“I'm not going out there. That’s crazy.” That was the response heard in our car when we visited Madison, WI, one March. We were looking at a group of ice fishing tents.
As a guy who has repeatedly tested the height limits of hip boots against the uncertain depth of the muddy bottom of creeks and came up with not quite enough boot, I can assure you that Ohio water outdoors in January and February is plenty cold. And I’ve stepped through frozen cattails and found myself up to my knees. That’s more than far enough for me. I’m really not looking for any cold plunges, intentional or accidental. Making Ice The common expression and shared by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) is “there’s no such thing as safe ice.” What they mean is that you should always be aware of the conditions and state of the ice. The only way to know for sure is make a hole with a spudbar or ice auger and measure. But you can get an idea of when it might be time to venture out and measure by calculating the number of freezing days. That can help determine if the body of water is making or losing ice. Calculate Freezing Degree Days (FDDs)
- Find Daily Average Temperature: (High Temp + Low Temp) / 2
- Calculate FDDs: 32°F (freezing point) - Daily Average Temperature
- Estimate Ice Growth: FDDs / 15 = Approximate inches of new ice or one inch of ice for every 15 FDDs
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