ice fishing for survival

[Jericho117]

More sh** talking. Whatever.

[trax]

Jericho: because the water that your fire makes from the ice will put your fire out before in can burn down enough to make any serious hole.

[skunkkiller]

that is right we have bon fires on the ice when fishing at night.

[Jericho117]

Oh I see. Did not know that. Is there any other way to stop that from happening, like placing stones underneath the fire or green wood?

[Jericho117]

That's stupid, skunkkiller.

[skunkkiller]

what is stupid?

[Jericho117]

Was it being sarcastic or just funny- the fire on the ice as you ice fish, just wondering, no offense.

[skunkkiller]

I have been icefishing for 40 years and had lots of fires on the ice the fire will not melt all the way because the ice that does melt will put the fire out on the bottom and it will not melt any more.

[trax]

People do it all the time Jericho, you feed the bonfire from on top, it never burns through down below. Well, I suppose eventually.

Hey anyone who's in a situation where they might have to ice fish for survival, creeks, rapids, small rivers are all going to ice that's easier to get through than lake ice. Also, a lot of different fish like the faster water.

It's a judgement call, that ice is also going to be less safe than lake ice, but if you can find a feeder creek on a lake, try the ice where it empties into the lake. Does anyone here need to know safety rules for walking on ice?

[skunkkiller]

4"s of ice will hold a man

[Jericho117]

Oh I walked on Gungy Wamp lake when it was frozen many times. I think the Brook trout like calm waters, but don't know any fish that like fast ones. Do you know any species that does? You are right, there was this "pocket" where it was connected to small stream next to the lake, it had much thicker ice that had less bubbles in it, it seemed safer.

[Jericho117]

My worst fear is falling threw ice, then trying to surface next to the hole, not able to get air to live. I usually used to carry a 8 foot long thick strong wooden pole horizontally so that if I had fell into the ice I could "stop" myself. I think that was wrong thing to do, don't know. Other than that I travel light on ice.

[skunkkiller]

small mouth bass love fast water gar lke fast water to.

[Sourdough]

He is correct people do have fires on the ice. Mostly to keep warm an provide cheer, However it also warns pilots landing on the ice that there are humans there. What happens with fire on ice is the red hot coals drop to the bottom, and you end up with a dish shaped basin full of water. Yes, if you worked hard enough you could haul rocks, or dirt for insulation. But when the fire or rocks or dirt go through you have a mess. It sounds strange but just keeping the slivers of ice out of a clean cut hole cut with an ice auger is work enough.

At night you can cover the hole with 2" Dow Board or spruce limbs to slow the refreeze of the opening.

I have used an ax to make holes, but to get a 5" hole at the bottom you need a 48" hole at the top if the ice is say 30" thick.

Chopping thick ice is very, very hard work. It is the type of thing one does once to prove to himself he can do it. Then he buys a cheap hand auger. Which is what we care in the air plane to tie down on the ice.

[superior]

On a survivor-man episode he said to keep some brush in the hole to keep it from re-freezing over. He used a pine branch to prevent it from freezing overnight. Then he checked his line the following morning.

[crashdive123]

Yep, that's what Hope just said. I'll bet ole Bear learned it from Hope.

[Gray Wolf]

Jericho, Brook Trout like fast running streams.

[edr730]

Around here in the upper part of lower Michigan the big fish are pike. What is no longer legal is snaring and spearing pike during the winter. Yes, it is very cold on the ice in the winter without cover. You could use a blanket because you'll need one to see the pike and you can only see him if it's a little darker. You just dangle a lure or bait in the water until a pike comes up to look at it. You encircle the pike with your wire snare on a pole and pull hard. The other way is to stick him with the spear.

[canid]

to all of you fisherpersons blessed to live up north, do some fishing for me this winter, eh? i'm two miles from even the snow line and haven't had a nibble through the ice for years.

i gotta settle for catfish next month [no sense buying a liscence this year ]

[skunkkiller]

I will caught abuch for you and eat them to