Lake ice’s appearance can be deceiving this time of the year

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Anglers and sportsmen up around Lincoln can tell you that out on Mattanawcook Lake, the ice has been safe for weeks.

Local Game Warden Ron Dunham says he talked to one fisherman earlier this week who told him there was 10 to 12 inches of ice under his fishing shack.

And on Friday morning, there are two lucky men who could tell you that no matter what anybody says about ice conditions, it’s no fun to find out that you’ve made a mistake.

“This time of year is the most dangerous, because people take it for granted that the ice is safe because they saw someone else out there,” Dunham said on Friday, about 12 hours after two local men and their six-wheel Polaris ATV broke through the ice on Mattanawcook Lake.

The men – 20-year-old Ty Brehaut of Lincoln and 21-year-old Brad Libby of Lowell – escaped without injury after the accident, which took place at about 10 p.m. on Thursday.

But the incident provides a cautionary tale for others.

Mattanawcook Lake seems to be frozen solid. There is 10 inches in many places, 12 inches in others.

But in the area where Libby and Brehaut broke through, there is a pressure ridge. And that spells trouble.

When the pressure ridge formed, it left a valley of open water that quickly skimmed over, officials said. In the dark, ice is ice. It all looks reasonably safe.

In this case, the duo apparently ended up on the recently frozen section near the ridge.

“According to the report, they went about 500 yards out from shore,” said Sgt. Mike Knights of the Lincoln Police Department. “They hit some slush. At first they thought it was just slush, and then the vehicle started to sink.”

Knights said Brehaut and Libby abandoned the ATV, and after several tries, managed to drag themselves out of the frigid water and back onto solid ice. They walked back to town and were taken to the police station to warm up and file a report on the incident.

Dunham estimated the water depth at about 18-20 feet.

Neither Brehaut nor Libby could be reached for comment despite several attempts on Friday.

Warden Greg Sanborn said the incident was the second in less than three days in Lincoln: On Christmas Eve a pickup truck broke through the ice just off shore, and became stuck in 3 feet of water.

While the Christmas Eve accident proved a nuisance for the vehicle’s owner, Thursday night’s incident could have been tragic.

“We got out of it really cheap, to be honest with you,” Sanborn said. “We’ve got two young fellas who are very lucky to be alive.”

Sanborn and Dunham said heavy rain early in the week made the ice even less safe, as outlets began flowing into the lake.

“You’ve got people out fishing, and I just drove by the outlet and there were a couple of ducks swimming in it,” Sanborn said.

Dunham said that this time, many people realized that the ice wasn’t safe in places. Many people knew to avoid the pressure ridge.

And wardens had even taken steps to get the word out to the public.

“I had put in a little blurb into the [weekly] Lincoln paper, but it didn’t do any good,” Dunham said.

“It just happens that we were lucky this time,” he said. “We didn’t have a fatality.”

Elsewhere in this paper you’ll find a chart that details safe ice thickness for various loads.

Remember: These are all estimates. The ice you find may not be uniform in thickness, nor condition.

We all love being outdoors, and there’s nothing like being out on the ice – safely – on a brisk January morning. But don’t rush Mother Nature. If you do, you may not live to regret it.

Good news is on the way for frustrated anglers who call Beech Hill Pond in Otis their home water.

In an e-mail dispatch from Jonesboro this week, DIFW Regional Biologist Ron Brokaw reports that the state has instituted a liberal new law for one of the region’s most popular togue fisheries.

The daily bag limit will be increased to six lake trout (from two), and the minimum length limit will be dropped to 14 inches (from 18 inches). Only one of the six fish can exceed 23 inches.

The goal: Cull a lot of small togue from the lake, and let the ones that are left grow much bigger.

“It’s the same regulation which has been on the books at Sebago Lake,” Brokaw explained in his e-mail.

“Our trap-netting data from this fall, along with voluntary creel data provided to us by anglers, show an abundance of small-medium wild togue with few larger fish.”

Beech Hill is a deep, cold lake that has proven perfect for togue in the past: The state record 311/2-pound lake trout was taken from Beech Hill in 1958.

Brokaw said that liberalizing the bag and length limits should help the struggling fishery.

“The big problem is there are far too many togue in view of the available smelt supply,” Brokaw said. “The liberalized rule is designed to promote an increased harvest of togue, thereby helping to restore a better balance between togue and smelt.”

In 2000, the state enacted strict regulations at Beech Hill, including a law requiring togue between 24 and 30 inches to be released immediately.

At the time, Brokaw was vocal in his opposition to the law, which was the result of a citizen petition.

State officials warned that the rules would jeopardize togue and salmon growth rates because of an increased predation on the fragile smelt population.

As it turns out, Brokaw and the DIFW were right.

Brokaw knows that the catch-and-release ethic has become ingrained in many anglers, but hopes they’ll be willing to keep fish at Beech Hill in order to restore the fishery.

“Anglers who bring more fish home for dinner can take satisfaction in realizing that they are helping the pond recover to the point where it will once again grow some 5- and 10-pounders as it always has,” Brokaw said.

Brokaw pointed out that no salmon will be stocked in Beech Hill until the condition of trapped togue improves.

Perhaps you don’t like the taste of togue. Maybe you don’t know how to prepare a lake trout properly. Either way, Brokaw is eager to help.

Give some fish away, he suggests. Or, you can write to him.

“I’ll be glad to send along several easy-to-prepare, delicious recipes to interested anglers,” Brokaw said.

Just write to Brokaw at PO Box 220, Jonesboro, 04648, or send an e-mail to ronald.brokaw@maine.gov.

And if you don’t even know how to catch a togue? Well, Brokaw’s willing to help you out with that, too.

“One of the proven producers at Beech Hill is jigging a chartreuse Weeping Willow near bottom in 25 to 35 feet of water,” Brokaw says.

There you have it: All you need to know for a fun day of fishing. As soon as the ice is safe, set your sights on Beech Hill.

Ron Brokaw will thank you.

John Holyoke can be reached at jholyoke@bangordailynews.net or by calling 990-8214 or 1-800-310-8600.