Well I just got back from my first outing of 2009, and actually my first ice fishing trip of the season.  I went with fellow Up North Journal Pro Staff members Little Mike Adams and Chuck Parr down to a lake that I’ve never been on before.  We were taking the atv out for the first time this season on the ice and I was a little weary to say the least.  We had a good 6 inches of ice last week before the 55 degree weekend hit along with the rain.  Immediately after the warm weather we had single digit temperatures for the next 4 nights.  Everyone assured me it would be safe!

     I wasn’t about to take their word for it, so I waited for another angler that went with us to take his quad on the ice first.  I watched and waited for the word back from him as he stopped to punch holes along the way.  Eventually I crept onto the ice and then sped across to the other side and followed his tracks along the opposite shoreline.  We wanted to fish over a particular drop off that was 65 feet deep, so we left the quads near the shoreline and made our way out to the hole.  There was 4 solid inches of ice over the drop off, but there was no way I was driving the quad on that amount of ice.

     Where we drove was a good 6 to 8 inches of ice and I was still a little weary.  With that said, we watched two young guys rip up and down the middle of the lake for about a half hour or so on their quads.  I told the guys that I wouldn’t be surprised if we saw one of them go in the drink!  They were driving over the thinner ice that we worried about, when one of them stopped.  He then took off popping a wheelie and as he did, he broke through!  Water was flying up around his rear tires as he slipped the clutch, and as he gunned the engine the quad was going under!  It must have grabbed because he pulled out of the hole and sped away!

     He was lucky to make it out.  When your on the ice early in the season, make sure your on good thick ice.  I was leery of the ice we were on, not to mention the thin ice the kids were racing on.  Stop and check the thickness along the way as you venture out for the first time in the season.  Don’t assume it is good!

 

 

 

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