ice-hole

[cook]

Thinking of giving it a shot on the ice this week,only been once before.I bought some type of auger(?) at a yardsale.Hand powered and it is a spoon shaped blade on the bottom.I sharpened it,but still is a time and calorie burning experience.
What are some alternative ways to cut a hole?Axe,pick,chainsaw?Not wanting to spend any money on a once a decade trip.

[herb]

How much ice are you going through? A homemade spud bar can be done cheap and easy.
That spoon auger is probably a collector's item now. Got 2 of them myself. If you have to use it, sharpen the inside of the spoon, not the outside.
Good luck on the ice.

[cook]

Spud bar=heavy iron bar with chisel point?

Thanks for the reply

[herb]

Yeah, normally just a 3" by 5 or 6" piece of 1/2" bar with chisel point welded to a length of pipe. Some guys will weld the bar to cut off garden tool to keep the wooden handle. Easier to hang onto that way and not as cold on the fingers.

[CrappieMagnet]

Just be sure to keep the edge away from limbs,and make a lanyard for it.Once through the ice with no lanyard,and down it goes....instant lake structure..:D

Honestly....I have not seen anyone use a spoon auger in 20+ years.Can I come and watch? J/K

Good luck:D

[cook]

Honestly....I have not seen anyone use a spoon auger in 20+ years.Can I come and watch? J/K

Good luck:D

If you bring the peppermint schnapps:p

I paid 1.50$...was I ripped off????

[CrappieMagnet]

Nope ...you weren't ripped off.That's a good deal,actually.

[MOJON]

We use a chainsaw to cut holes to duck hunt threw the ice. I dont now why it wouldnt work to use to fish threw. Cut it and push it down and under the ice around the hole.

[cook]

Ended up using a variety of things,pick/axe worked best.Had to wear sunglasses to shield off the ice chips.Chainsaw been sitting for a while in the garage,never tried it.

[Jim C.]

Hey cook if you go looking for a ice auger the only place i found them was Minnesota bait & tackle they had 8 left a week ago i tryed Rodgers & Cabales & no one had any. We caught about 12 crappie & 3 blue gill & 1 green carp about 3 1/2 lbs. it was fun trying to get him out of a 7 in hole. by the time i got home & started to clean fish they had started to freeze. Jim C.