Stick to the pathways.

Parksy · **Posted:** Mon Dec 18, 2017 7:09 pm

As anyone on this board who knows me knows I'm a big ice fishing fan and I can't wait to get out on the hard water. Tonight off Big Island just east of Wagers Farm I made a rookie mistake and almost paid dearly for it.
After getting some solid ice reports from guys I know, I ventured out this afternoon to what I consider some of the safest early ice in Quinte.
There were a few guys aleardy in that General direction but I had a spot on my navionics and started walking that way.

I banged my spud a few times on the way out and each time I could tell I was on four or better (consistent with what I was told) but then I got lazy and stopped checking. I got parallel with a couple of guys I waved at about 100 m further east and came to an area that just didn't look right under a blanket of snow. I kicked away the snow and put a spud right through about an inch of ice in one whack!
I uttered my favourite swear word, did a pirouette and calmly did a 180 back towards shore, then bee lined it to the two older guys.

I told them what happened and as I was describing it, I saw a guy park on shore where I had and started following my trail. The old boys , since they were closest after I set up, yelled for the guy to do a course correction. He did and thankfully, no one else came out and followed that direction.

Not sure what l had walked on to but it was black, an inch or two and it was a heck of lot bigger than a four or five inch pressure crack. It might have been 100 sq feet judging by what I could tell in a short amount of time.

Please be careful out there. After about 30 minutes, an atv went past about 50 yards further east. Even at top speed, that patch of ice would have ate it and the two riders.

As for the fishing, iced one about 3 pounds. Not much action until 10 min before dark. Had to get him to chase up the column. Some lookers, a few bigger ones but no takers. Headed in at 6, carefully walking the pathway where the old boys had gone.

falsetto · **Joined:** Sat Dec 22, 2012 12:16 pm **Posts:** 101

Hey Parksy.

Great story to let everyone know it can happen at any time. Regardless of reports. The saying is true “no ice is really safe ice”

Still baffles me conditions can vary so much. I haven’t experienced what you do tonight. But have drilled holes on the ice and one measures 7” thick and only a few feet away it’s barely 4”.

Anyway. Glad your safe.

Cheers to a safe ice fishing season.

Roblin · **Joined:** Mon Jan 12, 2015 6:53 pm **Posts:** 835

Good post. We should never assume good ice.
There's a huge spot on the north side of Foresters Island off Deseronto that is always sketchy.
Seems the current has an effect on the ice there. My jig stays way off to one side and sometimes swings the other direction in a couple of hours.
I've fished there on 6 inches and gone back to my hole the next day and my spud goes through with one whack.
Real eye opener.

TheLandshark · **Posted:** Tue Dec 19, 2017 8:45 am

Good advice. Typically when your lure changes direction it's from storm surge on Lake Ontario. Although there are tides on LO, they are minimal. Usually less that a couple inches. A sustained wind from one direction can fluctuate lake levels. For example if there were a 25 mph north wind for hours,. You might see the quinte level drop as it draws water out of the bay and raises on lake ontarios south shore. If the wind dies down or switches to the South you could see your jig head in the other direction as water is sucked back in.

teppy · **Posted:** Tue Dec 19, 2017 11:06 pm

Well said Landshark.. Exactly why first ice on Quinte should be left to experienced anglers with safety precautions taken seriously.

Most ice on Quinte deteriorates from the underside from currents and runoff.

Be smart... spud your way out!

sinker · **Joined:** Fri Nov 25, 2005 5:57 pm **Posts:** 85

Parksy wrote:

I banged my spud a few times on the way out and each time I could tell I was on four or better (consistent with what I was told) but then I got lazy and stopped checking.

Lazy will get you killed.

Thanks for the heads up. Spud every step of the way out, and back in again. I've seen ice there change in hours. This time of year is not a good time to get lazy.

S.

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Stick to the pathways.

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