Despite 2 weeks of near record low temperatures (and average winter temps before), the ice on one of the ponds I fish wasn't much more than 3 or 4 inches thick-which would have been fine except, in the holes I drilled, water came up through them and surrounded each in 2 or 3 inches of water an area about 5 or 7 feet wide.  We did get about 8 inches of snow which helped to explain why the ice wasn't much thicker than it was and, I can only guess, the weight of the snow pushing DOWN on the ice, forced the water up through these pressure relief holes.  It was both sloppy and unnerving.  I've never experienced this before.   Not like this.  I did alright (5 or 6 small bass and 3 respectable bluegill) but it was just too unnerving to press my luck any further.  This has been a weird year.

I think people have this impression that the ice is a hardened surface to the water when it's really just a floating sheet of ice.  That would freak me out enough to not go out on it, even knowing why.  Nice job catching!