It looks like Mother Nature is getting around to her winter habits, as the temperatures have dropped enough to bring on good, fishable ice in much of Central and Northern Indiana.<br>
For a while there, Indiana hard-water anglers with no fishable ice were standing around making snide remarks about how Al Gore should have stayed with improving his invention of the Internet rather than introducing “global warming.”<br>
Sorry Al … hurrah for our side! It got cold, and we have ice.
Experienced ice fishermen know the most important aspect of ice fishing is the ice itself. What the fisherman is standing on is a whole lot more important than whether the fish are biting. Whether it is hard-water angling, ice skating or just playing on a frozen pond, safety should be number one.<br>
The next gospel is: never fish, skate or play on the ice alone.
In years past, even though I was wearing a lifejacket, I have tied myself off to the bank with a rope before venturing out onto new ice to drill my first test hole. When ice is covered with snow, it is difficult to tell if you are on good ice or stepping out on thin ice over a spring. Springs and unseen currents can undercut and rot good ice.<br>
I vividly remember walking a frozen pond on eight inches of good ice covered with a skiff of snow. The weather had been well below freezing for almost three weeks, and ice was good everywhere. At the time, I was using a spud bar to cut my holes.<br>
As I walked across the ice, I methodically swung the spud bar forward and tapped the ice in front of me. Glancing ahead, I noticed a very slight color difference of the snow-covered ice. Swinging the spud bar ahead, I got the surprise of my life.<br>
Without warning, the spud bar broke through what was only about one inch of bad ice – I was standing only inches away from ice rotted by the warmth of an underground spring welling up from the bottom of the pond. Fortunately, I was able to step back onto good ice before my fishing buddies had to stop jigging for bluegill and fish me out.<br>
Knowing the condition and thickness of your ice is important. Indiana’s Department of Natural Resource’s Fish and Wildlife Division has some tips for Hoosiers headed out to enjoy the ice.
•Drill your own test hole near the shore. Your test hole should show at least a four-inch thickness of clear ice, such as you get from your freezer.<br>
•Wear a lifejacket for extra warmth and safety.<br>
•Be aware of various ice strengths and qualities. One area of a pond may be a foot thick, while another spot of ice may only be an inch thick.<br>
•Ice strength can also change. Thick ice is rotten after rain. Old honeycombed ice, slush ice or ice with current under it is also dangerous. New ice is almost always stronger than old ice. Wind, waterfowl and beavers can also keep areas of ice thin.<br>
Indiana law also requires ice-fishing holes be no more than a diameter of 12 inches. And, fishing shanties must have reflectors on each side to warn snowmobile riders, especially at dusk or during snowstorms.<br>
The Division of Fish and Wildlife recommends using these guidelines to judge the safety of fresh, solid ice.<br>
•One inch of ice – STAY OFF!<br>
•Four inches of ice – Needed for safe ice fishing<br>
•Five inches of ice – Needed for snowmobiling<br>
•Eight inches of ice – Needed to support the weight of a car or light truck<br>
•10 inches of ice – Needed to support a medium-weight truck
Fishing on river ice is never a good idea. Swift water at the head and exit of deep holes of water can hide dangerously thin ice. <br>Breaking through river ice is extremely hazardous, as even shallow streams have strong currents that can easily sweep a victim under the ice.<br>
A good safety practice is to take along a gallon jug tied to the end of a 50-foot extension cord. The weight of the cord will allow throwing it to someone who has broken through the ice. Simply coil the cord in the bottom of a five-gallon bucket.<br>
Always wear your lifejacket. Also, never allow children to play unsupervised on the ice.<br>
Every winter, thousands of Hoosiers enjoy fishing, skating, hiking or just sliding around on frozen ponds and lakes. And every year, people drown after falling through ice. Just like driving on the first snow of the season, Hoosiers need to re-learn how to have safe fun on ice.<br>

The views and opinions expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of Farm World. Readers with questions or comments can contact Jack Spaulding by e-mail at jackspaulding@hughes.net or by writing to him in care of this publication.