OutdoorNebraska

List of Water Bodies That Contain Zebra Mussels – Populatins of zebra mussels are present in these Nebraska waters: • Offutt Base Lake • Lewis and Clark Lake • Missouri River Transportation and Possession – It is unlawful to transport live black carp, silver carp, bighead carp, grass carp, white perch and yellow bass away from the water body from which they were captured. Learn More – For more information about AIS, visit: neinvasives.com. ICE FISHING SAFETY Stay safe on the ice when enjoying a day of ice shing. Follow these Nebraska Game and Parks Commission tips for safety on the ice: • There should be at least 4 inches of clear, solid ice before an angler ventures onto a frozen lake or pond. • Wear a life jacket. • Commercial or homemade ice picks should be worn around your neck in case you fall through and need something to grip the ice and pull yourself out. • Use an ice chisel or spud bar to check ice thickness every step of the way. • Keep a long rope with you so someone can help rescue you if you break through the ice. • Avoid alcoholic beverages. These affect your judgment and increase your chances for hypothermia. STAY ALIVE, AVOID HYPOTHERMIA Hypothermia is a medical emergency that occurs when your body loses heat faster than it can produce heat, causing a dangerously low body temperature. Normal body temperature is around 98.6 F (37 C). Hypothermia occurs as your body temperature passes below 95 F (35 C). When your body temperature drops, your heart, nervous system and other organs can't work normally. Left untreated, hypothermia can eventually lead to complete failure of your heart and respiratory system and to death. Hypothermia is most often caused by exposure to cold weather or immersion in a cold body of water. Primary treatments for hypothermia are methods to warm the body back to a normal temperature. Since most boaters who die in water-related accidents had no intention of going into the water, avoid behaviors that cause accidental immersion. Do not stand or move around in a small boat, overload your boat or distribute the load unevenly, decelerate suddenly, allowing the stern wake to overtake and swamp the boat by washing over the transom. In case of accidental immersion in cold water, get in or on top of the boat. Most boats will oat even when capsized or swamped. A good ice shing setup could include Pac boots, fur hat, mittens, spud bar, ice picks, ice cleats, life jacket, auger, skimmer, rods, jigs and spoons, and a sled to transport it all onto the ice. OutdoorNebraska.org | 31

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