Ice fishing can be dangerous to the experienced fisherman. Throw in someone that doesn't know what safe ice is, and it becomes a life threatening situation.

I hit the ice this past Monday, Dec. 22 for the first time this season. After posting a picture of my catch, I received several messages asking where I was and if I was crazy. Many people want to fish, but wait for others to verify a lake’s safety before they venture out. There is a rush to get out because early ice tends to be the best fishing of the winter. The problem with this is, if you don't know a body of water and aren't prepared to fall in, you may not live to fish another day.

Sorry to those that see this as a redundant column. I will be kicking off every ice fishing season with information about ice safety. If in the process I prevent only one person from falling in or drowning, I feel the redundancy was well worth it.