Angler’s vehicle falls through lake ice

[Mike]

Teviah Moro

Orillia Packet & Times - Monday, February 20, 2006 @ 08:00

A family from Michigan that went ice-fishing on Lake Couchiching in Ramara Township found themselves in a pickle on Saturday when their pickup truck fell through a pressure crack in the ice.

The couple and their teenage son had phoned ahead asking about the ice conditions before making the trip to Orillia, Const. Don Martin said yesterday.

“Somebody told them trucks were driving out on the ice,†said Martin, who attended the scene with another snowmobile unit in case someone had gone through the ice.

They had just spent the day ice-fishing and were heading back to dry land about 4 p.m. when their truck broke through a massive pressure crack on the southeast end of Horseshoe Island about 1/2 kilometre from shore, he said.

The family managed to exit the 3/4 tonne, extended-cab pickup without injury and went to a nearby fish hut for help, Martin said.

But their truck wasn’t so lucky, slowly sinking into the icy depths of the lake Saturday afternoon.

At that spot, five centimetres of ice cover had frozen over 61 centimetres of water, with another five centimetres of ice underneath. Ice fishermen said the depth of the lake was six metres there, Martin said.

A local farmer drove a tractor onto the ice and tried to pull the truck out by using a chain. The tractor also broke through the ice, Martin said.

Around 6 p.m. yesterday, Washago Tire came to the rescue, using a “skidder†to pull both vehicles away from the thin ice.

“Do not take a vehicle on the ice,†Martin warned. “There is no real good ice.â€

[caznik]

When are people going to learn that cars and trucks don't belong on the ice while out ice fishing.

Caznik

Wonder how much all that cost to get your car or truck back off the lake.

[CaptLevi]

Sure they do Caz. After all, how else can ya troll?