Several ice fishermen went through the ice on Otsego Lake off Three Mile Point Saturday afternoon when the ice began to deteriorate following two days of warm temperatures.

According to assistant fire chief Brian Clancy, there were three groups of fishermen, totaling about 18 people, on the ice off Three Mile Point when the ice began "honeycombing." Honeycombing occurs when radiant heat from the sun creates fractures in the ice.

Clancy said a man initially fell through the ice at about 3:30 p.m., but he was rescued by his fellow fishermen before firefighters arrived on the scene.

"They were probably a hundred yards off shore," Clancy said.

The waters off Three Mile Point are more than 100 feet deep, and the drop off begins within 20 yards of shore.

"At one time or another six different people had gone through the ice," Clancy said.

All the fishermen were either able to get themselves out of the icy water or were helped by other fishermen.

The first fisherman to go through the ice was transported by the Cooperstown ambulance to Bassett Hospital and was later released, Clancy said.

The Milford Fire Department was called in with its hovercraft when one group of fishermen was coming off the lake and one fisherman went through again.

"They were so far out, I knew we couldn't get them with the rescue squad," he said.

Although it was not needed for a rescue, the hovercraft was used to retrieve some fishing equipment which had been left out on the ice.

"It's nice to have that kind of equipment you can call in from neighboring departments if it is needed," Clancy said.

Some of the fishermen had to walk to the opposite side of the lake to be driven by firefighters back to their cars at the Three Mile Point parking lot.

Clancy, who is also the village's DPW superintendent, said officials made the decision Saturday to close and lock the gate at Three Mile Point to prevent any more fishermen from having access to the lake.

He anticipates the park will be open again in time for the start of trout season April 1.