Have you, or anyone you know, gone through the ice while ice fishing?

I fell through on a ATV heading for a fishing hole. Does that count? The bad part was getting out! Luckily it was only 10 feet deep. What Brandon said about the pants instantly freezing is no exaggeration. I remember making it back to shore and having to catch a ride home from a friend on the back of his ATV....longest 1 mile trip I ever took. I was a solid block of ice when I got there.

I, nor anyone I know, has fallen through the ice while ice fishing. But where I live you hear of around half a dozen people falling through the ice any given winter. Most of the time it happens early or late in the year and had the person or persons involved being copiously stupid.

If you should ever fall through the ice remember to stay calm. Panicking will only waste time and energy you don't have. If you're in the water pull yourself up on the ice and stay as flat on your belly as possible. This will distribute your weight evenly over the weakened ice. Crawl snake like to thicker ice and then get somewhere warm, fast. By this time hypothermia will be setting in and you'll need heat and shelter. When you're someplace warm remove all your wet clothing, it only makes you colder, and cover yourself with a blanket if possible.

If it's your buddy who falls in, throw them a rope if you have one to pull them out of the water. If you don't have a rope crawl out on the ice as described above and reach to them with the longest object you have. When they're out follow the steps above.

I've fallen through three times. No fear!

One time I was walking on 3 FEET of ice, not inches, hit a gas well and kaboom I was through the ice in 25 feet of water. I managed to get out, warm up, change and go back ice fishing for the rest of the day. My mistake, should have kept my eye out for gas wells in the ice.

yes to both!

I was just talking to a friend of mine who looked up in the water and could see the hole he made when he broke through!!!!! very lucky to be alive.

I have gone through up to my chest when I was kid. I had hypothermia (not hospital hypothermia just ruin your day hypothermia) and it only took me less than ten minutes to get into a warm house.

I also pulled my brother out of a creek when he was about 6-7 years old. We were sledding and he broke through at the bottom of the hill. He almost was pulled under by the current of the stream. I was just barely able to pull him out, as his snow suit soaked up so much water that he was very heavy. We were only 150 yards or so from the house, but they were a very cold and scary 150 yards for him!

http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/ice_out/index.html

here is the current status of ice conditions in the state of mn. If anyone ever is planning to get out on the ice, use common sence and check the ice reports!

Personally i haven't fallen in, and neither have any of the guys i go fishing with, however i have heard stories about anglers falling through, and so when I'm not sure if its safe i will put on my auto inflate life vest that i purchased after i did fall into a fast flowing river whilst wading for trout, however that's another story

I've only been in "Ice country" for 6 years or so. Don't know anyone "personally".

Have heard stories though.

Most stories I've heard are people trying to "push" one more ice fishing trip or snowmobile trip. The story's usually all have one common "sentence":

"And they decided to go anyway even though they knew the ice was only 3" thick."

I have while ice skating and working, but not while ice fishing. One working experience had us about a mile from our vehicle and me in the Winooski River in Vermont over my waist in January. My work partner ended up with a broken-off branch, beating on my pantlegs to break the ice on them so I could walk.

though i live south of any ice fishing but have a friend that moved (down here) he told some horror stories but suggested to drive on the ice w/doors 1/2 open so if your vehicle starts to fall through the ice ---open doors and it should give you a few more seconds to get to solid ice ?????

Nobody I know has fallen through while actually fishing. One friend of mine went through the ice in his truck while driving to the part of the lake where he wanted to fish. Another person I know did the same thing with his snowmobile.

I fell in a trout stream when it was so cold ice was building up on my rod tip , also my pants froze after I fell in. I was so cold by the time I got home my hands wouldnt hardly work to take my clothes off.

Did you fall in? You been catching any?