Stanley Wayman, 54, and Michael Katchuk, 31, of Binghamton, died following an ice fishing accident over the weekend on White Birch Lake in Windsor. Throughout the Southern Tier and Central New York, conditions on many lakes have not allowed for ice fishing or other activities. Our Kat De Maria visited Oneida Lake and shares safety tips from veterans still on the shore.

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CONSTANTIA, N.Y. -- It looks like a beautiful spring day on Oneida Lake. But instead of being sometime in March or April, it's January. And the people at Spruce Grove Marina in Constantia, who spend their time or make their money ice fishing, are still somewhat patiently waiting to do so this winter.

"I'm out on the lake probably every day during safe ice," said Mike Whitney.

The ice right now is not thick enough to stand on. And what there is collecting in such a way as to make any fishing impossible.

"No one is going out in boats, obviously. There is some ice piling up in places close to shore. So they can't really fish from shore either. So nothing's really happening right now," said Spruce Grove Marina owner Claudia Barney.

Nothing happening means no business for lake business owners and no action for ice fisherman. And they say it could be that way for awhile.

"I wouldn't go out on less than six inches of good solid ice," said Jim Jeffries.

"We're hoping first week of February, second week of February, if the lake gets frozen over, we'll be able to get on it," Whitney said.

Even after the lake does appear to freeze, the ice fisherman we spoke with say they won't be heading right out on to it. They say there are still some safety measures and other precautions they'll need to take.

"I would say a safe thing is good cold weather, two weeks ice on the lake before you would venture out. Even when we go out, we don't go out on our snow sleds. We walk out and we have a bar that we check the ice with every, oh, every 25 feet," Whitney said.

"Start drilling at the edge of the shore first and check it. And as you go out, just keep on checking it," Jeffries said.

When they decide the ice is safe, the fisherman we spoke with take their sleds out, but also rope, flotation suits and other safety gear. And they do not go out alone. They say knowing a lake's features can help. But caution and patience are most important.

"We take our time and respect the ice. You don't want to disrespect it, because that's when you get in trouble," Whitney said.

Ice fishing guidelines from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation are available on the agency's web site, www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/7733.html.