Outdoors Column: Be careful when venturing out on ice
Jim Stabile
Outdoors Columnist
There's ice fishing this weekend, but beware.
Three guys were fishing at the state park at Lake Hopatcong and two at the Northport Cove Friday afternoon and other coves and Woodport were frozen over, but the main lake froze Thursday and is unsafe.
You can go onto a little pond with safe ice with chubby guys, or go the big lakes with skinny ones, gingerly testing ice for thickness. Ponds ice over quickly, but big lakes get thick ice slowly because the winds stir the water and inhibit freezing.
Fishing wisdom says that five inches of ice is safe, but for a lot of anglers, 3-4 inches are enough. Maybe somebody will invent thin flotation vests worn under winter coats. Be careful.
The Old Farmer's Almanac safe ice thickness chart said three inches is safe for a single person on foot, four inches for a group in single file, and 7 1/2 inches for a car with two-ton gross weight. They should get an update for snowmobiles.
Florida officials will discuss whether to drop that state's 20-year bear hunting ban next month. The state's seven-member Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission will decide on Feb. 4 to tell biologists to work on hunting plan details or postpone a hunt.
After 14 bear attacks on humans in the past 18 months, four serious, Florida needs to protect people. Thirty-two states have bear hunting seasons.
Last Monday, the Utah Wildlife Board approved new bear hunting opportunities because the 91 bears killed this year posed a threat to people, sheep and cattle. Utah allows use of bait and archery seasons.
On Jan. 3, a deer hunter in a 12-foot treestand at the Clinton Wildlife Management Area killed a bear that was climbing toward him. He killed the bear with a 12 gauge shotgun when it was about three feet from him.
Today is the final the day of the Garden State Outdoor Show. The Garden State Deer Classic awards will be made this afternoon, and there's a lot to see at the show, but not as much as previous years. The Hawg Trough had small largemouths.
The $3.1-million 1,500-acre purchase by Green Acres from Jersey City in Morris County that Split Rock Reservoir is located in, is good news. It offers outdoor recreation, including fishing and hunting. Maybe the road to the boat launch will improve.
There's an interesting winter marksmanship rifle match Saturday at the Cherry Ridge Range in Highland Lakes. The NJ Arms Collector's Club is holding the match in the honor of winter combat from Valley Forge to Korea.
The black powder and reproduction and relics or curios of the period, and winter combat uniforms or civilian equivalent are encouraged. Prizes will be awarded and trophies given in the best in each class. A lunch of venison stew of hot beverages will be served in the clubhouse.
Jan.13: Fish and Game Council meeting, 10 a.m., Assunpink WMA offices
Jan. 17: NJ Arms Collector's Club, Rifle Marksmanship. relics from the Battle of Trenton to later wars, reproduction rifles or black powder, encouraged to winter civilian equivalent, at Cherry Ridge Range in Highland Lakes, sighting-in 9-10 a.m., matches 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
Jan. 18: Knee Deep Club's ice fishing contest at Lake Hopatcong, 6 a.m.-4 p.m., 80% payback anglers, details, kneedeepclub.org
Jan. 23: The 20th annual Fly Fishing Show opens its three-day all-things-fly-fishing run at the Garden State Exhibit Center in Somerset
Jan. 24: North Jersey Fisheries Forum, 10 a.m., Hayford State Fish Hatchery, Hackettstown
Jan. 26: Special Canada geese in two zones, five daily bag limit