LIMA, OH (WLIO) - With the cold and harsh temperatures ramping up this winter season, nearby ponds and reservoirs are paving the way for ice activities such as fishing or skating.
When going out to your local ponds or reservoirs, be sure to keep a close eye out for any warning signs.
The Ohio Department of Natural Resources recommends four to five inches of ice before considering going out to fish. Ice skaters are being told be especially careful.
"Something that people like to do a lot is that they like to get out and ice fishing. We have many ponds throughout the park district, including Lima Lake that's here behind me. Most of our small ponds, we don't allow any ice skating on. You are welcome to fish them. Most of the ponds will have a sign that says something of the effect of "Ice unsafe; keep off." We do that because those ponds have a lot of that inflow and outflow. They're water retention ponds through the freeze and thaw cycle, they tend to be an unsafe body of water," said Ben Altenbach, Johnny Appleseed Metropolitan Park District.
"You don't know how thick that ice is. You may measure it. A lot of people test the ice before they go out on there. They say it's six inches of ice, and you may go 100 yards, and there may be two feet of ice or two inches of ice; you just don't know. You never know the thickness of that ice because of what is going on underneath it with the water coming in and out. That is why we say it is not safe. If you go to the reservoirs, go sledding. Sled down the hill; it's fun; that's recreational. I'll stay off the ice," said Mike Caprella, director of utilities for the City of Lima.
The Ohio Department of Natural Resources recommends four to five inches of ice before considering going out to fish.
When going out to your local ponds or reservoirs, be sure to keep a close eye out for any warning signs.
