In all fairness to those who read the outdoors page regularly, I feel I must confess. I have officially violated a city ordinance pertaining to fishing in one of the area’s top public lakes. This wasn’t a one-time deal either. I’ve done it multiple times over the past two years. Unfortunately, many of you have unknowingly done it, too.

Anyone who enjoys pulling a fresh catch of bluegills and crappie through the ice knows Mozingo Lake is one of the top destinations for ice fishing enthusiasts in the Midwest. That was until recently when it was discovered the city of Maryville, which owns the lake, has an ordinance specifically prohibiting it.

At first I thought my friend who filled me in on the ordinance was trying to pull my leg. After all, how could it be illegal to fish on a public fishing lake? After a little digging on the Internet, I found the ordinance, which very clearly prohibits ice fishing, in an obscure part of Maryville’s Web site.

To further complicate matters, the Missouri Department of Conservation hosted an ice fishing clinic at the lake last winter that was attended by more than 60 anglers, conservation agents and biologists. As there are no posted signs at the lake prohibiting ice fishing and the regulation doesn’t seem to appear on the lake’s Web page, no one knew anything about the ordinance.

MDC is hosting the second annual ice fishing clinic today, which will also take place at Mozingo Lake. As the city had already approved the clinic prior to the event, it will take place as scheduled, only participants will have to sign a form releasing the city of liability.

Unfortunately, the whole issue with ice fishing at Mozingo comes down to that dirty little legal term — liability. Apparently the mayor and other city officials have nothing against ice fishing itself. They, along with their insurance company, are just preoccupied about the liability of allowing people out on the ice.

Now, in this world of lawsuits and litigation-crazed folks looking to make a fast buck, this isn’t hard to fathom. What I do find hard to grasp is why single out ice fishing? As I said, I’ve been ice fishing on the lake (fairly recently, in fact), and there are at least 12 solid inches of ice there right now.

To those unfamiliar with ice fishing, 4 inches of good ice will safely hold anglers, 5 inches will easily hold a snowmobile or ATV, 8 to 12 inches will hold a car or small truck, and 12 to 15 inches of ice will hold a medium-sized truck. Remember, these generally agreed upon thickness guidelines are for clear, solid ice.

Can ice fishing be dangerous? Sure, it could. In fact, according to the Lifesaving Society of Canada, an average of four to five people lose their lives annually in ice fishing-related deaths in North America.

Is ice fishing any more dangerous than other activities that occur at the lake such as driving or riding in a car, swimming at a beach, riding in a boat, zipping across the water at 40 miles per hour on a jet ski or personal watercraft, water skiing, tubing or anything else?

While any loss of life is tragic, consider the following: Nearly 700 people die annually in boating accidents in the United States.We also average about 10 deaths per day in drowning incidents, and in 2007 alone there were more than 41,000 deaths from motor vehicle accidents.

I can’t imagine the city of Maryville is going to make ordinances prohibiting swimming at the beach, boating, waterskiing or driving into the park, yet all these have proven themselves to be far more dangerous than ice fishing.

While I agree there should be control over activities that can prove to be a significant danger, there comes a point when we have to use common sense rather than letting our fear of liability dictate our actions. Just like the golf course, swim beaches and personal watercraft, regulations can be made to reduce risks and still allow the full use of the lake.

Besides, with their cabin facilities and ideal fishing, the city of Maryville should be promoting, rather than shying away from, this type of activity. Think of the income lost by turning away anglers who spend money on gasoline, groceries, restaurants, and bait and tackle. With the right marketing, ice fishing at the lake could possibly be a major source of offseason revenue.

To voice your opinion about this issue, log onto www.maryville.govoffice2.com/ and click on the feedback tab on the left hand side of the page.