Ice Fishing Shelters And Keeping Safe

Learn about keeping safe from your ice fishing shelters with walking on ice, signs of unsafe ice, and cold weather cautions.

Ice fishers must be careful on the ice.

No ice is completely safe.

Ice of any thickness can have weak spots.

Ice fishers should look for signs that ice is unsafe.

Crunchy ice or ice with a soft top layer is probably weak.

Weak ice might also be gray-black instead of clear.

Ice Thickness Around Your Ice Fishing Shelters

The safety of a frozen water area depends on how much weight it needs to support.

People can walk on ice that is at least 5 inches (13 centimeters) thick.

Ice that is 8 to 12 inches (20 to 30 centimeters) thick can support a car or pick-up.

People sometimes place signs where the ice is weak.

These signs help warn others of dangerous conditions. Ice on rivers and streams is about 15 percent weaker than ice on other water areas. The currents prevent thick ice from forming.

Hypothermia and Frostbite

Ice fishers need to dress for cold weather. Extreme cold weather can cause hypothermia.

This condition occurs when a person's body temperature becomes too low. Signs of hypothermia include shivering, slurred speech, and confusion.

Hypothermia can cause death.

Long exposure to the cold can cause frostbite. Ice fishers should keep all skin covered in extremely cold weather. Frostbitten skin can be permanently damaged.

Ice House Safety

Gas and propane heaters give off a poisonous gas called carbon monoxide. This gas is colorless and odorless. People inside an ice house who breathe too much of the gas can get carbon monoxide poisoning.

This condition causes headaches, sleepiness, and confusion. It can cause death. Ice houses should have at least two openings for the gas to escape.

Check out some more great info about safety and everything ice fishing by visiting Ice Fishing World!

Responsible ice fishers enjoy their activity while staying safe around their ice fishing shelters. They prevent dangerous situations. They share their knowledge with others to help keep the activity safe.

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