Beware of Thin Ice – Rules for Safe Behavior on Ice in Winter

Safety on winter fishing is a guarantee of returning home safe and sound to your wife and children :). All jokes aside, the rules of behavior on the ice need to be known and strictly observed by every angler. Especially when fishing on the first ice and on the last ice. So let’s go …

General rules of conduct on ice

Transparent dark ice is harder than often adjacent to it – opaque with frozen snow

When stepping on untested ice, try it in front of you with an ice pick, preferably with a sharp tip, and not in the form of a shovel

Take a strong and long (at least 20 meters) cord with you when fishing, especially on the first and last ice

If you have to go through a dangerous section in a group, wrap a cord with a cord leaving the long end behind you, in case of failure, the next one grabbing at it will help you get out

It is also recommended to hold a long pole across the body in your hands, if the pole fails, it will not let you go under the water and leaning on it you can get out

If a friend got into the water, helping him to get out, you cannot come close to the hole and reach out your hand, give a stick, a paw handle, a belt, a cord, a scarf, a branch, anything but a hand, otherwise you can fall through and end up in the water together without help

Having failed, you cannot panic, try to crawl back along your trail, in no case try to get up right away, crawl away from the hole at least a couple of meters

Be careful – when crossing the river on the ice below the dam, it may not be possible to return in 3-4 hours on the morning trail.

When the water recedes, the ice often cracks due to the voids formed under it, you should go out on such snow-covered ice very carefully so as not to fall into the crack

Snow-covered ice always grows more slowly than ice on snow-free areas – this must always be taken into account

On thin ice, try to keep your distance from each other, beware and do not approach the ravines on the rapids

Ice over deep lake springs can be thin and dangerous, be aware

If, after a blizzard, you come across not frozen open holes – do not approach them.

First ice

It is forbidden to go out on the first ice on barely set ice

With the onset of a thaw, immediately after the first mild frosts, the ice weakens, the first ice covered with freshly fallen snow is especially dangerous

If you accidentally wander on thin ice, go back in small steps, without tearing off and sliding on the ice with your feet

In the first place, try not to take heavy equipment with you on the pond

Ice grows stronger over deep places later and is especially dangerous covered with snow in places above average depths

Last (spring) ice

It is forbidden to go on the ice in the spring over the straits between the islands and the narrow ribbons of the channels. between the reaches, the ice here is completely unreliable

Carefully you need to move along the underwater grass, reeds and flooded bushes, the ice is always thinner here, it is better to stay away at all

You cannot enter or jump over ice floes that broke off in spring, they are extremely unreliable and can unexpectedly topple over

After the spring frosts at night, the ice seems harder in the morning than it really is – in the afternoon it begins to crumble and break

By observing these simple rules of behavior on the ice, you will always remain safe and sound. Save life, tackle and you will always delight (or annoy :)) loved ones with your presence and catches.