Methods for keeping holes open?

What is your best method for keeping holes open in a permanent ice house? I’ve read a lot methods for a couple days, but how about from weekend to weekend?

A good auger.

It will never happen and you don’t want it to. Open holes are a open invitation for disaster. Several things can happen:
1)Your house could drift in and flooding occurs through the open holes.
2) Muskrats move in, yes it does happen often
3)Warmer air coming off the water can etch holes in your banking/ice and make a “wind hole” as we call them that basically work as a snow pump for the inside of your fishouse
4) If flooding occurs on the lake you are now the proud owner of the drain holes that will grow by the minute until they get large enough to consume your house.
5)If the heat quits the open holes work better then any humidifier turning the inside of your house into a snow cone complete with freezing the door shut.

If the house is attended for the entire time you are going to have to redrill, just the way it is if not let them freeze back shut for piece of mind.

Very good, and very useful points Johnny P. Now, what about the ideas of cylinder type(and sealed) “hole savers” that would not allow the muskrats, water, moisture, etc. to enter? Are these all just ideas that don’t work? I think a lot of people would be interested in various opinions/experiences.

Those work great for short periods of time but when they freeze in you have one heck of a mess.

I have tried so many things in the rentals. Including fans, air bags and even agitators but finaly gave up as mother nature is gonna win that fight every time. Best thing is a good auger and if the mess is a problem look at some of the Catch Cover products that work great for keeping the mess of drilling off the floor and eliminate clean up time.

IDO video/Catch Cover

lil can of burning charcoal. works great

Keep the big ol Johnson in it????

Good tips and the muskrats will find that open hole every time.

From Jeff

Had a muskrat decided to move in under my father-in-laws house one week. I was happy I had installed covers over his spearing hole and angling holes so it did not get inside. However I was opening it up on a Fri night so that it would be ready for Sat morning. I had pulled my pickup up to the door for some light, opened the door and was welcomed with stemmed weeds, and upon opening the spear hole realized I was on about 3-4 inches of ice. My brother and one of his buddies came and helped me do a midnight house move. We marked the area to keep everyone off so no one would go through since everyone was driving out to their houses.