SOUTHWICK – While Southwick’s ponds are starting to freeze over and residents are getting ready to ice fish, the chairman of Southwick’s Lake Management Committee is stressing caution and wants everyone to stay safe.

Dick Grannells, the chairman of Southwick’s Lake Management Committee, said that Southwick’s lakes tend to draw plenty of ice fishers during the winter months.

“Sometimes hundreds of people come to fish in a given day,” he said, “On sunnier days people will be out fishing as far as the eye can see.

Grannells said that in any given year, Southwick’s North Pond is typically the first to freeze, followed by Middle Pond. However, he explained that there is currently a 100 by 300 foot space of completely open water on Middle Pond, so he is encouraging residents to stay off the ice, although the ponds are normally good for ice fishing..

“I think our ponds are a great place for ice fishing and we stock the lake with trout and the bass reproduce like crazy so there’s always something to fish for,” he said.

Despite the lakes being a great place to fish, Grannells said he wants to make sure Southwick residents stay safe out on the ice this year. He said that it is never safe to go out onto Lake Congamond because of the flowing current and underwater springs beneath the ice.

Grannells added that the potential fishermen have to stay away from the culverts between the lakes because the ice is very thin in those areas and the flowing water makes them even more dangerous to stand around.

While there haven’t been any accidents this year, Grannells said that people have fallen through the ice in the past.

“Over the years, many fishermen have gone through the ice, and every year we have to rescue people that fall through the ice,” he said.

He added that he is very cautious about the ice and said, “You wouldn’t see me walking out there at all.”

Grannells added that he wants people to stay safe out on the ice this year and said, “any potential fishermen have to be extra careful out there and not take any risks, we don’t want to have rescue anyone falling through the ice.”