How do you keep your spearing hole open overnight?

[erowlson]

I cant get out to my shanty everyday. Does anyone know how to keep my spearing hole open overnight so there isn't so much ice when i get out there?

[Clinch]

A spud

[erowlson]

Well thats how we clean our hole when we get out there... we were wondering if there was a product they sell to keep it open and not freezing over..

[sirslurpee]

you could probably make some kind of plywood rig, oversized of the hole and put some 2x4s underneath for support and to keep it locked into place..

usually it stays open when I fall in it though :D

[Sailor]

Make a plywood cover that you set outside when you're spearing and use to cover the hole at night, it makes a big difference. The cover is also handy to lay on the ice to measure your spearing hole when you cut a new one.
When you build a new house put a trap door over the hole to close at night.

[michiganhonkers]

maybe some thick foam?

[Willie Tippit]

Those are good idea's but don't work to well,as we are in ice making season right now the plywood or foam freezes in there, and the foam would be a mess chopping if out with a spud..heat is the only way and i don't think u wana heat going 24/7 till the next time you get out...G/L Mark

[Sailor]

Those are good idea's but don't work to well,as we are in ice making season right now the plywood or foam freezes in there, and the foam would be a mess chopping if out with a spud..heat is the only way and i don't think u wana heat going 24/7 till the next time you get out...G/L Mark

You don't put the plywood in the water Willie, you cut it a wee bit bigger than the hole in your floor and it sits on the floor....it works very well... and saves a lot of ice sawing and or spudding. A frame of 1x2s on the underside of the plywood that is a little smaller than the hole in the floor will keep it in place. When you put it on the ice as a template to saw your hole you will have a perfect sized hole every time.

[moonphase]

:yeahthat:You don't put the plywood in the water Willie, you cut it a wee bit bigger than the hole in your floor and it sits on the floor....it works very well... and saves a lot of ice sawing and or spudding. A frame of 1x2s on the underside of the plywood that is a little smaller than the hole in the floor will keep it in place. When you put it on the ice as a template to saw your hole you will have a perfect sized hole every time.This is exactly what I do and it works well.Of course you will still have a skim of ice but not nearly as much as if you left it wide open.
I fished Sunday until about 5:00,went out yesterday morning around 8:30 and was able to open the hole by just pushing the spud around the diameter of the hole.It was only around 18 degrees all night.

[Ralph Smith]

electric blanket, and loooooooong cord.:lol:

Really I have no idea, but wonder if you could put some kinda low voltage wire(coil)that would stay warm on underside of the plywood, and hook it to a car battery. Might last for day or 2 ?

[Fishcapades]

Fish tank heater and a car battery...

[michiganmaniac]

you could try buying a small bubbler for a fish tank or something, and then getting a power converter so you could hook it up to a battery or something. i thought this might work because when i see ponds with bubblers the spot over the bubbler is usually not frozen over

[ehansen300]

If you never stop fishing it wont have time to freeze!

[GOTONE]

A spud

thats what i do

[fishdog9]

how about some 2" pink insulation board?? ive used it for my holes before and it worked over night....more than two days is tuff to keep open though.....

[erowlson]

sounds great. ive got some of that pink insulation laying in the garage too. just sick of spudding my hole out. i use a chainsaw to cut it first but dont take it out every day

[Chad Smith]

A company makes a motor with a fin on it, when in the water it makes a slight whirlpool preventing your hole from freezing, I dont how well it will work for a spearing hole but maybe worth a shot. I dont remember which website it was on, I'll keep looking.

[chuckwagon157]

antifreeze in your spearing hole....problem solved:evilsmile

[Mtnman198]

Put a Robo Duck in there.....

[erowlson]

you sound like my girlfriend!!!!hahahahaaha

[oldboy]

I use a thin sheet of plywood with 2 inch foam insulation over the top to cover my spearing hole in the shanty. It works pretty well over night and took just a couple of minutes to make.

[dcush]

We've always used a foil faced rigid foam (1/2-3/4") cut just larger than the hole so it sits above the water. If you duct tape the edges you will not have to deal with any foam that chips off and floats in your hole. This works pretty well overnight or for a day. Make sure you have snow or ice shavings around the base of the shanty to block wind from sneaking under the foam (it helps block out the light too)

[jaybassman]

how about just pouring some vegetable oil in there since oil and water dont mix it should stay afloat and keep the hole from freezing up

[chuckinduck]

how about just pouring some vegetable oil in there since oil and water dont mix it should stay afloat and keep the hole from freezing up

Then you've got oil on top of your spearing hole.

[backroadstravler]

I haven't speared in a while but if you are using a live decoy, I used a large(12 inch) sucker minnow, reel it up to within 3 inches or so from the top of the hole. If you have the decoy line fastened to the top of the shanty in the center of the hole, the decoy swimming around will help keep the hole open. If you don't go every day it is going to be hard to keep the hole completely open. Those who suggested anti-freeze or vegetable oil haven't done much spearing. Nothing like sitting over a spearing hole, it's like watching live TV, without the reruns. good luck. Have you ever had a muskrat come up in the hole after you have been staring at it for an hour or so. Just about blows you out of the shanty.

[BassFisher91]

Use a water shaker(can't think of the right term) that you would use on a calm day of duck hunting. It's sort of sad I don't know the name of it, I've got one out in my barn with all me dekes. I don't know how long one would run though non-stop.

[tommy-n]

personally I don't care if the "spearing hole" ;) Is open all nite, as long as it's open for the 5 minutes I want to fish it, it's all good:evilsmile