How thick is the Sodus ice

[Jack]

Hi !

 Wondering how much ice on Sodus ? Safe enough for an ATV ?

Thanks JT

[brucehookedup]

Hi !
 Wondering how much ice on Sodus ? Safe enough for an ATV ?
Thanks JT

Was there Friday 4 to5 inches of good ice and a little snow and slop on top. Bite was sporadic but we got our fish

[Mikeyman104]

Went out Saturday and there was about 3" of mixed on top and 5-6" of solid ice under that.

I did hear that someone went though out there today though (https://13wham.com/news/local/two-ice-fisherman-rescued-after-falling-through-ice)

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[Jack]

Thank You !

[kappy]

not thick enough,,,, all you guys that have been going out, the ponds Greece, and anywhere else, sorry do not think many of you know what good ice is, fisherman have been going in left and right, including, snow machines, I have been ice fishing for 50 years, never went through, I do not plan on it... with these up and down temps... get real boys... stay off the freakin ice.... towards the end of this week, 2 days of very cold temps, then back up... do not risk it man... I am not... and still here, bring a spud, that tell yah... NOT... never used one and never will, have to know the temps ... period,,, hope I helped  some newbies out,, if not god luck...

 

[Bosun Cowboy]

not thick enough,,,, all you guys that have been going out, the ponds Greece, and anywhere else, sorry do not think many of you know what good ice is, fisherman have been going in left and right, including, snow machines, I have been ice fishing for 50 years, never went through, I do not plan on it... with these up and down temps... get real boys... stay off the freakin ice.... towards the end of this week, 2 days of very cold temps, then back up... do not risk it man... I am not... and still here, bring a spud, that tell yah... NOT... never used one and never will, have to know the temps ... period,,, hope I helped  some newbies out,, if not god luck...
 

I totally agree ! All that risk just to catch some Blue gills and perch ?!?!?!


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[Sk8man]

The thrill connected with ice fishing is powerfully 'infectious" and it certainly influences judgement.. After about 65 years of it I still get excited about it every year and go as much as possible in a given season. Despite having a lot of experience out there on all sorts of ice conditions and having a pretty good understanding of ice quality factors (thickness, composition, hardness, viability etc. I have been through twice during these years. Once up to my lips in 5 plus feet of water (I am 6 ft tall luckily) and another in about three feet near shore. It is somewhat embarrassing to admit it but it is important to illustrate that despite the amount and quality of experience anyone can go through if in the wrong spot at the wrong time, and it may have nothing to do with anything you have control over that brings it about. Ignoring the use of caution and paying attention to your own intuition can lead to disaster much more quickly than you may realize. Both situations were unforeseen.

During war time often the number of nineteen year olds killed or wounded is very high and perhaps largely because they have the feeling of "invinceability" and may feel that "the other guy" may be affected; but you won't be hit or killed. This type of thinking  also may be going on in ice fishing as well by people of various ages. Remember we are walking on water. Any "overconfidence"  in this activity is unwarranted just by the very nature of the activity itself.

Things that people don't sometimes think about :

 

Ice conditions can change in minutes or hours and often overnight or unseen.

 

Pressure cracks can appear at any place at any time  creating very dangerous conditions and/or potentially stranding people unable to get back in to shore.

 

The ice near the shoreline shore is often the most severely affected and you don't have to be fully submerged to become hypothermic. Its condition can change while you are out and then create problems when you leave.

 

Nearby streams emptying into the lake may create unseen hazardous conditions underneath the ice by the movement of water underneath which may stretch out into the lake for football field size areas. Even brief warming of ambient temperatures can greatly influence these often unseen effects

 

When there are open spots of any size in a lake wind velocity and direction can interact to create movement and current unseen under the ice for long distances away from the open area and erode the ice quality and thickness.

 

The addition and presence of snow and especially rain or sleet on top of existing ice surfaces (even hard ones) may severely degrade or weaken them because of melting, and weight as liquid water is heavier than snow.

 

Nowadays many lake homeowners and marinas etc. employ bubblers along the shore near docks and entrances to potential fishing spots to prevent damage to their property. These bubblers create strong underwater currents that travel along the shoreline for hundreds of years away from the oriiginating visable site. This can severely erode the ice without it being visibly apparent.

 

In nutrient rich ponds and lakes (Honeoye for example) there can be unseen gas pockets of gases such as methane that create weak spots or even open holes covered with snow that are difficult or even impossible to detect.

 

Some lakes such as Canandaigua may have outlets with running water that may or may not be near fishing areas that water volume changes may occur overnight and can influence the thickness and/or quality of the ice for hundreds of yards away from the source.

 

There are numerous other things to consider and take into account as well but with the current weather situation of up and down temperatures folks need to weigh the "risk to benefit ratio" before going. Hopefully  the things mentioned will at least be considered. There have been times when my son and I have travelled considerable distances to fish at a certain location only to scrap the idea after assessing the current conditions. It just isn't worth taking any more chances than necessary out there.

 

 

 

 

Edited February 11, 2020 by Sk8man

[Jack]

Sk8man well said !