Battle lake

[DaveFish]

Was there yesterday afternoon, and it seems like afew days ago some idiot tried to drive across the lake in a big truck. Yea the diver team was drilling holes and flooding the "road" they made /w their quad /w shovel to get it out of the 30feet of water in a week.... People are just so dumb...oh yea..fishing was slow.

[Paul C]

I hope they make fireline strong enough to hook that one up. I suppose they use 5W-30 as bait.

[Wulfespirit]

They really need warning signs at Battle indicating the existance of a whole ton of springs. Nobody should be driving on that lake at any time unless they're extremely familiar with it.

[SNAPFisher]

Was there yesterday afternoon, and it seems like afew days ago some idiot tried to drive across the lake in a big truck. Yea the diver team was drilling holes and flooding the "road" they made /w their quad /w shovel to get it out of the 30feet of water in a week.... People are just so dumb...oh yea..fishing was slow.

Every year there are incidents. Unfortunately, every year there is someone like you DaveFish that would rather call someone an "idiot" or "dumb". It is a pretty easy thing to do on the internet with your keyboard, isn't it? I don't know the guy personnally but the last thing I would do is what you are posting.

One of the persons from the group posted in Ice Shanty about it. Here is the text of that post:

I signed up on this board for the sole purpose of posting a warning.

This last Tuesday, a cousin of mine and I went to Battle lake to go icefishing - a lake we have driven on many times before.

The ice measures 18" 50yards out - sounds good. To make a long scary story short, my cousin's truck is now at the bottom of the lake. It could be that we hit one of the springs that have been mentioned on this board. My cousin escaped through the driver's window, and the truck was gone in moments!

Lesson learned!
Be safe!


The group made it out okay. I feel for them. Too bad it happened.

[DaveFish]

They are "idiots" and "dumb" really, unless you know 100% that the ice is fine and there are no springs, no thin spots, no hot spots, you shouldn't be driving on any ice. A lake like Battle, hot spots/springs everywhere, I have not found the "18 inches of ice" and my group, plus the divers, were drilling holes all around the place where the truck went through and shallower, it was 14inches down to 4 inches. Thats what a 30 dollar sled from wholesale sports for all your gear is for. My dad is high up in Sustainable Resources and every year he tells me stories of people driving on thin ice and falling in, your life isn't the bet to gamble just by being unsafe and not doin all your research.

[SNAPFisher]

Good for you. I'll stay away from another pointless internet battle.

Again, glad they made it out okay and I feel for them.

[Deano]

Bad things happen to good people. I am happy everyone is safe!!!

Deano

[buckmaster]

They are "idiots" and "dumb" really, unless you know 100% that the ice is fine and there are no springs, no thin spots, no hot spots, you shouldn't be driving on any ice. A lake like Battle, hot spots/springs everywhere, I have not found the "18 inches of ice" and my group, plus the divers, were drilling holes all around the place where the truck went through and shallower, it was 14inches down to 4 inches. Thats what a 30 dollar sled from wholesale sports for all your gear is for. My dad is high up in Sustainable Resources and every year he tells me stories of people driving on thin ice and falling in, your life isn't the bet to gamble just by being unsafe and not doin all your research.

I wonder what your "DAD" would say if he read this reply and the above one?:rolleye2:

[tchow]

No Ice can be considered as safe Ice.
A few years back at Pine Lake, Ice was well over 2ft. There was a Pressure crack at the South end that was in the middle of the Lake that ran East to West.
"Someone" borrowed his buddys truck from the North end to take a drive down the lake to see how everyone was doing. As he was driving, he went over the Pressure crack at a "safe spot". Needless to say, the front end went over fine but once the rear end went over, it opened up.
Luckily the Truck stayed on the Ice. Rear end sunk in about 2 ft and held up. There was very little snow on the Lake. Temperatures were dropping and the Truck would soon be frozen in. Anyways they ended up getting a Tow Truck out and breaking it out of the Ice before pulling it out a few hours later.

Ice is unpredictable as it forms. Pressure Cracks and Upheaves can occur at anytime.
http://www.athropolis.com/arctic-facts/fact-ice-safety.htm

Luckily the person(s) got out before the vehicle went under. Here's a question for all: If there would have been a "Fatality" would we as "Sportspeople" still call the person an " idiot" or "dum"???

[Bear Ballz]

Too add to the warnings I was out at Pigeon yesterday. I went on the lake at Grandview and about 150 yds. out front of the big white house with the pillars. To make a long story short my buddy and I both broke the first 6" of ice we had water shooting over the cabs of our trucks trying to get out of there. The ice was 13" thick but the first layer seems to be really poor this year. I've found the bottom layer of ice is clearer and strong and the top is crap! We moved closer to where we drove on at Grandview and there was 17inches of ice there but same thing bottom good, top crap! When we were leaving from there I got stuck in the drifts and finally got movin after a little shovelling but same thing, broke through again with 17" of ice this time and after some serious 4 wheelin I was out again. And only one jack seen and landed all day.....not really worth the 2 pair of underwear it cost me :)

[Rockymtnx]

Too add to the warnings I was out at Pigeon yesterday. I went on the lake at Grandview and about 150 yds. out front of the big white house with the pillars. To make a long story short my buddy and I both broke the first 6" of ice we had water shooting over the cabs of our trucks trying to get out of there. The ice was 13" thick but the first layer seems to be really poor this year. I've found the bottom layer of ice is clearer and strong and the top is crap! We moved closer to where we drove on at Grandview and there was 17inches of ice there but same thing bottom good, top crap! When we were leaving from there I got stuck in the drifts and finally got movin after a little shovelling but same thing, broke through again with 17" of ice this time and after some serious 4 wheelin I was out again. And only one jack seen and landed all day.....not really worth the 2 pair of underwear it cost me :)


Wow thanks for the notice.
Glad to hear your ok.

