5 or more people went through the ice today?

[Walleye Seeker]

I haven't been on in awhile, but I recieved a call from my Dad who lives in Gladstone and just happend to be on the ice today.

My Dad said that 5 people went into the water by the Ice Heve (I forgot if he said off of Kipling) with their vehicles and the DNR stated that they were confiscating his 2 ATV's and also told him he needed to help.
My Dad got soaked from jumping into the Toyota truck so he can put it in Neutral and get the door closed so it wouldn't get ripped off when they pulled the truck out.. My Dad said the vehicles were in from 4 f.o.w. to 6 f.o.w. and a few more still have to get pulled out. BTW these vehicles went over or near the ice heve.

Luckly nobody died... But I'm gonna wait a few weeks before I come up, I guess 2 loads of coal/ Salt is supposed to arrive at Gladstone?

-Josh

[WalligatorGetter]

I went out of Kipling tonight. Coming back in did get a bit interesting. We saw one truck that went through, and a couple four-wheelers with red and blue flashing lights assisting them. It appeared that the truck’s front tires punched through. The front bumper was flat on the ice and the back end was sticking up considerably. The location was the pressure crack at the north end of Butler’s island. That crack has gotten very nasty in the last couple of days. After seeing all of the standing water and heaved up ice, I don’t think I will even drive a sled over it for a while now.
Also, I’d better include a short report. I went fishing yesterday and today. Only caught four little throw backs. Although, from 150 yards away, I did get the extreme pleasure of watching the people who were fishing where I wanted to be pull several nice fish off of their tip-ups both days that I went out.:o

[HawgHeaven]

Well it all started when my partner called me to ask me to check the pressure crack at Butler Island. He heard some one had gone in. So I drove out in my jeep to see. As I traveled down our GPS path I came up on the pressure crack it looked even worst to the North West than before. So home I went to give Steve the report. He said he wanted to get the ice house off by way of the Vagabond. Asked if I could get out to help. I said sure will take the quad I feel safer. So out I went. We got the sleeper off fine at the Vagabond. So I went back out to move a few shacks around. Then headed back. So as not to have to go back the way I came out with the plow on. I headed for the Island. Made it over the deep tip of the Island over the smooth portion of the pressure crack and then West and then pointed back at the launch just like we plotted on our GPS
As I got to the top of the launch Steve was already there in his truck as fast as he rolled down the window he said a truck just went in. We watched a white Toyota go in at the pressure crack that runs out from the West shore to the North tip of Butlers Island. The truck got hung up and did not go down. So off I went on the quad. When I got there the DRN were already there. They were on there way in from patrol and also seen it happen. I knew the guy and he had gotten out OK. In talking with the DNR I told them that I and my partner had plotted a safe trail at the beginning of the week. So we begin stopping all the traffic we could at the North end of Butlers. So I could escort them over the crack at the North tip of Butlers because every thing back to the North West was bad. Once we cleared the crack we had to head West to stay away from the Island then turn back toward the launch which was South West trying to stay in deeper water were the ice was good. Before we could even get started two vehicles got by coming to far to our South East to gather them in. As they crossed the shallow portion of the North end they went down in 5 to 6 foot of water one was small SUV and I believe the other a car. All got out OK. The mild weather with sun shine has weakened the ice around the Island. We managed to escort every one else that was there off safely. Public Safety was there to barricade off the launch when we were done. We did manage to get the Toyota out with the assistance of another truck and after a jump start he dove it home. You can still access the lake from the Vagabond Resort or use quads at the days river launches to be safe.

Mark @ Hawg Heaven Guide Service
http://www.hawgheaven.upmichigan.net
Ph (906) 428-3809

[slammer]

Geesh,
I leave the ice for two days to go back to work and all hell breaks loose.
Sorry I missed all the excitement.

I think the Boys from Hawg Heaven- Mark & Steve deserve an At-a-Boy for helping to get people off safely and helping to get the stuck vehicles out.
I've been there , and it's a lousy feeling when there is no one around to help or you just see people driving by. At-a Boy , Boys!!!!!
Slammer!!!!!!!

[ski2313]

Have any of you guys fished Winnebago before? The local walleye clubs put out some fantastic ice heave "bridges" every year. If you've driven across one before you know what I'm talking about. They're roughly 30ft long, maybe 2ft wide, and there's a pair of them (one for each tire). Something like that would eliminate alot of the problems up here I think, especially around the major ice heaves and cracks that get alot of traffic. The question is, is there a local club up here that would put the time in to put the bridges out and take them off? The club usually has a volunteer(s) on weekends to accept donations and/or to sell club memberships to help pay for the bridges and other club related activities. Just throwing the idea out there.

[crawlerman]

Ski,
My partner and I have discussed this many times over the past year. I live in Stockbridge and am the secretary of the Stockbridge Harbor Fishing Club so I know how nice the bridges are to have, but I spend the winter up here. The problem is that there is no fishing clubs up here and the start up cost's would be quite a bit. Which access would we use them on? Who would help with the start up cost's? Where to store them? How many people would actually join, or pay at the launch? These are some of the things that we are trying to figure out. It is a great idea and trust me it has been talked about alot this year. It really hurt's us alway's trying to find new way's to get customers out on the ice. So things are being looked at for this but it won't happen this year.

Crawlerman is OUT

[The Bait Shop Guy]

The problem is that there is no fishing clubs up here

Bay de Noc Great Lakes Sport Fishermen. The question has never come up at any of the club meetings. I'd think there would be a lot of liability issues with a project like that.

[DooFighter]

I'd think there would be a lot of liability issues with a project like that.

Exactly. I'm surprised that the club on winnebago hasn't been sued by some dumbbutt trying to use them that fell thru.

[pendries]

I never heard of anyone going in, off the bridge. The bridges are great but they do require work. As far as liability, I'm sure the clubs around here have considered it and taken the necessary precautions to avoid it. I believe the bridges cost about $7-8000 to have made, certainly is alot safer than picking a spot to cross.