
Wintertime is all about camping trips and ice fishing, and other related activities. Setting up ice houses should be taken very seriously to avoid any accidents and turn the fun season into a disaster. So if you are planning to rent Minnesota ice fishing houses, here are some tips to keep in mind that will help keep you and your family safe and secure during your ice fishing trips. This information will be of utmost importance
No Ice Is 100%Safe
This is rule number one. Remember that no ice is 100% safe. But this should not deter you from renting Minnesota ice fishing houses. No matter how stable the ice looks or what the weather report tells you, you should take extreme caution when ice fishing. Do not go on mere assumptions that any area on the lake is safe since, in some areas, the water may not be frozen as quickly as others. To be on the safer side, it is recommended that you visit or contact a local fishing tackle shop, a guide, or fishing house experts to identify areas on the ice that may not be safe enough for the ice houses.
Understand the Factors Involved In Freezing
Factors like the depth of water, size of the lake, water chemistry and activity, and the ice’s age will decide the ice’s strength. Remember that shallow areas on the lake are more likely to freeze up faster than deeper ones as less water flows underneath. Also, a larger body of water takes longer to freeze than a smaller one. So you need to have extra caution if you visit a large lake. Another factor that affects the strength of the ice is the water’s chemistry and activity. What is present in the water is important, as a lake with certain fluids or chemicals in it may have a more difficult time freezing up due to the chemistry of the water. Find out what could potentially be in the water before renting ice houses. Since the water underneath the ice continuously flows, rivers don’t freeze solid. So it would be best to find out how active the water underneath the ice sheet is before setting up your ice house. New ice is stronger than old ice as teh fresher one has fewer cracks or holes and is less affected by the water underneath.
How Much Weight Is On The Ice?
Factors like the weight of your load and how you distribute the weight will also affect the capacity of how much the ice can support. So if you get a larger ice house that accommodates several people, it is recommended that you set a weight limit per person and keep it spread out instead of centralizing. This is because the ice can only hold a limited amount of weight.
Less Snow Means More Ice
Despite being colder on the surface, snow has an insulating factor that keeps the cold air from freezing the earth’s surface. Hence, snow can insulate a lake as well as solid ground very well. This means you should avoid driving or walking if you see snow on a lake. It can also reduce visibility, making it difficult to know where the stable blankets are.
Conclusion
So next time you want to rent an ice house and go ice fishing, make sure that you keep this information in mind in order to avoid any fatal accidents and unpleasant events.