SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) —It has been a week of record-high temperatures, which means a lot of people are spending extra time outdoors.
However, warm temperatures melt ice, which can be concerning for people who spend time on the ice.
There have been numerous vehicles that have fallen through the ice this winter in KELOLAND.
“You get a lot of new guys in ice fishing. They see other trucks and vehicles out on the water and they think it’s 100% safe for them to do the same. And I would always recommend that you’re going to be checking ahead just to make sure,” Dakota Angler Employee, Bryce Job said.
With temperatures hitting the 50’s this last week, melting could be a concern. While ice fishing experts at Dakota Angler say ‘no ice is safe ice’, they also don’t think the high temps have made things dangerous for anglers on the ice this weekend.
“We don’t see as much change right away. You will near the shorelines where those rocks and the concrete from the shore or from the boat launch is going to absorb that heat quite a bit more,” Dakota Angler manager Josh Heitkamp said.
“It may make the top a little slushy or there may be some water running on the top. But as far as the ice conditions, it’s not really taking any away. If anything, it’s still making ice because the water and the ice itself underneath is actually still extremely cold,” Job said.
If you do go on the ice, make sure to double-check that it’s safe.
“Don’t cross at the heaves at all. Just drive around. If you have to leave the lake and access at a different point, it’s probably wise to do that as opposed to making some unsafe decisions by crossing heaves,” Heitkamp said.
“So to drive a vehicle out without ever checking the road ahead, just because you see other people out there, it’s just not a true way to test that ice is safe. So walk out first drill, then you can drive, walk out of drill if you see anything a little sketchy, just avoid it,” Job said.
But it’s going to be a nice weekend– one that Bryce Job plans on taking advantage of.
“Ice fishing is by far my favorite. So I get out and enjoy it as much as I can,” Job said.
According to the Game, Fish and Parks, ice should be at least 4 to 6 inches thick to walk on, and around 12 to 16 inches to drive on.
