Most of you know that I spent the past week in Mexico. Well, I came back to a mess that I had to deal with pronto. I had an ice shack on Great Pond here in Central Maine and when I left last weekend, there was 16 inches of ice. I didnt think I had anything to worry about. My answering machine had several messages from people who had seen my shack going down into the ice and eventually open water. Apparently with all the rain we were having over the past week, it opened up the holes that were drilled inside the shack and the draining water just kept expanding the holes. My shack was floating 3/4 submerged in a hole about the size of a house!! To make things worst, it was over 30 ft of water!! The thickness of ice had dwindled to about 12 inches around the hole. A good buddy of mine and myself went out with my atv and drilled a hole 50 feet from the hole and anchored it with a 4 inch pipe and chain. We then had the task of hooking some rigging to the shack. We had two 12 foot planks that we slid out close to the roof and while I held the backside of the planks, my buddy crawled out and managed to hook up to the hitch and to the opposite side eye hook. I thought it was a goner for sure but as I winched it a little, my friend slid the planks down the side and pulled down for all he was worth and she started to tilt. I worked the winch and he kept pulling down and as the water drained from the shack I started to gain more confidence. After a tense 5 minutes, she finally flopped on her side and I pulled it to shore on its side. I got some help from some other fishermen and we tipped her upright again. What a relief!!! It has some damage to the side we were winching from but I can repair it. I have never seen anything like it in my life. Its been a strange winter to say the least. Anybody ever have a similar event?
This might be a crazy question but did you get any photos of the rescue effort? Glad you were able to rescue your shack but you had to be thinking this one was headed to the bottom.
Bad deal! Glad you got it all recovered, and glad you’re safe. Sounds like it could’ve gotten real hairy real fast! That’s what you get for going to Mexico and spending all of that time in the nice warm sun! LOL!!! I hope you brought some of that warm weather back to the States!
I was so caught up in the moment that I didnt get a picture of the shack in the hole but after, I was worried that someone on an atv or snow machine would inadvertantly drive into the hole, I got some pine boughs and lined the outside of the hole. I snapped a picture with my phone camera of the hole. I have never retrieved a picture from my phone. Does anyone know how to do that? If I can figure it out, I will post.
The Ice is doing the same here in WI. While there may be 20 inches of ices out in the middle, the edges are very dangerous. One of the biggest problems as a CRAZY ICE FISHERMAN is that the late ice can produce some of the biggest Perch of the year! Caught this on Saturday while fishing and wearing sun screen! Weather was a mear 48 degrees
I was so caught up in the moment that I didnt get a picture of the shack in the hole but after, I was worried that someone on an atv or snow machine would inadvertantly drive into the hole, I got some pine boughs and lined the outside of the hole. I snapped a picture with my phone camera of the hole. I have never retrieved a picture from my phone. Does anyone know how to do that? If I can figure it out, I will post.
Mike,
to get pics off your phone you can send them to your email just like sending a text message,instead of putting a phone # put your email address .Glad to hear you got your shack out without anyone getting hurt.
I had never done that before. Here is the aftermath. I wish I would have taken a picture with the shack still in the hole. Picture doesnt give the hole justice. trust me it was a big hole.
Guys,
If you look close on this picture, you can see the ice line on my shack that will tell you how far in the water it was. I am still amazed we were able to winch it out. Guess I am blessed.
Tim,
Your philosophy works here in Maine as well. The perch and bass really start biting well this time of year. For some reason, yellow perch are not highly regarded here in Maine. I prefer white perch but they are harder to come by in the winter than yellows. If you like yellows….....I have just the spot for you my friend. You can literally catch a hundred in one morning no problem. Nothing beats a plate full of perch fillets.
I spend alot of time on lakes fishing for togue and salmon but this year I wanted to get my wife involved so I built the shack this fall and put it on a lake that I knew we would have action. She gets cold easy but the shack was just right for her. She had a blast. We caught alot of white perch and she caught a pike inside the shack. Here is a picture of her with her 5 pound largemouth. And a picture of our shack earlier this winter.
Mike Great Photos. My wife likes to go as well, but she has to BE WARM!! I like to move around and search out the fish, she likes it when the Clam 2000 stays in ONE place the entire time! I guess I can live with that, as long as she keeps going fishing! Or at least doesn’t argue with the home cooked Friday night Fish Fry.
