Staying safe, warm while ice fishing

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Tammie Ramsouer
  • JBER Public Affairs
JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska --  Fishing frozen lakes, streams and rivers can be a seasonal pastime around Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, but understanding how to be safe is key to having fun.

"The big thing about ice fishing is to make sure the ice is safe," said Royal Harrop, 673d Force Support Squadron Outdoor Recreation Center director.

"Some people will say if the ice is two inches thick, a person can stand on it. My rule is to have at least four solid inches before putting anyone on it."

According to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, ice strong enough for ice fishing normally forms on lakes between November and December in Alaska.

"During the winter, ice freezes from shoreline to the center and thaws the same way in spring," Harrop said.

The Alaska Department of Fish and Game will do a report of how thick the ice is for most of the bigger lakes in Alaska, said Tyler Glenn, 673d FSS Outdoor Adventure manager.

"Before people go out to those areas they should check the reports so they don't have to drive an hour or two just to be disappointed," Glenn said.

A quick way to test if ice is strong enough for ice fishing is see how translucent it is. If the ice is clear and there is no cloudiness present, it should be good for drilling, the Outdoor Adventure manager said.

While driving a vehicle onto the ice, the recommended thickness should be about 12 inches and a minimum of five to six inches for snow machines, Harrop said. He also recommended parking with at least 50 feet between vehicles.

"Normally, it's safe to drive trucks across lakes this time of year," Harrop said. "But with this winter being so warm, we have what is called overflow."

Overflow happens when heavy pressure from multiple layers of snowfall or ice causes water to come up through cracks in the lake or river ice causing the surface to become unstable, he said.

"There could be anywhere from a few inches to several feet of ice," Harrop said. "A good indicator of overflow in a lake is if there is fog over the spot. We call it winter quicksand, because it can suck anything in really quick."

When driving on ice, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game recommends a driving speed of 10 miles per hour or less as well as keeping windows open at all times in case the ice beaks for a speedy exit from the vehicle.

Drivers with fully loaded trucks must be careful because the vibrations can cause waves underneath the ice also known as pressure waves, which can cause a break in the ice in front of the vehicle, Harrop said.

While traveling over rivers, it's important to be cautious of ice thickness because strong currents still run under the ice, he said.

"Last year, at Campbell Creek, a woman went through the ice and was taken away by the current," Glenn said. "Unfortunately she didn't make it."

If someone does fall through the ice, getting out of the cold water and drying off should be the first priority, he explained.

People need to carry ice picks, Harrop said. "They can be worn on the inside of the sleeves of a jacket, so if a person did fall through the ice all they would need to do is basically claw their way out of the water."

If someone falls into icy cold water their muscles contract, including their lungs, making it hard for the individual to breathe, he said.
The individual has about 10 minutes to save themselves before they lose feeling in their extremities and begin having symptoms of hypothermia, he said.

According to www.mayoclinic.org, some mild symptoms of hypothermia can include shivering, dizziness, hunger, nausea, trouble speaking, confusion, fatigue and a faster heart rate.

As hypothermia worsens, symptoms do as well. With moderate to severe hypothermia people can experience shivering, although as hypothermia worsens, it may stop. More symptoms include shallow breathing and a weak pulse.

"Hypothermia can be dangerous, because if you warm someone wrong, they could die from the cold blood getting to the heart," Harrop said. "If you can, strip the individual down and get them into a warm sleeping bag with two other people, this will help them heat up their outer extremities [safely]."

If someone is having trouble getting out of the water, Harrop recommends taking these steps: put your arms on top of the ice, let them freeze, pull yourself out of the icy water and roll a safe distance from the broken ice so it doesn't break further. If a person tries to stand up the ice may give away and they could fall back in.

He also recommends going ice fishing in a group.

"This is just to make sure if anyone does fall through the ice, the other individuals with you can get help and also help that individual remain calm while assisting them to get out of the icy water," Harrop said.

He recommends having an extra set of clothing to change into if there is any possibility of getting wet while ice fishing.

For more information about ice fishing and other activities contact the Outdoor Recreation Center at 552-3812.