Guys, PLEASE PLEASE be cautious this year.

loocway

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https://www.jamestownsun.com/news/accidents/4812380-Medina-man-dead-after-falling-through-ice

My thoughts and prayers go out to this individual and his family/friends. This is a very sad deal. This unfortunate incident needs to be a reminder to proceed with caution when traveling on the ice this year. Make sure and have all the proper gear to rescue yourself or someone if necessary and don't take unnecessary risks. It's not worth it.

I have been out on the ice a fair amount of times this year on several different bodies of water. Something is way different this year than years past. That difference is warmer moving water from an extremely wet fall. These lakes are still equalizing with water still rising on some bodies of water. I've been out on foot only, with a spud bar, ice picks, life jacket everytime and always let someome know where I am at. I usually try to fish with someone, but if I'm by myself I'm even more cautious and don't venture out too far. There is still a lot of water moving between lakes in the surrounding Valley City/Jamestown area and I'm guessing other districts are experiencing this as well. Generally speaking, there is a pretty consistent 5-7 inches of good ice in most area's but don't let that fool you. I also have never seen as many open spots of water in the past like I have this year. It's not specific to just culverts. I'm talking random spots everywhere that aren't being kept open by waterfowl. These spots are on lakes that are anywhere from 10-25FOW to smaller ones that have 8-12FOW . Every body of water I have fished has had anywhere from 1 open spot to several open spots and they aren't small. Don't think that this cold snap is gonna button everything up and make things safely driveable. You won't catch me driving a atv across a lake anytime soon and I'm not so sure if I'll even put a truck on the ice this year. These are just my thoughts based on my experiences in 2019-20 ice season. I'm not trying to scare anyone from going out on the ice. I'm just giving feedback on what I've seen so far this year. Please be safe.
 


zoops

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I've thought and seen the same things. Lots of water moving where I've never seen it before, even still. These next few days should help.
 

roosterfish

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Second [MENTION=2343]loocway[/MENTION] !! Have been pheasant hunting a fair bit and almost every slough has bad ice and open water along cattails in spots. A buddy fell in today up to his chest!!! NOT fun!!! BE Careful!!!! R.I.P. fellow angler.
 

shorthairsrus

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Did I read one correctly where someone went under and she dove back under her dog? Any she was looking for the dog. Can't seem to find the thread
 

Sum1

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If I’m not mistaken you could see this UTV parked on the ice from the interstate. I seen it out a few days in a row an honestly was a bit surprised that someone was already driving out there. And that it was parked in the same place I thought was a bit strange. The open water I am still seeing is also very strange. Weird year for sure.
 


Kurtr

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Did I read one correctly where someone went under and she dove back under her dog? Any she was looking for the dog. Can't seem to find the thread

saw that on face book around Nelson bay. Guess the dog got out. It was odd to me as they said they fishing around there the next day and if any one sees the dog let them know. I can’t believe anyone would drive on any ice that’s just dumb. Saw a guy with a big camper and his pick up fell half way through also don’t feel bad for that idiot one bit
 

Sum1

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If I’m not mistaken you could see this UTV parked on the ice from the interstate. I seen it out a few days in a row an honestly was a bit surprised that someone was already driving out there. And that it was parked in the same place I thought was a bit strange. The open water I am still seeing is also very strange. Weird year for sure.
 

nxtgeneration

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Did I read one correctly where someone went under and she dove back under her dog? Any she was looking for the dog. Can't seem to find the thread

I saw this on facebook twice but her story totally changed. Had a Toby ring to it. First she said she and her dog and went through the ice and she had dove in several times to save her dog and to keep an eye out because he had gotten out and was spotted near there. Then she was yelling at people because she said they told her son that the ice was fine and he was the one that fell through. The second story made it seem like she wasn't even with. Definitely was a sketchy story.
 

Bfishn

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I wonder what day the Nelson bay thing was. I was there on Saturday and definitely thought i heard kids voices yelling for a dog multiple times. I just assumed it was other ice fisherman, but i did notice a mini-van and a couple other vehicles driving around that didn't seem like ice fisherman. Parts of Nelsen Bay are definitely not safe, but other parts definitely are. If you aren't experienced with a body of water its probably best to stay off the early ice.
 
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Wrkn2hunt

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I saw this on facebook twice but her story totally changed. Had a Toby ring to it. First she said she and her dog and went through the ice and she had dove in several times to save her dog and to keep an eye out because he had gotten out and was spotted near there. Then she was yelling at people because she said they told her son that the ice was fine and he was the one that fell through. The second story made it seem like she wasn't even with. Definitely was a sketchy story.

It was the her son that went through with the dog. He lost his phone in the process and was posting from his moms phone so it was confusing.
 

DLake

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I agree. I live on 6 mile bay on Devils Lake and have been ice fishing since well before Thanksgiving, but there are still open areas of water in the bay that typically are the first to freeze over. Super strange. It has to be from all of the runoff this fall. Now there is a layer of snow over the top of REALLY thin ice. No ice is ever completely safe, but I recommend staying off of the ice for a while until those areas freeze HARD. Its going to be impossible to tell where the thin ice is.
 

JayKay

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I don't wish harm on anybody, but guys, these are just fish. It absolutely, in no uncertain terms, without any shred of doubt, is not worth it.

I don't delight in the bad stories. Not at all. But people who drive on too soon, and people who won't stay off the ice, are only endangering others.
 

guywhofishes

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It was the her son that went through with the dog. He lost his phone in the process and was posting from his moms phone so it was confusing.

a number of the "facts" reported by this character simply did not add up - they are, loosely speaking

took an hour to crawl onto ice

dove under multiple times trying to save dog

wandered around the refuge three hours finding farm

banged on door of farm 45 minutes but farmers afraid - they called sheriff

etc.

Whoever this person is they are either a compulsive liar or they are invincible and their DNA needs to be studied.

ice-03.jpg


- - - Updated - - -

I may have gotten a few details wrong but it was pretty "spectacular"
 

zoops

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What lake was he at? Was it Crystal Springs?

Article said 4 miles east of Medina; there are a couple flooded sloughs just north of the interstate I would assume it was there.
 


JayKay

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those are great for getting stuck at the access

This year will be tracks and extensions--- the way the weather is starting out.

I was still wading in the Missouri River, Saturday night. If I get out once, to ice-fish, that'll probably be it. I'll be back wading in a few months.
 

drayweb

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Article said 4 miles east of Medina; there are a couple flooded sloughs just north of the interstate I would assume it was there.

Are there even any fish in those sloughs?
 


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