit, they can fill up with water quickly stopping you from breathing. I never buckle my helmet on any ice trips. I take my helmet off first thing after coming up and use it as a floatation device if needed.
If you are the person to go in these are the things to expect:
1) Hitting the cold water will take your breath away, the key is to take slow deep breaths and get your senses back.
2) Take your helmet off and use it as a floatation device if needed.
3) Get your ice picks out and swim back to your entry point, you know the ice was good there. I’ve personally gotten out by myself every time but have saved 3 people with my throw ring.
4) Find solid ice and dig your ice picks into the ice, kick your legs and pull yourself up onto the ice. I’ve broken thru 3 times before I got on solid ice again. DO NOT GIVE UP!
One of the biggest issues I’ve had when working with the Coast Guard is that people use their phones for navigation, sending successful pictures and text messages and their phones are dead when we try and find them. Please bring a separate charger for your phone so you can be found faster. You have no clue how hard it is to find someone in the pitch dark or fog with zero communication. Adding a Personal Location Beacon (PLB), portable marine radio, whistle and a light source to your ice fishing gear increases your chance of survival and rescue. Wearing a floatation suit or inflatable PFD is just common sense.
These are just a few things that made my trips successful and fun. I hope that everyone learns something from my past failures and uses them to their advantage.