Request for Ice Fishermen

[donnamatrix]

Hi. Well, the Ice Fishing Derby is coming up in a couple of weeks, but before the Derby, during the weekend of February 5th, will be the second annual Pond Hockey event. This was a huge hit last year, bringing lots of folks into Meredith to watch and participate. Most all the Pond Hockey occurs to the side of the Bay Point Inn where Indian Island is located-the water there is not very deep.

It would be very nice if everyone who is putting out a bobhouse, or who is just ice fishing in Meredith Bay, could refrain from augering fishing holes in the area where the Pond Hockey tournament will take place. Everyone knows you can't "reserve" space on the ice, but there is plenty of frozen ice and plenty of room for everyone to be able to have a good time....

Thanks to everyone if you can help with this.

[topwater]

Will they still allow 50 cars or so park right next to each other like they did last year on the ice by indian island? To me thats just a accident waiting to happen.

[martbri7]

They should rope it off like last year seemed to work snowblow the area and mark off the rinks....only request pull out the stakes before ice-out...

[donnamatrix]

Gee, I don't remember that ... but last weekend at the ice racing on Berry Pond I bet there were 300 trucks lined up next to each other out on the ice. That would freak me out!

[hazelnut]

Gee, I don't remember that ... but last weekend at the ice racing on Berry Pond I bet there were 300 trucks lined up next to each other out on the ice. That would freak me out!

I was one of them... and it did! :eek:

Honestly I really didn't give it much thought until I was driving out there and heard the cracking ice. :eek: The bigger scare was when the plows would plow the track between races and the ripple effect caused loud cracking noises under your feet, all this as I stood next to my F250 Crew cab and there was a Chevy HD Diesel two vehicles over from me. So a question crept into my head, how deep is Berry Pond.

[donnamatrix]

Good grief. If I heard the ice cracking, I think my heart would stop. I fell through the ice when I was about 11, and being on ice makes me very uneasy. Even during the Derby: I work all weekend in the trailer (selling tickets, weighing fish, data entry) but I never venture out on the ice. Somebody once told me that they could see the fish thru the ice swimming around - no thanks! By the way, the Rotary plans to have the Derby HQ trailer in place during Pond Hockey weekend, and we will be selling Derby tickets on Saturday and Sunday of the Pond Hockey weekend. Come say hi!

[pcmc]

They should rope it off like last year seemed to work snowblow the area and mark off the rinks....only request pull out the stakes before ice-out...

Would orange cones and yellow tape or rope work, easy up easy removal. Only a suggestion, I don't don't know what the conditions are, meaning will the wind blow'em over, or someone walk off with them. Also if the yellow tape is caution tape people may get the wrong idea and think the ice may not be safe.
I would think as long as there is a sign notifing people of the up coming event, they would avoid the marked area and understand the ice is safe.
Just a thought.

[donnamatrix]

When I drove past the end of Meredith Bay mid-day Friday, 1/20/11, it appears that somebody has used the type of orange mesh that is used to delineate snowmobile areas to mark off part of the Bay... it must be for the Pond Hockey, but I really don't know.

[VitaBene]

I was one of them... and it did! :eek:

Honestly I really didn't give it much thought until I was driving out there and heard the cracking ice. :eek: The bigger scare was when the plows would plow the track between races and the ripple effect caused loud cracking noises under your feet, all this as I stood next to my F250 Crew cab and there was a Chevy HD Diesel two vehicles over from me. So a question crept into my head, how deep is Berry Pond.

Hnut- I did not know you were there, I was down near the pit on my sled. Berry Pond is not deep and the ice is very thick now.

No worries on the ice on Berry Pond- it is just talking to you!

[hazelnut]

Hnut- I did not know you were there, I was down near the pit on my sled. Berry Pond is not deep and the ice is very thick now.

No worries on the ice on Berry Pond- it is just talking to you!

I saw a green Arctic Cat minus a shield go by and thought it might be someone you knew... ;) I was looking around for you, I had the kids with me. I thought that the pond probably wasn't too deep. Although it was still a bit unnerving hearing the ice creak and crack under my truck. :eek:

On a side note those races are AWESOME!!! I highly recommend everyone check them out.

Back on topic, I can't wait to witness the pond hockey weekend. Last year we were unable to make it that weekend.