The next few minutes could save your life!

This is a MUST see
My heart was pounding and I had flashbacks to my episode. Everyone that goes out on the ice needs to watch clip #1 at the least, your life could depend on it!!!!

Blaine,Great video, thanks for sharing it with everyone. I found out several things that I never knew before and hope I'll never have to use. Sent it on to several other ice fishermen.

That guy is awesome!!! Very informative, Thanks, Blaine!!! Carry your life picks at all times!!!

Best piece of Saftey Equipment for the Ice is a set of hand spikes. I know a EMT they have to go threw training for ice recuces. On the things they do is a self recuces with and with out spikes with spikes pretty easy to do a self recuce without very hard to do. So get a set and carry them there are cheap and they could save your life. THomT

I don't think the clip runs well on a mac. I can hear the audio, but the video wasn't coming through. But I'll tell you, the audio is powerful stuff too.

Great vids. That guy is off the wall. He's been hypothermic 33 times!! Surprise he hasn't done any body damage. Great lessons though. Something all ice fisherman should see.

I look at that video and think to myself when I first got into this thing we call icefishing...I never really had a back up plan for going in. I might have carried rope but that was about it. Eye opening to say the least. Makes me ponder the big ole heavy snow suite I have traditonally always used. Pretty useful information. Who would think to head back where ya went in? Common sense when your looking at a video, but maybe not when your struggling to get your breathe and you can't feel the lower unit area. Pretty impressive video. Hey Blaine maybe you can demonstrate this video, at your next seminar. :p Since becoming a member of this site the best tip I ever cashed in on was by a pair of ice picks!

Burr nipple, I agree that guy is crazy, but I think that he has probably saved a lot of live by showing people how to act in that situation.I know that will help me if I ever take the plunge. I think every ice fisherman should watch these clips. Thanks Blaine.

I've demonstrated it once already John I'm proud to say I got out by doing the same exact thing he did, although I didn't hang around long eneough to try to control my breathing first

I'd nominate for this guy for president of the canadien polar bear club...brrrrr... brings new meaning to field research and reality TV..verry enlightning.....markerdown

What does anyone think of the idea of wearing a low-profile pfd like a SOSpenders while icefishing?

picks - check
polypropolyne rope - check

any other safety items that are good to have that may help if you go in?

I think the part about letting your arms freeze to the ice is very informative. Not that I plan on being in that situation anytime soon, but if it's a last chance effort atleast you know what to do. Thanks Blaine

Absolutely if fishing alone on early or late ice. In addition, I very rarley fish alone but if I do, someone always know where I'll be and they have a ETA of my return. I have all the other safety gear with me when I have a partner so I do not wear any kind of flotation then

OH MY GOD I DIDN"T BREATH DURING THAT....THANKS BLAINE FOR SHARING THAT.....

Blaine, Great stuff!! Never leave home without the PICKS, Dont care how thick the ice is. One question though. He had ski's on and quickly took them off. My ice fishing boots must Weigh a ton soaked. Should/would you kick off the boats?

YES! Early in the year, I keep by boots unlaced so that I can kick them off if needed. Trust me, you WILL get out a lot easier than if you were kept them on

I DON'T CARE IF YOU ICE FISH OR NOT ....PLEASE EVERYONE CHECK OUT THE CLIPS...YOU MAY BE ABLE TO SAVE SOMEONE ELSE SOMEDAY & BLAINE HOW HARD WAS IT ACTUALLY TO STAY CALM & WERE YOU ALONE? Mike & Kapt. i was thinking a ladder on your shanty is a good idea....

I CAN'T SEE THEM Don't know why? I have Media player. A window opens but just sits there and nothing happens.

Thanks Blaine. I hope I never need that info, but it's great to have!!

Awesome Clips!
Scary, but good to see.

Jighead: It is a very long clip. If you don't have hi-speed connection it could take a real long time to load. I have DSL and it took about 2 min to laod. A dial-up connection could take 15+ mins to load. Click on it before you eat dinner and it will be ready when you get back

I have DSL - just not enough patience I guess.

Very good stuff there. I do a canoe race every early march, Scantic Splash up in Somers/enfield. Have done it the past 3 or 4 years now and have dumped it every time. Stupidity or laziness of a college student and not getting a wetsuit,going shirtless, just shorts, sneakers, helmet and the obvious lifejacket. That immediate hit when u get when you hit that water never gets old. We dumped it early in the race last year, by the end, with out paddles I may add, twenty five minutes or so ,when we fell in at the end, rescue guys had to get me, couldnt swim, body basically shut down. Very helpless feeling. For anyone that thinks they are non destructive....( us younger crowd ) take a run in the canoe with me like last year, reality hits home quick.

i always have 2 phillips head screwdrivers on a string around my neck or on my person..

