# stay away from Catawba State Park



## Nauti cat (Nov 30, 2009)

I watched 2 guys get rescued from there today, Coast Guard put a airboat in. I was there till 3:30 the ice spread apart about 500yds from shore about a 1/4 mile wide.The ice is not safe I repeat not safe.


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## KaGee (Sep 8, 2006)

A good Samaritan pilot spotted two fishermen, shown in this photo as the small dark spot near the crack in the ice, stranded on an ice floe in Lake Erie near Catawba Island, Jan. 22, 2015. The men were unaware that the ice had shifted and they were stranded until the Coast Guard rescued them. (Photo courtesy of the good Samaritan/U.S. Coast Guard)

http://nbc24.com/news/local/coast-guard-rescues-2-fishermen-on-ice-floe-near-catawba-island


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## island troller (Nov 14, 2007)

I suggest to stay away from any Lake Erie ice fishing this weekend. This is not 2015 or 2014. Heard a rumor of another mishap today but only a rumor at this time.


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## raizinkane (Feb 10, 2011)

KaGee said:


> A good Samaritan pilot spotted two fishermen, shown in this photo as the small dark spot near the crack in the ice, stranded on an ice floe in Lake Erie near Catawba Island, Jan. 22, 2015. The men were unaware that the ice had shifted and they were stranded until the Coast Guard rescued them. (Photo courtesy of the good Samaritan/U.S. Coast Guard)
> 
> http://nbc24.com/news/local/coast-guard-rescues-2-fishermen-on-ice-floe-near-catawba-island


Never a good spot to be with the current that rips through that area.Two years of uncommonly thick ice has given to many novices the idea that you can just hop on Lake Erie ice & go anywhere.People need to understand ice like the last two years doesn't come around very often.


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## KPI (Jun 4, 2011)

At least they did not have to bring an auger so they could limit the weight they carried


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## Carpn (Apr 5, 2004)

Better watch posting a pic like that , guys will be trying to figure out how to get a boat in to troll there ..lol


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## Nauti cat (Nov 30, 2009)

Thanks for posting the picture KaGee


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## Decoy hound (Apr 3, 2015)

Carpn said:


> Better watch posting a pic like that , guys will be trying to figure out how to get a boat in to troll there ..lol


I was just thinking that!


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## HappySnag (Dec 20, 2007)

Decoy hound said:


> I was just thinking that!


this can happen when ice is 6" or 20" thick.nobody can predict that,it is like loto nombers everybody new the nombers after draw.


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## ErieRider (Mar 23, 2010)

Snags I am pickin up what you are laying down my man!! Just happened to be at first ice. Lake Erie is unpredictable and it can happen anytime. Was it the smartest move?? Absolutely not and am not authorizing going out at all. Weather and time below freezing were not enough but it happens. Like snags said we all know the lotto numbers now! But hey, someone has to be the first... Betcha those guys won't be first ever again.


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## D Man (Apr 3, 2006)

Sorry, don't agree at all. There is so much open water on the lake right now that the odds of a crack opening that big are much more likely than when she's 95% covered. It is never completely "safe" but there are a number of factors that affect the chance of an issue like that happening.


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## Flathead76 (May 2, 2010)

Carpn said:


> Better watch posting a pic like that , guys will be trying to figure out how to get a boat in to troll there ..lol


Or walk up to the edge and cast.


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## laynhardwood (Dec 27, 2009)

Put a lure out drive 40 -80 ft hook up an inline board and drive the snowmobile parallel to the crack and do a little trolling. You could get two going if your a master angler


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## Areemjay (Dec 7, 2014)

My call sign on the radio is "Icebreaker". But that is because I would usually would break the trail for us guys in the Eastern Basin. I would study the ice everyday for days before venturing out with a partner or 2 or 3 or 4. Marking our trail and checking condition periodically. Currents break the ice and the wind separated it from this picture. If the wind comes from the shore stay home. It's going to break open even if its a foot thick and there is a place for it to travel to. I have buds that didn't need that warning and got rescued. The same day they were out on it getting their 4 wheelers by spanning a 12' crack with ladders and planks on top of the ladders. The ice was over 12" thick and we were fishing there for weeks


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## Ey3FrenZy (Jun 9, 2010)

The real question on our minds is, did they catch any walleyes?!


