Ice Fishing Dangers - KXNet - Bismarck/Minot/Williston/Dickinson

Ice Fishing Dangers

The ice is fine.

It's the snow and water on top of the ice that could cause some problems.

That's the situation facing ice fishermen at Lake Darling right now.

Biologist Duane Anderson at Upper Souris Wildlife Refuge says the recent cycle of snow and warm temperatures has created "false ice" on top of the good ice that still covers the lake.

And that can put a truck - or ice house - in some icy water on top of the lake's normal ice.

(Duane Anderson, Upper Souris Wildlife Refuge) "I don't want to get people alarmed that the ice is all melting because it's not, there's plenty of good ice out there in most areas but the snow conditions are what are causing the problems for fishermen out here with ice houses. We just want them to be aware of these changes."

Anderson says one concern right now is that ice houses that are left sitting on the lake right now might become frozen into the ice sheet.

And that can cause big problems - even potentially destroying the ice fishing structure when the lake thaws.

He says the last day to leave houses overnight is March 15th, but he encourages owners to consider getting houses out of permanent spots well before then to avoid problems.