Ice fishermen can face manslaughter charge for dri

https://fishncanada.com/news/ice-fishermen-...-a-frozen-lake/

I have witnessed first hand someone falling through the ice thinned by a dock bubbler. Pretty scary stuff. I can't imagine anyone getting much more than a soaker with an 8-10inch hole from an auger. How does one "guard" their holes?

You sit there and menacingly wave your auger at anyone that gets near your hole!

Wondering if this relates to spear fishing. In and around Lake St. Clair, I’ve seen pictures of fisherman who spear fish for pike/musky in shallow waters where Pike tend to migrate in the winter months. Openings are made with what appears to be with a chainsaw and sized around a 2x3 foot hole where someone could easily fall into it I suppose, if not careful.

Can’t see how this would apply to an augered hole by any means as Koke referred to but that would be hilarious seeing a bunch of guys standing on the lake waving their arms crazily until their holes freeze back over

I'm pretty sure that's illegal unless you're a status card holder.

My mistake, could’ve been an American picture as Lake St. Clair is split both American and Canadian. Couldn’t imagine being on the ice and spearing a fish, something just doesn’t seem right. This is a screen grab from a Lake St. Clair fishing board

https://youtu.be/W4NFdcuUJC0

Lost of spearing still going on..
Not for me..

I have gone thru a hole on Scugog. Someone chain sawed a hole for the hut and at the end of there day the hut got pushed off the hole about 6 feet without marking the hole. I had dropped off our extra bait to some guys in a hut doing a night fish, as I was running to catch up to my gang I hit the just frozen over hole and went thru. Hit the far side of the hole about waist deep and pitched forward onto the solid ice. If I would of had some matches I would of warmed my legs and water filled boots by lighting the hut for some warmth.

Simple solution don't allow anything over a 10 inch hole imo

Last person off the lake steps in 10" hole lands horribly wrong and snaps an ankle or knee, is no longer mobile and now its dark and succumbs to exposure/hypothermia overnight. Can happen... But then again had this person been guarding his own hole until it was safely frozen over being the last one on the lake all of the other holes would have been safely frozen over as well. So whose really at fault?

Many years ago I was fishing with my dad on a local river. We drilled our 4 holes 8". After fishing for a bit dad steps back and into a 10" hole we couldn't see. he fell backwards and broke his tail bone. hardly walk for a long time. any hole can be a problem, depending where you step or what part of foot hits it.

Good point, I was only thinking about the falling right through problem.

I'm no lawyer or anything but I still don't see how that would translate into manslaughter... At worst it's reckless endangerment causing death(or bodily harm whatever the case may be) but again my only formal legal training came from law and order so I am just guessing here but I think that's some form of sensationalist media trying to scare you into thinking you are going to jail for ice fishing.

Well fellas, I’m guessing the legislature is telling us it is our legal duty as citizens in society, to not go back to work until our ice holes are frozen over. In this case it’s more likely to just keep fishing, so you legally can’t get fired for not going back to work. I’m in for that.

He's the sheriff so we have to do what he says