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## WalleyeWiz (Jun 18, 2004)

Areemjay said:


> My call sign on the radio is "Icebreaker". But that is because I would usually would break the trail for us guys in the Eastern Basin. I would study the ice everyday for days before venturing out with a partner or 2 or 3 or 4. Marking our trail and checking condition periodically. Currents break the ice and the wind separated it from this picture. If the wind comes from the shore stay home. It's going to break open even if its a foot thick and there is a place for it to travel to. I have buds that didn't need that warning and got rescued. The same day they were out on it getting their 4 wheelers by spanning a 12' crack with ladders and planks on top of the ladders. The ice was over 12" thick and we were fishing there for weeks


Yesterdays winds were from the NE , not offshore. I have see ice come together and pile up from the North on a moderate South wind. Nothing is ever as expected on Erie during ice season. 

Dwayne


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## FISHIN 2 (Jun 22, 2005)

Well, if you come off Catawba, a ne wind will come offshore around mouse, everyone knows if you have a wind in your face between land and you, the ice better be locked in or your gonna go for a ride.


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## Jim Stedke (Dec 5, 2005)

Decoy hound said:


> I was just thinking that!


Guys have been pushing row boats into open water off the ice for 30 years. That's one thing this ole fat boy never did, and ain't about to start now.


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## walcat (Apr 11, 2004)

Being so stupid they should get a bill for at least $1000 apiece !!


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## KPI (Jun 4, 2011)

Ok it happened let it go we all have made mistakes!


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## island troller (Nov 14, 2007)

Seen a lot of good looking open water today off catawba and port clinton. Just not sure how to get my boat in there.


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## Brahmabull71 (Jul 30, 2014)

Next week looks promising for us boaters!


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## Spike Dog (Mar 13, 2015)

I heard they caught 2 walleye


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## Another Fisherman (Feb 3, 2011)

Spike Dog said:


> I heard they caught 2 walleye


At least they got something


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## Searay (Feb 12, 2007)

It was a dare from the devil.. the devil almost won!


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## ErieGoldSportfishing (Feb 5, 2009)

laynhardwood said:


> Put a lure out drive 40 -80 ft hook up an inline board and drive the snowmobile parallel to the crack and do a little trolling. You could get two going if your a master angler


I just looked on Cisco's web site and there are no snowmobile or quad mounted rod holders in their product list. Anybody know another company that I can order them from? It gets tiring holding a rod pulling a Reef plus the board and its only a one way troll because of the need to keep your throttle hand on the handlebars......unless Troll master makes a speed control unit I can put on my quad???


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## ErieGoldSportfishing (Feb 5, 2009)

KPI said:


> Ok it happened let it go we all have made mistakes!


Agree.....unless of course you've been mistake free your whole life. If that's the case go ahead a criticize. 

I get a kick out of the experts on here. I've fished on the ice on Lake Erie for 35 years and I disagree that this could happen the same with 20" if ice unless it is Mid March after a really cold winter. 20" of ice means some serious cold has occured and generally the entire west basin locked in enough to limit crack movement to less than 5'. Ice opens and moves when there are either open water, thin ice, or ice breaker activity causing relief for it to move to. We see it during mild winters...in which you never see 20" of ice unless its aggregate shove ice.....or early and late in the season. This was a mistake by some guys who went out too early in a mild winter. Maybe they didn't know better or maybe they just like to take risks. Either way the Coast Guard got to do what they are already paid to do. They run drills on the ice anyways so having a live rescue is just another day at the office for them.


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## walcat (Apr 11, 2004)

Yes that's true but you would think people would learn after all the times it's happened!!!!! No sympathy here!!!! Use your brain for something beside a hat rack !!!!!!!!


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## Straley (Jul 14, 2012)

Not being nagetive since it doesn't look like we're getting Erie ice this winter. Come on open water with the warm temps and rain hopefully we'll be trolling befor long.


