MANITOUWADGE—With ice fishing having been the focus for so many Townships across the region, in particular with many participating in this year’s Ontario Ice Fishing Challenge, the Manitouwadge Fire Department’s decision to make ice fishing safety their focus this week, comes as no surprise.
They encourage everyone to “know the ice”, reminding the public and not just those out ice fishing, that the “only thing keeping you from a frigid dip in the drink is the thin layer of ice that covers the lake”. Before heading out, be sure the ice is safe.
One way to do that is to realize and understand that ice is never uniformly thick, therefore, dangerous areas frequently occur around river mouths, underwater springs, beaver dams, and dark, rocky shorelines.
The fire department also shared that clear blue ice is generally the strongest, while what they describe as white honeycombed ice is only half as strong.
Besides respecting the fact that ice is never uniformly thick, they also offered great advice about how to “dress for success”, because you never know what the weather will bring. Fire officials believe that this is especially true if you plan on fishing backcountry lakes or areas where help may be a long way off.
A broken snow machine, a personal injury, or getting turned around in the bush could result in you having to hunker down for several hours or even overnight, so they ask that you make sure you are prepared. It’s easy to peel off a layer of clothing or two if the weather gets warm, but you can’t put on extra layers if they’re still at home.
All of this advice and great safety tips about ice fishing and ice safety is certainly information worth taking into account and remembering.
