Ice Fisherman Dies on Sodus Bay
Louise Hoffman Broach / Wayuga Editor
Wednesday, February 3 2010
SODUS POINT - A Rochester man who was ice fishing alone on Sodus Bay died Feb. 1 after he apparently went through the ice about 100 feet from shore near Central Avenue. State police in Williamson said a neighbor called 911 after hearing a man, later identified as Gary Caruana, 58, of Elmgrove Road, calling for help about 7:40 a.m. When Trooper Jason Mulcahy responded, he found Caruana’s unattended vehicle. He then saw tracks leading onto the ice, fishing gear on a sled on the bay between two near-shore bubblers, which are used to keep the water flowing near docks, but no fisherman. There was a hole in the ice about 100 feet out on the bay, he said. The Sodus Point Fire Department’s dive team found Caruana in the water a short time later. He was taken to Newark-Wayne Community Hospital, where he died later in the day, police said. Police believe he may have been in the water for up to 45 minutes before he was found. The investigation is continuing. There is conjecture that the bubblers may have played a role in the incident. Posts on several ice fishing websites indicate that Caruana was a relatively new ice fisherman and may not have known the bubblers may have created open water. “This is sad news from Sodus Bay and as a very new ice fisherman,” one poster wrote. “This really makes me stop and think. I try to be extra careful and won’t go out unless the ice is at least four inches and looks safe - no wet spots or odd-looking ice. But there are no guarantees in this pastime I guess.” Another poster listed rules for ice fishing: 1. Don’t ice fish alone. 2. Buy Arctic Armor so you float if God forbid you go through. 3. Wear safety spikes to haul yourself out. If you go through, you lay on your back, kick yourself back to the last known good ice, align yourself to it on your side and roll onto the ice. If you roll right, have that spike in your left hand coming over the top, vice versa if rolling the other way. Then remain clothed, until you get in a warm place. 4. Stay away from open water, like that created by bubblers, by currents, or by water that failed to freeze. Why people insist on fishing near open water is just beyond me. If you even suspect there could be a current, go fish somewhere else. 5. Check ice periodically if you have any concerns about the ice being less than four inches thick. “I put don’t ice fish alone first for a reason,” the poster wrote. “This guy was alone, near open water, and clearly didn’t check the thickness as he moved toward the open water created by the bubblers. It’s tragic because it could have easily been avoided.”
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