Ice Safety Tips for the Winter Season - Northern Michigan's News Leader

Ice Safety Tips for the Winter Season

Posted: Updated:
By Evan Dean, Reporter - bio | email

The temperatures are dropping, lakes are starting to freeze over -- and that means fishermen and snowmobiles are starting to take to the icy surfaces.

The DNR in Traverse City says the first and last ice of the season are typically the best for fishing -- but the worst as far as safety goes.

Many fishermen often underestimate the strength of the ice, so it's important to make sure you use a drill or other equipment to test its thickness.

And the U.S. Coast Guard has an easy acronym to remember, "ICE" -- which stands for intelligent, clothing, equipment.

"One of the things we push in the summertime is giving float plans -- basically putting out where you're going, where you're leaving from, where you go to... Same can be said for an ice shanty on a bigger bay," said Lt. Commander Ryan Allen, with the U.S. Coast Guard Air Station in Traverse City.

There are things you should look for to help determine the strength of the ice.

For more on those and other ice safety tips -- click on this link from the DNR: http://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,4570,7-153-10366_46403_63473-110678--,00.html.

9&10's Evan Dean spoke with both the Coast Guard and the DNR today and has the story.