Because of our unusual winter, before heading out on ice, contact a local bait shop or lakeside resort to ask about ice conditions. And check ice thickness once you get there. Temperature, snow cover, currents, springs and rough fish all affect the relative safety of ice. Ice is seldom the same thickness over a single body of water; it can be two feet thick in one place and one inch thick a few yards away. Check the ice at least every 150 feet.
For information on traveling on ice, survival plans in case of immersion, instructions on making and using ice rescue claws, visit the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources website at www.dnr. state.mn.us/safety/ice.
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