Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Question from a Reader

Ice Fishing Huts, Prince Edward Island

Susanna asked the question (which I thought was a reasonable question):
"how can you tell if a lake is frozen enough to walk on?"


I thought it worth throwing out there to see if any of my maritime friends
know the answer (I sure don't)! 


Last winter when Michael and I were out hiking he walked out to the
middle of a frozen lake to talk to a fellow who was ice fishing.


He tried his best to persuade me to walk out with him, even to take
just a few steps on the ice but I refused.


I have this morbid fear of falling through the ice and getting
trapped under the ice. No way was I going to take the chance.


So, who knows??


And here's another question - what do those guys do all day inside
those little huts while they're waiting for a fish to bite?? 

8 comments:

  1. Jane, it depend if it's a lake, pond, stream or large body of water. It also depends on the quality of the ice.

    As for what the ice fisher's do all day? They jigg the lines, drink some sort of beverage and tell tall tales of all the ones that got away!

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  2. For me, I live in a private community w/lake, I go to the sign at the gate and read. It always says if the ice is frozen or not.

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  3. To the second question, drink beer. Or coffee laced with your choice of liquor. and tell dirty jokes. (lots of fishermen in my family). It's been too many years since I've been on a frozen lake to remember how to tell if it's completely frozen. Likely has something to do with waiting for prolonged cold temperatures though.

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  4. hmm I know answer 2! I think they sleep and drink! :-) I liked watching Grumpy Old Men and Grumpier Old Men - was fascinated how they have little houses on the frozen ice!

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  5. When I was about thirteen I used to go to a lake every day after school with my ice skates, and if it looked frozen I skated. I panic when I think of it now, I was very often on my own, it was in a really quiet spot off the beaten track and if I had fallen through the ice I would have drowned. Even thinking about it gives me goosebumps.

    I think they probably sit there working out their budgets LOL

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  6. I'm leery of walking on ice, myself. I'm even nervous walking on our little frozen ponds, lol.
    I imagine ice fisherman just chill out (heh heh) in those little huts - contemplate life, read a magazine?, pray for fish.
    I think they bring little heaters and other amenities, so it's not that bad.
    But BRR!

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  7. I'm a bit afraid to walk on a body of water that "appears" to be frozen over...there's always that one spot...hmmmmm

    I just watched the movie "New in Town" for about the 10th time..(I love it!) and there was a scene with ice fishing....Renee Zellweger drove a car on the ice...now that's brave!

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  8. wow so it must be just on tv and in books where everyone's out on the lake skating?! I had it in my mind that people in cold climates just had this built-in radar to konw when it was safe to be on the ice! I'd be terrified..not crazy about being in water to begin with but falling through ice...that movie Titanic disturbed me so much!

    Susanna

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