While the extended period of extreme cold weather makes for ideal ice fishing conditions, the OPP is asking you to be prepared for the worst if you are heading out on the lakes and bays. Sergeant Dave Rektor says people need to dress accordingly, pay attention to the forecast and the time of day to ensure they can make it back to shore safely. "People are often lost in a whiteout or snow storm, it makes finding them very difficult. We rely heavily on people having fully charged cellphones so that we can get the GPS coordinates from that. Venturing out on ice during the night is also extremely difficult. We've had people go through the ice (at night) and it is next to impossible to find them," Rektor tells BlackburnNews.com. "If you're in a fishing hut make sure it's well ventilated if you're using propane heaters or other types of heating devices so you don't suffer from carbon monoxide poisoning ." OPP recommend ice thickness of at least 4" if you are travelling by foot, but Rektor notes that can vary across the lake and the further you get from shore.
Ice fishing. (Photo courtesy of ontariosouthwest.com)
