Ice thicknesses is essential for understanding whether you should go ice fishing or not. The thickness of the ice will determine whether the ice can support you’re weight. There are various factors that affects the thickness of the ice.
These factor include the type of ice, the weather, and the weight of the equipment that you will place on the ice. The thickness of the ice can be categorized according to specific measurement. If the thickness of the ice is less than four inches, then the ice is considered dangerous and cant support the weight of an single person.
How Thick Ice Must Be for Safe Ice Fishing
If the thickness of the ice is four inches, then a single person can walk on it. However, the person should not have any gear on their person. If the thickness of the ice is five inches, then a small group of individuals can walk on it while maintaining a distance from each other.
If the thickness of the ice is eight inches, then snowmobile and ATVs can travel on the ice. If the thickness of the ice is twelve inches, then light trucks can travel on the ice. However, if you are driving a heavier vehicle, then the thickness of the ice must be more even than twelve inches.
The color of the ice can also indicate the strength of the ice. If the ice is clear and blue in color, then it is very strong. This type of ice form when there is no air in the water.
If the ice is white, then it is less stronger than the clear ice. White ice has air pocket within it from the refreezing of slush. Therefore, ten inches of white ice will not be as strong as five inches of clear ice.
If the ice is gray, then it is saturated with water. This type of ice are considered to have already failed. The only type of ice thickness that you should consider is clear ice.
Other factors that affect the strength of the ice include the weather and how the water is move. For instance, warm temperatures will weaken the ice. Therefore, ice that was strong the past week may not be as strong this week due to warm weather.
However, cold weather will strengthen the ice and create new layer on the ice. Snow will prevent the growth of new ice layers. Water that move through the inlets and outlets of the water will thin the ice because the movement of the water prevents it from thickening.
These factors will change the thickness of the ice, so you should test different spot on the ice to ensure that it is safe for your journey. When you are driving on the ice, you should use extra caution. Even if the ice is twelve inches thick, if you are driving a vehicle on it, it can crack because the weight of the vehicle is placing pressure on small area of the ice.
When on the ice, always drive slow and have your windows down in case the ice breaks. The best way to monitor the thickness of the ice is by using an ice spud or an auger every few hundred yard to measure the thickness of the ice. To assist you in the case that you do fall through the ice, there are several safety gear that can assist you.
Ice pick that you wear around your neck will help you to climb out of the water. A throw rope will allow the person on solid ice to pull you to safety without getting too close to the edge of the ice. Float suit will allow you to stay afloat in the water even if the clothing gets filled with water.
These items, while useful in the case that you should fall through the ice, will not replace the importance of checking the thickness of the ice before you go ice fishing. In addition to knowing how thick the ice is, you should also know where the fish lives in the water. Walleye live in deeper waters.
However, pike live in shallower waters. Perch and crappie lives in the middle depths of the water. Lastly, lake trout live in very deep water.
If you know where the fish live, you can determine how far you will have to travel from the shore to locate the fish. The farther from the shore that you will have to travel, the more thickness measurement of the ice you will have to evaluate before you go ice fishing. Every trip that you go on the ice is a new journey.
The ice that was strong enough for you and your gear the previous day may no longer be thick enough for you to travel on today. Therefore, you should check multiple spot for the thickness of the ice. In addition to checking the ice for thickness, you should also check for surface water and crack in the ice.
You should also look at whether the ice flexes under your feet. Although the chart will show you the thickness of the ice in inches, you will have to use your own judgement to determine whether the ice is strong enough for your needs for the day.