Ice fishing can be a wonderful way to spend the day but unfortunately, it isn’t without risks. There are going to be times when ice fishing is boring and extremely dangerous you must to know when and where you need to go fishing in the winter. A good day of fishing can turn bad very quickly and if you aren’t aware of the risks or don’t take the right precautions you may end up seriously hurt. When you know the dangers you can hopefully learn from them and avoid them in the future.
Carelessness on the Ice
Ice is slippery at the best of times and even when you have the correct footwear you can still have an accident or two. One of the biggest dangers associated with ice fishing has to be the environment and the potential risk of being hurt. Now, you don’t look to go and get injured but one minor misstep and you’ve got a sprained ankle or broken wrist to contend with.
That is why you need to be aware of your surroundings at all times because one careless mistake could end up costing you dearly. One fall may cost you hundreds in medical bills and while many love ice fishing, they don’t think about the potential accidents.
Falling In
There is always going to be the risk of someone falling into the water whilst ice fishing. It’s the same with regular fishing – sooner or later someone will end up in the water – and sometimes, it’s hard to avoid since water is all around. The fishing area is going to be extremely slippery from the second you put a foot on it and sometimes, you just don’t pay enough attention to avoid unintentionally diving in.
Falling Through Thin Ice
When the ice conditions are poor every angler is put at risk. Ice can be thin and when it gets too thin, there are a few things which could happen. The first major issue is that you could end up putting your foot right through a sheet of ice; secondly you can fall in completely. Now, either way you will end up hurt because being exposed to icy waters for even a few seconds is bad.
For example, if you fall into the water completely you may not be able to get back out again depending on how thin the ice around is. We have all seen in movies when some unsuspecting character falls into the ice-covered lake and the ice around them break up too. You can’t pull yourself up and then you’re in serious trouble.
Also, if you aren’t a good or competent swimmer you can drown. Thin ice is a big problem because it can easily break up without a moment’s notice.
Vehicles Falling Into the Water
Most ice fishermen travel to the fishing spot with their vehicles and many use special mobile scooters and ice-safe vehicles however, these can easily fall through the ice too. Vehicles are heavy and if they apply a great deal of pressure to certain parts of the ice they can break the ice and fall into the water. It happens and as strange as it sounds, there have been hundreds, if not thousands, of accidents each year and you need to be aware of it. Yes, thin ice is bad and will cause most things to fall through but it isn’t the only issue you must be aware of.
Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
Most wouldn’t believe it would be possible to get poisoned from carbon monoxide when fishing but it is. Most people going ice fishing will have some form of shelter whether they plan to spend one day or several outdoors and anglers use heaters to help fight the cold but it is these which cause most harm. If the heaters are set up incorrectly you can get poisoned and strangely this occurs more than you would think.
Frostbite
Anyone who has gone ice fishing before will understand how cold it can get. You are out in the elements for hours on end and there isn’t much to heat you up. The body isn’t used to the cold weather and when the temperature drops into below the minus region, the full effects will take effect. Frostbite is one of the first issues for you to worry about when it comes to being exposed to prolonged dropping temperatures and it can be very dangerous.
You don’t have to be sitting in Siberia to be effected by frostbite; you can be sitting out in your own back yard. However, frostbite remains a very serious issue because it can start affecting toes and fingers in very little time. You must stay warm at all times.
Changing Weather
Very few would think a slight change in the weather is something to be concerned about. You’re ice fishing and the temperatures are supposed to be cold however, you don’t just need to worry about dropping temperatures. When the temperature drops a few degrees, that is one thing but when the weather conditions change it can be very dangerous.
If you are stuck out in the middle of nowhere when a storm hits, this can be extremely bad for you in many ways. You could get seriously hurt one way or another and there isn’t going to be help for you. You are on your own and if you can’t get word out to rescue teams you don’t want to think where it can lead.
Weather can change quickly and sometimes for ice fishers, it changes far too rapidly and causes them a lot of issues. One of the biggest dangers of ice fishing has to be the fast-changing weather conditions; they can actually strand people out in breakaway ice floats with no form of help.
Heed Safety Precautions
When you know what potential dangers are out there whilst fishing you can avoid them. Yes, there are going to be times when accidents happen, it’s natural but many accidents can be avoided by simply understanding the dangers associated with ice fishing.
Ice fishing does have its risks like most things but it also has a lot of good points too. If you are thinking about going ice fishing or want to take this up, you always must know the risks so that you’re well informed and educated. Stay safe.
