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There are some basic guidelines that you SHOULD follow regarding ice fishing safety (as well as the rules and reg's that go with the sport).
Knowing that, there are still some that will "take a chance" and head out on risky ice conditions. (I know why they want to do it, but for the life of me I'll never understand why the do it?)
SO what it boils down to is this: In the ice fishing world, just as in the surcasting world, some consider you a wimp, wussy, weakling, etc... if you don't "push the envelope" and take that risk, even though it could cost you your life!
Remember all it takes is one split second to change everything you felt safe about into a disaster.
Me, I don't venture out on less than 4 inches of black/clear ice.
I did once before, I mean ONCE, and although I never fell through I knew the ice was getting weaker by the minute and it wasn't worth it to continue the risk. (I left that pond, drove a mile west on rte 40 and found my other fave pond in that region had 6-8" where I wanted to fish.)
back to the topic....the temps can have an impact on the ice, and rain WILL erode the top and shoreline as well, but if you have a thick solid base to begin with, it would take summer heat for a few days, or a few days of pouring rain to completely melt all the ice.
OH, I was up in the NH lakes region, on Winnpesaukee, and where I was (NW side) they had just over a foot of ice!
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