'Her name's not Big Windy for no reason': Lake Winnipeg dangerous for unprepared ice fishers
More than 100 people rescued from the lake since January, guide says
A Manitoba fishing guide who lives on Lake Winnipeg in the winter says he often has to rescue unprepared and inexperienced fishers who become stranded on the ice.
"When people come out here and put their lives in danger and then they get stuck … I'm putting my life or my employees' lives in jeopardy as well just to go get them," Brady Kingsland told Radio Noon this week.
Kingsland, who runs Kingsland Outfitting, has lived on the lake during ice fishing season for the past four years. He says fishers often get stuck on the ice when winds gusting up to 40 km/h reduce visibility and wipe out the trails.
His firm has rescued more than 100 people stranded on the lake so far this year, sometimes after working 14-hour days.
"I mean that's kind of the code out here. You don't really leave anybody, you know, stranded, but, you know, we got guys coming and knocking on our doors … people waking us up," Kingsland said.
Truck stranded
On Monday CBC News confirmed with RCMP a truck was stuck out on the ice around 12 kilometres west of Beaconia Beach on the southeastern shore of Lake Winnipeg at the Balsam Bay fishing access.
Fire and rescue rescued two people from the truck, but the driver refused stayed to wait for a friend to assist, according to the RCMP. They say the driver called that evening to report he was safe and off the ice.
Kingsland says that situation isn't new and people need to be more prepared.
"You know, you don't come out on the Lake Winnipeg without a tow strap, without clevises, without shackles, without a good shovel," he said.
"It's definitely not a joke out here. And people … have to take the right precautions before something bad happens because it's only a matter of time," he said.
"I'm sure it feels like the mentality is, 'Well, if it's stormy out, who cares? We've got the day off … let's go anyways and somebody will come get us.'
"I feel like that's the mentality," Kingsland said.
Thousands of people from all over the world come to fish out on the ice each March, and Kingsland has a message for them.
"I've been working on this lake for 20 years and, I mean, there's been times where I've thought, you know, we might not make it through … Experience is great, but I mean even the most experienced guys get caught," Kingsland said.
"When it gets bad out here [on Lake Winnipeg] you cannot see your hand in front of your face … her name's not Big Windy for no reason."
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With files from Radio Noon