Two ice fishermen were lucky to escape injury when caught on thin ice on West Lake Osceola Friday morning. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources reports that State Conservation Officer, Michael Miller, was on routine patrol late Friday morning when he saw the two setting up an ice fishing shelter. He asked about the ice thickness, and when the men reported it was three inches, Miller instructed them to immediately leave the ice. One man made it safely back to shore, but the second broke through about 10 yards from shore. Miller was able to get his throw bag to the man in the lake and he and the other angler pulled him to safety. The man, who was losing feeling in his hands, was treated by paramedics at the scene and then released. Miller said he told the two men, “Next time they want to go ice fishing this time of year, to go north. It was 48 degrees here with a south wind. Our ice conditions have been deteriorating quickly for some time,” Miller said. Ice fishing is not recommended for the southern third of Iowa, and the warnings are likely to move north with warm weather expected in the coming week.