new to ice fishing---any way to create a fishing hole without an auger??

Question

they're pretty expensive and ill only have a couple days to ice fish since i work alot and the nj weather has been crazy last couple years...i never thought id be able to wear shorts in december until last year


also, are tip ups necessary/recommended?? ill probably be holding my pole the entire time

Answer 1

You can also use an ice chizel, pretty much a metal pole about 4 to 5 feet in length with a sharpened tip so you can chip through the ice. Works great if the ice isn't too thick. They also make jiffy hand ice augers which also work great if the ice isn't too thick.
No the tip ups aren't necessary. In Wisconsin you are allowed to have 3 lines in the water so many people will put out 1 or 2 tip ups and use a jig pole at the same time.
Good Luck.

Answer 2

I would reccomend a hand auger,I swear by them. I even use my 8" hand auger on 4'+ of ice! Keeps ya warm and builds those muscles! trade off with your buddy each hole (but if you ask for help before your done your hole, then you're a wuss!)

I also bring an axe with me, which I use to open up old holes, this might be a good option for you. Try not to splash yourself.

As far as tip-ups go, I hate them. I use a jigging rod (you can just use a regular fishing rod if you want). You can also set it up in the snow so that when a fish bites it falls over.

I also use a flexible stick with flaggin tape tied to it, simple as that! In the wind, it will jig for you, but that also makes it hard to tell if you have fish on.

But my favorite method works just like a tip-up, I really reccomend this method: Use a stiff stick, 1 or 2ft., with a little fork in the end. The fork goes above the hole. Take a spool of line, tie your jig or whatever on there, and lower it to the level you want it at, then stick the spool in the snow so it just barely holds the line on the spool. Last, tie a piece of flagging tape to the line (weave it into a loop of line so it doesn't slide. When a fish bites, the flag will move down the hole. Wait. When the flag dissapears completely, set the hook. The fish like to take it away before they eat it, so this lets them do that! Works especially well for trout! This setup is only for live bait, because the fish has to actually eat it. Obviously not for catch and release, but catch and release ice fishing is a bit of a crock if you ask me, since a fish will die if it's gills freeze. Oh yeah, and you can still jig with this setup, you just grab the line with your hand and work it.

So all you need is flaggin tape, line and jigs and bait! Cheap and effective.

Answer 3

i use a lownmoer blade and sharpen the end to a sharp edge then i tape the rest off whit duck tape so it wont cut your hands and then i tie a rope around it so when i cut through the hole it will not fall in the lake. this is a cheap way of makeing an ice chipper they sell one at the fishing store, it is a long pole with a sharpe edge it cost about $30. just try what i told you and it will work fine, i use mines all the time and it get the job done. an ice pick has a point and it will not work, what ever you use it must have a sharp edge some thing flat.

Answer 4

Below is just one link for a Hand Auger (there be a whole lot more on the Internet as well as in Hardware Stores, where ya'd be savin' on S&H). Don't ice fish, but personally think I'd want a clean cut hole ~ them waters are mighty cold especially for an unexpected swim! Am sure there'll be others on Answers with, "hands on" experience, that'll give you some more input and ideas on the subject of Ice Fishin' ;)...

http://www.sportsauthority.com/product/index.jsp?productId=1131186

Answer 5

If you fish the same spot IE: fish house, then it's easy. We took a piece of metal chimney stack (pipe) and twisted it into a cone, with two screws screwed it to the floor of the house when finished for the day. The cone went into the hole. Then the next time out, sprinkle lighter fluid around the cone and light it, it'll burn for a minute or two then simple. "pop-up" and out of the hole.

Answer 6

Go to EBay.

People sell there old hand-augers all the time for around $25-$45. (Just make sure to get the blades sharpened or changed) I have ice fishing rods more expensive than a decent used 8" hand auger!

A new one will run you $60-$100.

Also, on EBay I've seen an auger you attach to a cordless drill. This "drill attachment" auger "may" make 1-3 holes in 4-5" of ice but I suspect it would be useless in MN, WI, MI, Etc where the ice is 2-5 FT deep!

Tip-ups are "OK" when it's -30 with a windchill of -50 & your fishing for Northerns only, but, I personally like to have a rod in my hand when I'm fishing! I like to Crappie fish and Walleye fish on the ice.

Go check out EBay!

Good luck!

UPDATE:
Why the Thumbs down??? Although an ice chisel may be an "OK" way to make a hole in 4-6" of ice it won't be a "pretty" hole and will have sharp edges that will most certainly cut your line if you get a decent fish on!

Ice chisels are usually used to keep or open old holes or help widen them to spearing size.

On the other hand, a used hand auger ,with extension, can cut through 4-5 ft of ice easily, is light-weight, (unlike a lead-filled chisel), and portable.

In regards to tip-ups: Tip-ups are a "preference" fishing item or CAN be used to locate fish, (If you don't have a flasher/finder and want to fish/cover a larger area.) Tip-up's are also nice if you like to fish Northerns in shallow water but ALSO want to fish Crappie/Walleye in deeper water AT THE SAME TIME.

Example of properly fished tip-up's: You set-up your portable Ice House on a productive 15-25 FT drop off or sunken island and then rig your tip-ups in 6-8 FT of water, (usually 20-30 yrds away), for the shallow water bite.

The problems I've had with tip-up's is "the mad dash" of 25-30 Yrds! (lol) Seems you always get a bite the moment you decide to zip-up the portable and "get warm"! (lol) AND you have to pay special attention to it AT all times! It's like trying to watch 2 bobbers at the same time, only 1 "bobber" is a 1/4 of a football field away!(lol)

Plus filtering out the "dinks" is a pain,(After you make 5-6 "runs" and only catch a 6 inch perch you get tired of the "scramble"! ) Thats why I only use tip-up's for Northern's,( or huge Walleye!)

Currently, I will only use a tip-up baited with a 5-6" dead or alive shiner. That way your catch might be worth the heart attack you get! (lol) Besides, I like to have a fishing pole in my hand when I fight a fish!

Answer 7

Ice Chisel (spud).
They are inexpensive. My old one had lead melted into the pipe to add weight. Have a leash on it in case you drop it trhough the hole.
I suppose you could take a fat piece of rebar and grind it down to chisel shap, but I think a minimun width should be around 2-2 1/2" wide.

Answer 8

Chain saw will cut a hole in the ice