What black ice thickness do you feel safe on?

2 1/2 inches works for me. I'm 210 lbs and travel light early season. If I hit 2 1/4 inches, I turn around and head back

Being 80 years old .....need to be safe on ice.   To each his own.. Just be careful out there guys.  your families need you around.  Good luck.

Good luck on your quest, Pflueger. I agree with your assessment of the rarity of 12 inch gills around here. I caught a 12 in Minnesota when I was 15 or 16 years old. That fish had to be at least 25 years old. Have not come close in 40+ years since. Caught several from 10 3/4 to 11 1/4. I did see with my own eyes a tape measured gill 12 7/8 inches caught by a Waukesha County ice fisherman several years ago on a 100 acre lake. I caught a couple 11 inch on that lake,  but word got out, the lake was hammered and now 9 inch gills seem to be the biggest there

Was that after you fell thru, Ice Lord? Ha! Another inch or so and you, me , FishNdude and bass abductor will all be out there

Same here Pop. Ice was about yah thick. 

"I think you guys are crazy.   Risking your life."

Fishing out of a boat anytime the surface temps are 60 or below is risking your life. If you use a bit of caution, ice fishing early ice isn't dangerous.

I think you guys are crazy.   Risking your life.

I was talking about hard black first ice, Carpio, not honeycombed late black ice. Pflueger and Big Musky 12, that's some good info. I'm always open to good advice from long  time ice Fishermen. What about pulling your gear on thin black ice? I have a 20ft rope to my sled until ice hits 3 inches. Of course have PFD and ice picks on me. Just want to say I have always been safe on 2 1/2 inches of hard ice but I once saw 3 big guys standing together break thru. I actually yelled at them to move apart. They just stared at me. Literally seconds later the fell thru. Fortunately it was only 4 ft deep. Might have been more like 2.25 inch in that spot

2.5" I concurs on a ruler. Good luck let the 10 to 11" gills go so I can get a 12" and my soul can RIP. 12" gills are one tough find but I think more challenging then 30" eyes, 40" pike, and 50" musky. Trying to break 11 1/3" gill its like the ultimate real life video game for those who don't fish to understand. Had one pulled near us last year. Think about it do you know more fisherman who got a 12" natural non hybrid gill or the other trophies lengths above? 

Just a 10" gill is the goal to many. 

12" still exist on a few waters now get that dinosaur to bite.

I know of two who have a 12" and a third by a stranger seen last year.

Have fun and take kids fishing even though its more work.

"10 inches"

I think you missed the title of this thread.

10 inches

I was shocked when I saw this on MN's DNR site:

https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/safety/ice/thickness.html 

I like the guy on the left trying to get back on the ice...

Agree's with what others have been saying.  

The key is, of course, that it's that thick everywhere you're going to go...

First ice 2" on the ruler will hold. Anything under 2" will crack with repeated crossing and can break. Ice is amazingly strong. Research also found white or clear is same strength. 

In spring 6-8" is touchy and can fail when honeycombing or melt crazy fast. 8 to 10" of melting ice is in my experience more unpredictable and dangerous then 2" of first ice.

Once froze I have seen new ice walked on next day. Two cold nights w ice cover can make a few inches. 

Open water to ice fishing takes only a few nights if cold like 0 or so at night.

I know variations and special circumstances can exist. 

If you can't stay by a hole by yourself without it flooding the ice its thin and could fail. 

Entire groups fish 2-3 inch. At 4" plus you will see ATVs out. I like 5" for machines. By 8" vehicles might be out if small and 10" plus will find pick ups on it. 

I am not recommending anything just saying what happens on lakes. 

A 40 degree high in fall will not do anything to the ice and the day might make ice or definitely hold if below freezing at night but 40 will burn up ice in late March and April. 

Pelican Lake may be shot in Spring while 50 miles north Lac View Desert might still have 14" white ice.

Snow cover and spring temps determine ice out way more then how cold the winter might have been. 

Just my observations after 40 years on the ice. Only fell in once off yard but ice was a bit less then 2". Also snow on land and lake needs to be gone before ice starts to lose the battle.

Many years ice is still good when lake link report otherwise for N WI. 

I would bet money guys could or were fishing on ice today in WI. They just don't come on LL and blab. Lake in Palmyra was capped this morning. If lakes are icing in S WI I am confident first ice spots are good in N WI. Not anywhere you want and deep lakes take a lot longer but hold longer in spring. I have been boat fishing as ice forming surrounded us. I was surprised that this just formed ice was about a 1/4". Snow cover of significant depth and then slush between snow and ice really slows ice forming. Cracks that melt they snow around them will have thicker ice then other areas for first ice if given a bit to stiffen up.

Water was 43 on Pelican 3 weeks ago. Ice forms on water at 37 or 38 for sure I have seen it. 

A spud bar can punch through 3 or more inches depending how hard you hit the ice. 

Trouble starts when area stays open and guys show up and did not know. Especially if it snows on a spot that did not freeze with the areas around it. 

Have fun and if you see the ice form with no snow cover and nights are cold 10 or less ice nice but under 20 can work a couple nights will make safe ice.

BTW you don't get a warning like slowing cracking ice your in before you can jump or run keep head above water it will cause a inhale breath. If you can't kick a keg and roll out, have no ice picks, rope or go at cushion freeze your arms to ice if below freezing so you don't drowned if you go unconscious. Also keep boots and clothing on it helps some to stop loss of body heat.

Really this should not happen but that's what I have seen recommend. 

Lastly ice in a augar hole appears thinner then it really is measure and see this year. 

I don't fish bago or green bay where ice can move apart and then refreeze that's how trucks go in. Ice on great lakes is nothing to mess with that is another ballgame.

I feel safe at 5 inches, but have gone out on much less than that last year.  I think it was about 3-3.5 inches.  I didn't feel safe, but catching fish made me forget about my safety.