Great tips in that video. Thanks Blaine.

Hopefully I’ll never have to use the tip about letting your arms freeze to the ice if you can’t get out of the hole.

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I had trouble viewing the video at work, so I just watched it at home. Could be a firewall issue for those who also had problems. I don’t think it’s a speed issue.

wow ... watched clip 1 and 2

I have rope tied off to a boat cushion (Throwable pfd) and have it on the back of my sled. (Picks too)

Three years (jan-feb 2002) ago at Bantam lake 3-4-5" ice, the thought of going through was very real to me. the thought scares the hell out of me. You do have to be prepared.

Saw this same guy do this on one of the late night talk shows. He did it in a huge tank filled with ice water. Very powerful to see... even though I don't go on the ice much I have never forgot about the feet kicking and arms freezing to the ice...

That really is a "Cool Clip"!!

GREAT post Blaine! You can never have enough safety info and resources to draw from when you are in a life and death situation.

I always have my ice picks around my neck throughout the entire season early through late. I also OFTEN wear my inflatable Sterns suspenders....and ALWAYS if icefishing alone.

I remember meeting up with Blaine and Kapt 2 seasons ago at Gardner Lake for night walleye fishing. Kapt had been running around on the lake all afternoon with his snowmobile. I was talking with Kapt & Blaine at my truck as I was putting on my gear. I put my inflatable suspenders on and Kapt & Blaine both looked at each other and Kapt said...."You know something we don't???!!!!!!"...LOL!!!!!!!! I had heard there were some open water spots, but they assured me the ice was safe where we were headed.

Being a Safety Engineer and Industrial Hygienist I always try to stack the safety odds in my favor....whether it be with experience, conditions, gear, fishing partners, etc.....

Once AGAIN Blaine....thanks for this info!!!!!!!!

GREAT STUFF

Now....WHERE THE #*^$#$^##^&$@##^&^ IS THE ICE!!!!!!!!....LOL

The other safety thing that DonP does is have me go out on the ice in front of him by 10 paces and if I don't fall in no one will.

All kidding aside you can never be to safe on the ice and s@#% happens fast

Great Stuff Blaine----Have had ice picks and a rope for years...But thanks to Bob Gasper, i have a flotation vest this year....

JESUS,

I don't get it. I watched the first clip the other day. Now I hear the narrator but I have a black screen.

Now I know why everyone lets me go first on the ice....

Papa Bear and TonyVal,

I hope we are strong enough for the ice picks to pull us large mamals out of the water.

Good thing Ice fishing is a part time hobby not like salt water fishing from my boat. If I do not get out from lack of safe ice, I will sit in my truck and read like I did one day when it was too cold to Icefish.

Good Info..hope i never need it

Thank you blaine fish.

i found these two videos on a diffrent site and they could help save u

#1

#2

Thanks Blaine awsome clip. I carry old screw drivers in my coat pockets

Bump.

I have been swimming in the icey water when i was about 20.
i was going to play some hockey, just skating , dribbling the puck. Must have been a thin spot.
Ill tell you one thing, you cant tread water with skates on!!!! and hockey pads Trying to get out, ice kept breaking. I was in at least 5 minutes before they heard me yelling,, they got me out by making a chain of bodies and handing me a hockey stick. By the time i got home, had to cut the laces off to get skates off.
To keep your head on strait is pretty tough
Now, when ice fishing, I keep this moment in the back of my mind..

Ive gone swiming in water at freezing temperatures quite a few times, both intentionally and not. I found initally going into the water was a slight shock. The worst part though was once I got out, had to get dry clothes... You guys Better hope you have a dry pair in the car or partner who can loan you some.

One lesson learned was one day when I went in about 10 years ago. Unlike the video, I found initally going into the water was only a slight shock and getting out didnt seem that hard either. I started to walk to the car which was a mile away. Started to feel colder and colder as I walked while soaking wet in the freezing cold air. I tell you, one thing I should have done that day is just start jogging for the car (and clothes) as soon as I got out.

That was an awesome video, very informative. I feel everyone should see it.Tell a friend!

