Drill a extra hole

How many of you drill a extra hole for your flasher?
I have been doing it for a few years now and it works great. No more have to pull the cable out when fighting a fish.

I will from now on as I had one wrap around my transducer cable and cut it this afternoon! Live and learn!!

I don’t ducer in my jigging hole no issues and rare I ever pull it…

I use a 10″ auger and drill another half hole making it about 16″ wide. Workes great for those bigger fish that shake like mad when they get to the bottom of the ice. On the down side, they get off in the hole, bang right back down they go. Leaves lots of room for my transducer, and most times I dont have to take it out.
Wallster ><((((>

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I use a 10″ auger and drill another half hole making it about 16″ wide. Workes great for those bigger fish that shake like mad when they get to the bottom of the ice. On the down side, they get off in the hole, bang right back down they go. Leaves lots of room for my transducer, and most times I dont have to take it out.
Wallster ><((((>

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Let me know what lakes you frequent. 16 inches and I could lose my 3 year old.

Mille Lacs
Wallster ><((((>

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I use a 10″ auger and drill another half hole making it about 16″ wide. Workes great for those bigger fish that shake like mad when they get to the bottom of the ice. On the down side, they get off in the hole, bang right back down they go. Leaves lots of room for my transducer, and most times I dont have to take it out.

Wallster ><((((>

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Let me know what lakes you frequent. 16 inches and I could lose my 3 year old.

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No kidding! That is irresponsible IMO, unless the holes are clearly marked. I see no need for a 10″ hole period (aside from laker fishing maybe), but to make it 16″? Someone is going to break a leg or lose a child/dog.

Wait until we finish the magazine size rant before we start the ice hole size rant. Being on ice is always dangerous.

If i am on a hot hole and plan on staying a while then I will otherwise I just try and move it out of the way

I like using a 10″ bit for fishing walleyes for the reason of not always having to toss my ducer out of the hole. Especially if I am solo. A 16″ hole is a little aggressive I have to say.

i only drill the extra hole sometimes when panfishing. perch and eyes don’t ever seem to wrap up. and if i get a runner (northern), I pull the ducer just because you never know where he’s going. But most of the time, my cable is on the side of the ice, with the ducer just under the bottom, and rarely have panfish issues when i don’t do the extra hole.

I always drill the second hole. The augers running so why not. Saved a few fish because of it.

I just keep my transducer even or just a tad above the bottom of the ice and at the far side of the hole, rarely ever have a problem with fish wrapping.

Two holes. I use a camera so the I have a long line down to the bottom of the lake normally and still get a tangle once in a while When I us a locator I use one hole, keep the cord on teh edge of the hole and the tranduce just below the bottom of the hole to make sure I get a good signal. You are still going to get tangled once in a while. And if know the fish is a good one as you are bringing it up you can reach down and take the transducer out of the hole.

I might have to try that. I haven’t lost a fish reaching down to pull the ducer out or from being wrapped around it, but I don’t want a first time either.

I just read this in the ND fishing regulations online;

“There is no restriction on the size of the hole in the ice
while ice fishing. When a hole greater than 10 inches in
diameter is left in the ice, the area in the immediate vicinity of the hole must be adequately marked with a natural
object or a brightly painted or colored wooden lath. Markers must be visible from a minimum of 150 feet.”

I’ll have to check the MN regs. for similar but I don’t recall ever seeing anything about
marking them if larger than 10″.

Think Iowa has a law similar to that, many states do restrict the size hole you can drill, personaly never seen a fish yet that wont come up an 8″ hole… Lakers I can understand but most of us dont have a need for anything over 8….

I couldn’t imagine seeing a 16in hole in the ice thats just ridiculous…If you need a 16in hole to get a fish up you shouldn’t be fishing unless your shark fishing haha

That might be said for a 6″ hole as well. With a little fiancée and not having an issue, a 28″ walleye has happened for me. Now with that said, I (as of last year have bought a used 8″ auger to drill with.) I’m not totally sure it is necessary, but it’s what I’ve got.

Ive stepped in a hole like that and it didnt feel too good. Please mark the big holes.

How about we all try to consider the possible results of our actions. Like many, I’m often on the lake with my ATV. Someone one could really get hurt if they dropped a tire into a 16″ hole while driving across the ice.

You guys need to take a trip over to Lake Winnebago after sturgeon spearing when the shacks are off the 4 foot by 5 foot holes in the ice!!! They need to mark them but if we get a thaw or high wind lots of the markers are tipped over and you have no idea where that huge hole is anymore.

Wis. is a 12″ size limit, exempt is sturgeon spearing.

I have been in search of a 3 1/2 inch paddle drill bit for some time. I want one just beside my 8 inch I am going to try a forstner bit Monday have a 22 inch ling extention so if that works it will be nice

Interesting idea, please report back on how it works.