3 to 6 inches and I take the shortest routes to the spot and off and spread my holes out. and usually go out with only an ice chiper to check the spot before i bring auger and supplies back first sign of water or thin ice i back out fish don't taste that good.

At least 4 inches

Seven to ten inches. Most of the time when I go out ice fishing up here we have trouble getting the auger through to water. Often have to add an extension. A hand auger is only for sado-masochists who get their jollies from pain and suffering.

Be especially cautious about thinner ice near shore. The currents always run along the shore line, I'm guessing because there's more variation in water temp there due to sun reflecting off shallow lake bottom. Anywhere there is current the ice will be thinner.

4-6 inches for me. I've take a bath in that chilly water a time or two and prefer to stay dry at this point.

4" of good ice but watch yourself on a spring fed lake the ice in those areas is honeycombed and dangerous.

I usually wait until there is 8 inches of ice 1) because I don't like the idea of falling through the ice and 2) before that I am usually spending all my free time deer hunting. Like some of these other guys have said 4" is usually said to be safe and I have lots of friends that hit the ice around then. I just like to play it as safe as possible.

I would have been out if there's three inches and there's not much snow on top of it but once snow starts adding up I like more ice. Can't wait to get home and check out our ice there's only an inch where I'm working.

Thanks scratchgolf for that answer. Very informal! if you have such a hard time understanding it then just dont do it rather than come on here and act like anyone that does it is stupid. Stick to golf!