2. Drive your 16 penny nail into the center of each dowel rod until there is about an inch of the nail left sticking out. File off the nail head and sharpen this same area to a point with your file.

3. Drill a hole through each dowel rod on the opposite end where you drove the nails into the dowel. About a half inch from the end will do just fine.

4. Cut your rope to roughly 4 feet and slide through each hole in the dowels you have just drilled. Fasten the rope by tying several knots in the end so it can’t slip back through the hole in the dowel and you’re done. Now you can hang this ice pick around your neck when you venture onto the ice.

How To Use The Picks

If you’ve fallen through the ice the first thing you really need to do is stay calm. Understandably that’s a tall order considering the circumstances but it is imperative. Your clothing will help you stay afloat due to the air trapped inside the garment. Turn your body back the way you came from when you fell through the ice. This will be the safest route. Work your elbows onto the ice and grab your ice pick from around your neck. With a pick in each hand drive them into the slippery ice in succession to help pull yourself from the water. Kick your feet in a swimming motion to help propel yourself further onto the ice. Once you’ve managed to pull yourself from the water do not stand and run away from the hole. Lay on your side to disperse your weight more evenly and roll in a direction opposite of the open water until you’re safely out of danger. You’re glad you took the time to make these little ice picks aren’t you?

Now. This is all fine and dandy but what should I do if my vehicle falls through the ice? With me in it!

The latter part of the previous method for falling through the ice would also come into play here. There are also some suggestions that have changed in recent years and of course some obvious thought to your own abilities. All in all they all require getting out of the vehicle as quickly as possible. Years ago it was always suggested that the person let the vehicle settle before trying to escape. Personally, I’m out of there. I wouldn’t sit on a sinking ship and wait for it to settle to the bottom so why would I entail that procedure in a truck?

The fact of the matter is a vehicle will often plunge down nose first because of the engine weight. Don’t expect the truck, or car, to slide down in one fell swoop. It’s unlikely that would happen in the majority of cases. This is where your time to escape comes into play and with a few tips you can cut that critical time down a bit with a few suggestions.

1. Remove your seat belt before driving out onto the frozen water. There’s no need to be fumbling around with a seat belt when the ship is sinking.

2. Roll down your window a bit, or, if preferred, all the way. More than likely the window will be your escape route especially if the vehicle hangs-up on the ice and the door are jammed shut.

3. This isn’t a method I subscribe to but I do know many people who will drive with their door cracked open. The belief is if the vehicle does start to fall through, the open door could act as a wing and stabilize the vehicle on top of the ice rather than falling through all the way. I can attest to the fact that quite often the ride out to your fishing area is quite bumpy and sometimes extremely rough. I wouldn’t want to be sitting there trying to hold a door open with no seat belt on as you would likely end up face first in a pile of snow along the way. But, to each his own.

All in all this article isn’t intended to deter anyone from icefishing. The sport itself, like so many others, does carry a certain inherent amount of risk but the challenges and rewards are the allure to millions of fishermen year after year. With a little common sense and an understanding of the possible pitfalls you can make this season of icefishing productive and safe.

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