That is some interesting footage!To be honest, that is my main concern with ice fishing and that is why I have not gone ice fishing in my life. I want to give it a try honestly, but I have to go with someone that I can trust with my life! Anybody out there who does it I give you points for having gold cojones!

very educational clip that can save ur life! I am glad i took the time to watch it!

from a previous post on this tread someone mentiond hand spikes , they sound great but do they get in the way of bringing in your tipup line like breaking it if you dont have braided lines.

I always have carried a floatation cushion with a rope attached in my sled along with spikes. I wear a life jacket early and late in the season. You can never be too safe.

I dont reply much on this site, but this was powerful. Thanks Blain. First time I walked into your store you sold me picks! Never used them but I got them.

Did they take the video's down??

IVAN....the video link Blaine posted is still working.

I too went in two years ago to rescue my dog! We were out in Pauchag trying to get out one more time. The ice was ok once you got away from the boat launch and walked out, but on the south bank it was rotten. I did not carry ice spikes then, but had a bar & rope. In trying to get out I tried to spread my body on the ice and roll away. The ice was so rotten as i rolled towards my buddy it fell apart. I finnally got out leaving a hole in the ice 15' long. The ice was falling apartr right where my buddy was standing! We spread out and went to the truck to warm up. Once that rotten ice starts to go it takes alot with it.

Be safe &
Carry Ice Picks!

very good info i bought a set of hand spikes just incase thanks blaine for the important info

Blaine, that was probably the most valuable info anyone has given me in 30 yrs of fishing out on the ice. (with the exception of that secret fishing spot you told me about last week),,,just kidding about that guys..lol, thanks for the great video, I had the whole family watch it. and then my wife Maria told me if I go ice fishing anymore she's gonna divorce me.. I'm sure gonna miss her...

Bump.

Bump.

Great video. That's why I wait.

blaine, that's good video and i can tell from several experinces of my own through the years that truly works and now i don't go it alone it's just not smart

Thanks for the video, it gets you thinking what a bad day can end up to be.. be safe everyone

Wow thanks for the tips

Bump !

I've never thought much about spending time on horizontal ice but this year that may change. Thanks Blaine for the informative clips.

As an old ice climber, I wonder if a pair of these would come in handy.

ice tools a little more modern than mine but you will get the idea

this will come in handy, great video Blaine

Thats why I don't play on ice. Scares the heck out of me. Don't get me wrong I have been skating on ponds etc most of my life. I am just very picky about the times I go out on the ice. Town Parks and Recs always regulated when we could skate.

Chicken You need to come out with me. The trick is to pick some one who weighs more than you for your crash test dummy. How was your season last year. Mine sucked. Any way happy holidays and tell your parents I said Hi.

I posted something relevant in another thread- but its certainly useful here. theres a new jacket/pants combo called ARTIC ARMOr that is fully flotational, and hydrophobic(!) meaning that it floats like a cork, and actually repels water. I've had mine on a coupla times now and its unbelievably warm with full freedom of movement too (WAY better than the old arhartt suit I was using). It wasn't exactly cheap (about $340 for parka and bib pants) but it'll serve double duty on the boat this spring and fall as well. lets hope none of us has to give it a 'true test'.......see my other thread for more info and links/video description

Norm

Good video, but what do you do when the ice keeps breaking as your trying to get out? and no one is around?

Thats gotta be a terrible way to go, they do have water proof cell phones," put it in t your top coat pocket" and I heard that even with no signal you can always dial 911, any truth to this???

Keep your arms up on the ice and hope your jacket freezes to the ice (if it's cold enough out), in hopes that when help finally arrives, you are not on the bottom.

Great Post Blaine! Thanks for the info. Hopefully none of us will ever be caught in this scenario.

Thanks for sharing that. Good information there.

I have a dumb question, but feel it's worth asking if it could save someone. I know our VHF radio's are illegal to use on land, but on larger bodies of inland water are they still illegal? CT River coves? That leads me to the second part of my question. Would it be worth carrying our waterproof hand held VHF's to ONLY be used in an emergency rather than letting them sit on our boats all winter? I know a cell phone would get better reception, but most don't do well once they're wet. I guess the second part of the question would be is there anyone even monitoring them far enough inland during the winter months to make it useful? Probably a stupid question, but I thought I would ask it anyway...

I found a copy of the videos for those that didn't get a chance to see them before

http://www.yukonman.com/cold_water.asp

That time of year is coming quickly....just a bump as a reminder.

did this video not load for anyone, because whenever i click the link it brings up a new page and says error 404 or something like? Any help i would like to see this!!

Don't know what happened but I also get error message, could someone repost?

Thanks Mitch!

Thanks for posting, good stuff