I use to do ALOTT of ice fishing until "that night"...was out ling fishing..had walked over a spot about 5 times with no problems..then one time while walking along with auger in hand...down I went.. ..the thing that saved me was my auger catching on the sides of the hole....pulled my self out and went home naked...lol....went out the next day in the light to find out why I had gone thru..it was a spot on the ice that someone had been using one of those half barrels to keep themselves warm...must have melted the under ice really good.....since that day I get a little leary to walk out there,,,but I have been out a few times since..just dont go out when its dark unless you have had a chance to survey the area!!!!!!!