Checking Depth Through The Ice

Getting back to Ice fishing this year after being out of the loop for a long time. I’ve not run a flasher before but back then I had the old Humminbird portable lcd. We would drop the transducer on the ice, window washer fluid in hand to pour onto the ice first and get a depth.

Why don’t I see anyone doing that anymore? Seems you have to drill baby drill to get a hole everywhere you want to check depth. Sure I can understand that a lot of times they are sharpshooting fish and looking for fish, but if you’re searching for transitions, won’t this old school method work? I’d think with today’s electronics it would be even more effective.

I think you just don’t see it as much because of the quality mapping. It gets you so close to your spot.
DT

Washer fluid has chemicals that really shouldn’t be added to the lakes, plus could be harmful to someone’s dog running loose. I think the DNR cracked down on it some years ago. I no longer ice fish, but I used to use a jug of water to do the same thing. Works fine as long as it’s not extremely cold.

Can definitely just use water if the ice is clear enough, take care not to freeze your transducer down.

I used to bring a thermos of water for spot checking with the Marcum.

I still would, if i still ice fished.

Now way back when we used a Stanley wide tape measure, you know the depth plus you can tell the difference, from muck, gravel,rock.

catmando wrote:

Now way back when we used a Stanley wide tape measure, you know the depth plus you can tell the difference, from muck, gravel,rock.

You did all that thru the ice without drilling a hole?

BoatsHateMe wrote:

We would drop the transducer on the ice, window washer fluid in hand to pour onto the ice first and get a depth.

Why don’t I see anyone doing that anymore?

Most have switch to antifreeze

deertracker wrote:

I think you just don’t see it as much because of the quality mapping. It gets you so close to your spot.
DT

^^
I agree with deertracker. With lakemaster and other map chips, I drive right to the spot I want to fish now, and then I typically want to drill a line or grid of holes to fish in that specific area. I already know pretty well where the transition should be, and I want to fish the different zones up around it, so I’m drilling holes.

It’d be a different story if I’m on an unmapped lake. In that case, yes I’m going to be trying to get depth through the ice in a bunch of spots to start with, then do the drilling once I have a general idea of bottom layout.

I still do this, but not with window washer fluid. It’s probably not a good idea to get that stuff in the lake. I just try to get a slick surface with some water on the ice.

Washer fluid makes it into the lakes and rivers no matter what, along with road salt, engine oil, coolant, cig butts, etc.

But I agree, we don’t need any extra if we can help it.

you’d be better off using a heavy salt water in a container than window wash fluid

Already enough salt in the lakes, water or drill a hole.

Dusty Gesinger wrote:

Already enough salt in the lakes, water or drill a hole.

this. how about just no chemicals on the ice period

Post says checking the depth through the ice Dave ,not how it’s done . Lol . Yep I read it . Just, away to do something, if you don’t have a depth finder.

I remember back in the day my dad had a 100 foot tape with a heavy hook on the end. We would drill a hole and drop that down. With the heavy hook you could feel what bottom you had. I forgot my water bottle today so I spit on the ice. That was enough for it to get a read.
DT

T

FishBlood&RiverMud wrote:

I used to bring a thermos of water for spot checking with the Marcum.

I still would, if i still ice fished.

Thanks for the idea. Great one more thing I’ve got to remember to pack. Last night I forgot the maggies and waxies, dammit.

20+ years ago, I had a handheld thru-ice transducer. It was blue shaped like a flashlight with a lanyard. I just moved back to Michigan from Florida after 18 years and just got back into ice fishing.
I just did a search, they are still available, Marcum has one, it’s the MarCum LX-I Digital Handheld Sonar, it has a digital read out and 2500W. It was a definite time saver!!

Lite Flight drills so fast I just quick pop a hole

Bass Pundit wrote:

T

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>FishBlood&RiverMud wrote:</div>
I used to bring a thermos of water for spot checking with the Marcum.

I still would, if i still ice fished.

Thanks for the idea. Great one more thing I’ve got to remember to pack. Last night I forgot the maggies and waxies, dammit.

Just remember if it’s hot water, it will freeze very quickly in the cold. Regular bottled water would work just fine

Karl Awiszus wrote:

20+ years ago, I had a handheld thru-ice transducer. It was blue shaped like a flashlight with a lanyard. I just moved back to Michigan from Florida after 18 years and just got back into ice fishing.
I just did a search, they are still available, Marcum has one, it’s the MarCum LX-I Digital Handheld Sonar, it has a digital read out and 2500W. It was a definite time saver!!

i have one of those and love it!!!!!

i use a bottle like a sunny dee bottle to bring along with water in it!!!!!1

How about denatured alcohol? It is a deicer and evaporates pretty fast. No pollution to the water.

grpubl7 wrote:

evaporates pretty fast

Not at icefishing temperatures, it doesn’t.

They don’t do it because no one ever showed them how. One hole and a can, bottle, gallon jug with water works as good as anything.

Does anyone use the handheld sonars, I think Vexilar made one, looked like a yellow flash light…

Ralph Wiggum wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>grpubl7 wrote:</div>
evaporates pretty fast

Not at icefishing temperatures, it doesn’t.

So, you admit to never have taken chemistry in high school?

iceager01 wrote:

Does anyone use the handheld sonars, I think Vexilar made one, looked like a yellow flash light…

I had one circa 1985 and it never worked through the ice.

Good luck by the time you shovel the ice and slush I will be on my spot.

Don’t see any reason to use this old tech.

iceager01 wrote:

Does anyone use the handheld sonars, I think Vexilar made one, looked like a yellow flash light…

Yea I do. I love it. Dump some water on the ice and push the button.

One thing though it doesn’t work with all this slush ice. It needs to be clear ice.

grpubl7 wrote:

So, you admit to never have taken chemistry in high school?

Aside from the fact that I have a degree in chemistry and I literally make my living as a chemist…

But go ahead and keep thinking you know everything.