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My recommendation is drill a hol in the ice close to shore while you are standing on a dock or the bank.  If it is 6 or 8 inches you are fine to step out a few feet and repeat the process.  If the ice is uniformly 6 to 8 inches you should be fine.  If it gets thicker (common this time of year with the lakes rising) you are really set.  Just do not push it.  I usually carry a pair of phillips screwdrivers to pull myself on the ice if I should punch through, but I am also a great big chicken.  We used inflatables with ropes/winches tied to them while performing the rescues.  The recovery was done via boat later in the spring.