# Old State Park



## swone (Jan 24, 2007)

Went by the OSP today, there was a guy out on the shallow bay side, he hadn't caught anything yet. I walked out about 20' on the ice and it started to crack. I then asked what I should have asked the ice fisherman before I stepped out: How much do you weigh? When he said 130 I made a very careful retreat back to shore with my 240 lb. self. It is probably only a little over 2" there, scary clear and strong, but I could definitely see different thicknesses of ice over the entire area. If you weigh less than 100 pounds you MIGHT be ok, but the rest of us that are in the higher weight classes definitely need to wait. Won't be long. The forecast looks too good to take any stupid chances.


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## nixmkt (Mar 4, 2008)

swone said:


> I then asked what I should have asked the ice fisherman before I stepped out: How much do you weigh?


Your first question should have been: How thick is the ice?



swone said:


> Won't be long. The forecast looks too good to take any stupid chances.


Couldn't agree more. It's not like we're going to have to wait another 2 - 3 weeks for several locations anyway.


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## sam kegg (Jun 23, 2007)

how much longer do you think until we get good 4 inch ice?


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## swone (Jan 24, 2007)

That place froze up pretty weird, Sam. I think I am going to wait until Wednesday to go out. There was a big spot of open water when part of it was frozen, before the snow I could see a big line where the ice got thinner just off shore from the little cove (it might be a canal) off the channel. To further complicate matters, someone drove a boat through there around the island, so there will be some treacherous spots because of that. I don't think there will be a solid 4 all the way through the area until around Wednesday at the earliest. I weigh 240 lbs, so I am pretty careful when it comes to thin ice. I always use a spud to check before I walk early in the season, the guy I am walking behind might weigh half what I do. There have been some people out there the last few days, I don't think it is safe yet.


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## nixmkt (Mar 4, 2008)

I was hoping by next weekend. They keep predicting lows in the teens and it hasn't been happening other than last night. The snow so far won't help but it won't hurt too much either if we don't get more. Keep in mind 2/3 of the area over the channel and all the way across from the island to the fallen tree was still open on Wed. As swone noted, it did not freeze over very uniform. It could thin out very quickly from one area to another.


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## sam kegg (Jun 23, 2007)

thanks guys. well im all for waiting untill its safe i hope by next weekend to be out on the ice. I just gotta get a few things what do you guys use to heat your shantys? I use a coleman latern but i was thinking of buying a black cat heater


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## swone (Jan 24, 2007)

I have a Buddy Heater, it is the best. Light, powerful, easy to use. Only drawback is that it is expensive, about $80.


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## Papascott (Apr 22, 2004)

Have a buddy heater too. Its great IF THERE IS NO WIND. If the wind can get under the skirt or through an open door mine will blow right out. It is more safe with the low oxygen sensor. I prefer my Mr.heater.tank top heater. Its a small catalytic heater that runs off of grill size tan ks. They run from 30 to 50 bucks but will be a lot cheaper in the long run with the cheaper cost ofpropane by the pound vs the cost of 1 pd disposables. The drawback is it can kill you there is no low oxygen sensor so you need to be careful.


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## hardwaterfan (Apr 6, 2004)

> i was thinking of buying a black cat heater


i have the pro cat or black cat (dont remember the name)....theyre not cheap either, i think mine was $70 and that was a few years ago....a couple years ago i bought the little buddy for $80...the cat put out 3000 btu, and the little buddy puts out 4000 on low which i usually keep it set at or if i want i can set it to high and it says it will put out 9000 btu. on windy days the cat just isnt enough. 

nice thing about the cat though, it has the catalytic fiber head which is super clean burning and more efficient....(very little fumes)


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## leadcorebean (Jul 17, 2006)

buddy here also.. if we have snow i pack the sides of my pro and stay plenty warm on low.i fished the western U.P couple years ago and had 3 heaters going in my big frabill at -30 and still was cold.. and after 5-6 of fishing we had to open the doors and get fresh air!!! we had a great buzz going on and acting all goofy.. more than normal!! thats why i switched to the buddy also no more cheap heaters.


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## powerstrokin73 (May 21, 2008)

any word on the ice??


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## deadhead (Apr 10, 2004)

some body was fishing at osp yesterday in a shanty. toooo far out for me to ask how thick it was. i go 265 not about to walk on it YET!


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## icebucketjohn (Dec 22, 2005)

My In-Laws live less than a couple of miles from OSP. I'm headed over to their house today about noon and will swing by OSP and get a visual on the place. 

(I have to work today from 3:00 to 11:00PM and will make an updated Ice Condition/Activity Report sometime later today).

*Be Safe, Dont be Stupid.*


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## fishnguy (Apr 14, 2004)

Ice was 2.5 inches at OSP wednesday around 4pm. Went to Palm Rd on today and around 3inches straight out from the parking lot 100yds. About a dozen shanties out today.


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## mousejam515 (Jun 3, 2004)

walleye freak and i fished osp this morning. Got on the ice around 8am. it was about 4 inches closer to shore. and we went out to about the middle area and it was more like 3 - 3.5. Good solid ice. we didnt do any moving around but you could see people had been out in shanties and stuff. We got a few nice red ears and some small bass and a bunch of dinks. Hopefully we wont have to start over after the rain tomorrow. 

Happy holidays
James


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## icebucketjohn (Dec 22, 2005)

Spoke with 3 ice fisherman around 11:00 am. Fishing results slow. Ice in some spots very thin. *ONE ICER FELL THROUGH THE ICE ON TUESDAY. IT WAS HIS OWN FAULT B/C HE WAS FISHING ON ICE LESS THAN 1 1/2"... TOWARDS THE FLAG POLE. LUCKILY, HIS HAND SPIKES AIDED HIM IN GETTING OUT AND NOT HAVING AN EARLY TRAGEDY.*


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