[Paul C]

Too add to the warnings I was out at Pigeon yesterday. I went on the lake at Grandview and about 150 yds. out front of the big white house with the pillars. To make a long story short my buddy and I both broke the first 6" of ice we had water shooting over the cabs of our trucks trying to get out of there. The ice was 13" thick but the first layer seems to be really poor this year. I've found the bottom layer of ice is clearer and strong and the top is crap! We moved closer to where we drove on at Grandview and there was 17inches of ice there but same thing bottom good, top crap! When we were leaving from there I got stuck in the drifts and finally got movin after a little shovelling but same thing, broke through again with 17" of ice this time and after some serious 4 wheelin I was out again. And only one jack seen and landed all day.....not really worth the 2 pair of underwear it cost me :)
I wonder if its a good idea to set up a thread that is closed that reports
ice conditions on various lakes that are popular to ice fish ? What do the other forumusers think ?

[Artist]

Hello,

I am the dumb idiot who was idiotically driving behind the truck that went through the ice. I guess being fairly new to this province and unfamiliar with the specific dangers of specific lakes has contributed to my idiocy. Someday, I hope to have supreme knowledge like you DaveFish, as well as the ability to read ice conditions perfectly. It seems from reading other posts on other forums, that there are others who are running into unexpected dangerous conditions on a variety of lakes this year in the province - I guess according to your logic DaveFish, that makes them idiotic and dumb as well. I would love to go fishing with you sometime, and we could exchange knowledge!

In the meantime, for all other ice-fishermen out there who are not 100% researched, experienced and enlightened on current conditions and are therefore by the definition of at least one, "idiotic and dumb", be safe out there!

Regardless on ones IQ, unexpected dangers can sometimes appear out of nowhere!

DaveFish, this is all in fun buddy! :innocent: Honestly, we should meet up and go fish'n sometime. Yea, knowing what I know now, I'd never drive out on Battle again, but, like anything else in life, knowledge comes from experience, and safety measures come from unfortunate accidents. I'm sure there are others out there who are also inexperienced which is why I posted the story in the first place - to save a truck, or even a life where possible!

Happy fish'n!

[Deano]

Like I mentioned before, I am glad you and everyone else is ok!!! Don't worry about the idiot who started this thread, the great majority of members don't share his view.

Deano

[Paul C]

Like I mentioned before, I am glad you and everyone else is ok!!! Don't worry about the idiot who started this thread, the great majority of members don't share his view.

Deano
X2

[Artist]

Yea, thanks guys! I knew in advance that posting the story would likely attract comments like that:rolleyes:. I had to pull the post off of IceShanty because of the direction the thread was going in, but, at the end of the day, I still don't regret sharing (even if, granted, driving on Battle lake wasn't the "brainiest" thing to do:scared:) if the warning serves as a small red flag to others.

The recovery is no small job, but it is going well!

[Rockymtnx]

Was there yesterday afternoon, and it seems like afew days ago some idiot tried to drive across the lake in a big truck. Yea the diver team was drilling holes and flooding the "road" they made /w their quad /w shovel to get it out of the 30feet of water in a week.... People are just so dumb...oh yea..fishing was slow.

Real intelligent thing to say.
I know a little more to this story and don't think you should be spouting off the first chance you get.
Even sometime the best of us make mistakes.

[Deano]

Yea, thanks guys! I knew in advance that posting the story would likely attract comments like that:rolleyes:. I had to pull the post off of IceShanty because of the direction the thread was going in, but, at the end of the day, I still don't regret sharing (even if, granted, driving on Battle lake wasn't the "brainiest" thing to do:scared:) if the warning serves as a small red flag to others.

The recovery is no small job, but it is going well!

I love to fish Battle and would like to get to know the lake better. Ley me know next time you head out. Just to be safe I'll take my own vehicle (wink wink).

Deano

[Soiler]

I've fished Battle for many years having grown up in the area & i've driven over that same spot he went through at countless times.Just proves you can't trust the ice at the best of times.Glad everyone made it out safe man.The springs are generally on the west side of the lake & towards the end of the inlet creek side of the lake.

[PERCHY]

any body know where at on the lake they went in?

[Paul C]

Yea, thanks guys! I knew in advance that posting the story would likely attract comments like that:rolleyes:. I had to pull the post off of IceShanty because of the direction the thread was going in, but, at the end of the day, I still don't regret sharing (even if, granted, driving on Battle lake wasn't the "brainiest" thing to do:scared:) if the warning serves as a small red flag to others.

The recovery is no small job, but it is going well!
Your post has saved a lot of people from making the same mistake.
It is very sad that you lost your truck but you lived to tell the story.
On the ice roads in the NWT people lose there lives to a high paying job.
Most people would thinks its funny what had happened but in reality they are lucky it has not happened to them. I am afraid of those big four by four truck that pull up to other people fishing on the ice. This year the ice has been poor for this late in the year. The ice on buck lake was ok but is thicker.:D