Freeze-proofing holes?

I’ve experimented with different methods of keeping the holes open in colder weather for my Automatic Fishermen rigs and have had mixed results. I’ve made foam discs to cover the holes (black to absorb heat), and a small foam float ring with corn oil in it to keep the line from freezing to the skim ice. Pain in the butt to use, detracts from the effectiveness of the tip down idea. Any other methods out there?

I know years ago, my buddy “Hooks” made some boxes, out of plywood. He had them covered with a reflective material inside (silver foil?) and he would just put a plumbers candle in there, he had tip-ups inside them, with the flag on top…. never seen one freeze Alot of Eye’s and even Pout met their demise under them boxes

big G

I know Dinosaur also made something like that many, many years ago. Here is a refined one my son and I built a few years ago.
DT

I use those round orange polar tip ups with the “tackle box” built in, then stick a couple of hand warmers in the tackle box. Its cheap, and no extra bulky gear to carry.

Ken

Use this product for the Auto-Matic.. Works great..

http://goodoutdoors.theshoppe.com/ice_stopper_ice_fishing_jigging_rod_line_bobber_stop.html

Here`s an old school way to keep your holes open.Right next to your ice hole drill a hole about 2 inches into the ice.Chip it out so the water flows into the 2 inch hole and they connect.Take a coffee can with charcoal in it.This will keep your hole open for many hours.

For your regular tip-ups

This is one that takes some work to make but when done takes up almost no room,

take a 5 gal bucket and drill a 1/2″ hole in the center of the bottom,

then cut the bucket off 2″ from the bottom, then cut from the hole to the edge and down the 2″ side.

to use just slip your tip-up in the cut to the center and set the disc on the Ice and pack snow or slush around to hold in place

you can nest these in the bottom of a bucket and then put your tip-ups on top

for the tip-down the only thing that I have ever seen that worked was the Ice Stopper product from above,