LIMA, Ohio (WLIO) — Despite colder weather arriving earlier than it has in recent years, the City of Lima is warning residents against ice fishing on local reservoirs.
City officials say that even if the reservoirs appear to be frozen over, people should not walk or fish on the ice because the city does not monitor ice thickness. The Ohio Department of Natural Resources recommends at least four to five inches of ice before fishermen consider venturing out.
Officials also warn that fluctuating water levels in the reservoirs can make ice conditions unpredictable and dangerous.
“Because the ice level on reservoirs changes. We're either pumping in or taking out of a reservoir. And you know, you may see ice on the surface, and if we're pumping in, it goes in underneath the ice, so it starts eating at the ice from underneath. And you may think, that's great, and then it's about one inch thick and you're gonna go through. So, we never say the ice is safe," says Mike Caprella, Utilities Director for City of Lima.
City officials say that even if the reservoirs appear to be frozen over, people should not walk or fish on the ice because the city does not monitor ice thickness.
In addition to ice safety concerns, the city does not allow four-wheelers or snowmobiles on reservoir banks to prevent damage to the area.