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## threeten (Feb 5, 2014)

probably some of the guys that USED to go out of camp perry


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## Papascott (Apr 22, 2004)

walcat said:


> Yes that's true but you would think people would learn after all the times it's happened!!!!! No sympathy here!!!! Use your brain for something beside a hat rack !!!!!!!!


Right, it is much safer to sit at a computer and ridicule everyone else. 

IMO these guys had no business being where they were, not a safe area ice wise even with good conditions. At the same time saying to fine them, send the the bill, and all the other stuff is BS. 

The way I see it between this and the guy losing his snowmobile, these were the best thing that could happen to keep people from dying this year. Way too many 2 year experts that have only experienced 18-24" ice. This will make at least some people slow down and be cautious. 

Flame Away


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## ErieRider (Mar 23, 2010)

Well put papa.... But to magee east, I can tell you Cisco can custom build just about anything you want. So if you come up with a good mounting solution maybe it can help us all out


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## island troller (Nov 14, 2007)

You nailed it in my opinion, Papascott. Good Post


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## ErieGoldSportfishing (Feb 5, 2009)

ErieRider said:


> Well put papa.... But to magee east, I can tell you Cisco can custom build just about anything you want. So if you come up with a good mounting solution maybe it can help us all out


Scott good post!

I'm no marketing expert but my guess is that rod holders would have a very limited application in the real world unless trolling for bass in farm ponds became the rage.

On a separate note....the winds and temps today up here along the lake should make the thought of fishing on Lake Erie open water seem likely much sooner than the thought of drilling a hole through the ice! It is howling!


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## Jim Stedke (Dec 5, 2005)

Anxious to see what it (the warm wind) does to the ice. Got some new Reefs, DHJs, Bandits & P10s that are itchin to get wet.


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## walcat (Apr 11, 2004)

Papascott: Most of the time when you hit them where it hurts they get the message. Over the years how many repeat offenders has the Coast Guard gone after. About time they started charging them !!!!! I think some of these guys are sitting on their brains !!!!


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## boatnut (Nov 22, 2006)

Ice? What ice?


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## flylogicsteelhead (Oct 4, 2006)

boatnut said:


> Ice? What ice?
> View attachment 201280



I love it!!!!! The way things are looking here it won't be long.


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## Jim Stedke (Dec 5, 2005)

boatnut said:


> Ice? What ice?
> View attachment 201280


Yea but were they biteing? Never mind it doesn't really matter.


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## ErieGoldSportfishing (Feb 5, 2009)

boatnut said:


> Ice? What ice?
> View attachment 201280


Mike were you trolling for snook or Okeechobee largemouth???


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## Jim Stedke (Dec 5, 2005)

I do believe his primary objective was to make his northern not so lucky buddies a smidge green. 

Do those fish always bite.


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## ErieGoldSportfishing (Feb 5, 2009)

If a guy really uses his head and is crazy enough he could fish 4 days a week all year in one area. I just cleaned a nice batch of gills that I caught standing on 5" of ice in a shallow pond last night. Not enough for a church basement fish fry but certainly enough for dinner tonight plus freeze up a couple bags. Now with that said, Mike is the smart one here......


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## boatnut (Nov 22, 2006)

MageeEast said:


> Mike were you trolling for snook or Okeechobee largemouth???


Eric, 
I'm on the St. John's river. Fishing kinda sucks. Caught a few crappie but thats about it. Weather has been colder then normal and getting more rain then normal too.
February looks much better. I've taken up dear hunting. You know, the kind where there skin is already tanned? It's open season on them down here and no limits


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## FINSEEKER II (Aug 19, 2009)

Jim Stedke said:


> Guys have been pushing row boats into open water off the ice for 30 years. That's one thing this ole fat boy never did, and ain't about to start now.


Yes, but even then they are floating. All they have to worry about is the crack closing in on them!!!


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## flylogicsteelhead (Oct 4, 2006)

boatnut said:


> I've taken up dear hunting. You know, the kind where there skin is already tanned? It's open season on them down here and no limits


I knew that dirtiness was looming in there somewhere!


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## ErieGoldSportfishing (Feb 5, 2009)

Mike I'm going to keep harvesting bluegills up here but have a trip planned to the Bahamas in early March!


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