Ice fishing safety

• Ice conditions may vary greatly from one lake or reservoir to another. Treat each one separately. Know before you go as much as possible.
• Never ice fish alone. Always walk single file with a short space between you and your partner so if one breaks through the ice the other will be safe and able to give assistance.
• Always tell someone where you are going and when you expect to be home. Then don't change plans without telling someone.
• Dress in several layers of clothing; one should be wool if possible. Clothing can be removed or added as needed.
• Before venturing onto the ice, use a stick or bar to test the strength of the ice. Continue to do this as you go further out. There should be a minimum of four inches of good clear ice before its safe.
• Milky colored ice is not as strong as clear ice.
• Heavy snow cover insulates ice and prevents it from freezing as evenly and as quickly as it would if the snow weren't there.
• Always carry a 50-foot length of rope with a small weight attached to one end. This can be used to toss to someone who has fallen in without getting too close to the hole and endangering yourself. You can also toss it to someone else if you fall in.
• Carry a pair of long spike nails in your outer coat pockets, one on each side. They can be used to pull yourself up onto the ice if you should fall through and no one else is around.
• If you should fall in, once out of the water, crawl or roll back along your path to safe ice. DO NOT stand up!
• Wear a personal floatation device. Life jackets provide floatation and protection from hypothermia.
• Take along a thermos of a hot drink or soup, it will warm you if you start to chill.
• Avoid alcoholic beverages. Beer and booze increases your chances for hypothermia and increases the likelihood that you'll make a stupid mistake that will cost your or a companion their life.