How Many Of You…..

flatten out the mounds of ice after drilling your holes outside while hopping,seaching or after fishing the hole and moving onto the next?

I do know that while drilling thick ice you can build up a big mound of ice and after DONE fishing that hole I flatten out the mound.

I guess I do that for 2 reasons

1. a safty factor.. so other quads or snomobiles dont hit it, when traveling the machines its sometimes hard to see them or they are not looking for them.

2. so others cant fish MY drilled holes. I would hope they would do thier own homework,hard to where to see drilled hole without ice mound.

What do you do?

I don’t fish hard water often, but I pound them down. I snowmobiled too much in the past to leave something like that sticking up.

I shovel all my mounds away. I’m not thinking of the vehicles when I do, but that is a good point. If I use tipups I like it flat and clean. With my portable I also like it flat and clean. If I do hole hop I will flatten them out for the safety of others.

Good Point Trumar!

at least kick 1/2 of it clear, so I can set the flasher down flat.

I will be the bad guy here. When we are drilling 100’s of holes and hole hopping I leave the mounds

I am a flattener too

1) It makes it nice when hole hoppin’ to set the MarCum down on a level surface rather than fighting with the uneven mound of ice.
2) It helps keep your line from getting caught on the ice shavings while bouncing around.
3) A clean top makes it easier to slide out a big slab crappie or gill.

I never do. I guess its just a time thing. I guess I never thought it was frowned upon.

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I will be the bad guy here. When we are drilling 100’s of holes and hole hopping I leave the mounds

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Same here.

As a guy that puts a lot of lake miles on a sled… I’ve never considered old ice holes an issue. What am I missing?

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2. so others cant fish MY drilled holes. I would hope they would do their own homework,hard to where drilled without ice mound.

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Really? I thought we were supposed to share. As long as they aren’t on top of you, does it really matter?

If I am drilling to find a spot, I do not shovel the mounds away. If I’m fishing the holes I do shovel all the snow away. No particular reason except for my self diagnosed case of OCD. I like a neat fishing area. Drives me nuts when my buddies spit their chew or sunflower seeds on the ice. Looks messy.

I usually only clean off the holes I intend to fish in. The rest are markers as to where the fish are not.

I’m a flattener not a mounder.
I’m a folder not a buncher.
I’m a pinch and roller not a fluffer.

I usually kick away the snow on the downwind side of the hole so I can put my flasher down flat and have my back to the wind. As far as a travel stand point, most of the time those holes/mounds disappear within a week.

I guess i do but thats so i have a level place to sit and a level place for my vex and i don’t have the mound to lift up and over often i get fish out of the hole and slide em on the ice, I don’t cover them when i leave

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2. so others cant fish MY drilled holes. I would hope they would do their own homework,hard to where drilled without ice mound.

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Really? I thought we were supposed to share. As long as they aren’t on top of you, does it really matter?

If I am drilling to find a spot, I do not shovel the mounds away. If I’m fishing the holes I do shovel all the snow away. No particular reason except for my self diagnosed case of OCD. I like a neat fishing area. Drives me nuts when my buddies spit their chew or sunflower seeds on the ice. Looks messy.

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I second this one. While searching I don’t flatten. once I’m in a spot I’m fishing out I like it cleaned up. haven’t had my line get cut off by the ice for not cleaning, but don’t want to take the chance.

Now with tip ups. if it’s cold I’ll actually leave the mound, and set the tip up on it. It seems to help keep the hole open a bit on those colder days. I could be nuts though.

What Chomps said.

X2

I really could care less what others think of the way I operate on the ice(I fish alone most of the time). I hole hop so I drill lots of holes. If someone has an accident because of the holes I drilled and didn’t flatten the residue……………….well, he wasn’t paying attention then was he.

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Same here.

As a guy that puts a lot of lake miles on a sled… I’ve never considered old ice holes an issue. What am I missing?

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You are missing nothing James . I was just curious as to what others do thats all.NOT blaming or shunning anyone here just curious.

All please relax

we flaten em out makes it easier to put the shanty over,have a level surface for the flasher and your line wont get caught on the hole. and for tip-up fishing it makes it easier to put the tip-ups in.

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I am a flattener too

1) It makes it nice when hole hoppin’ to set the MarCum down on a level surface rather than fighting with the uneven mound of ice.
2) It helps keep your line from getting caught on the ice shavings while bouncing around.
3) A clean top makes it easier to slide out a big slab crappie or gill.

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X 2 except where it says Marcum insert Vexilar(for now)

I agree with what Brent said too. The one thing that really gets me is when people throw their ashes from grilling or just staying warm on the ice. That makes a very big dangerous hole when spring comes.

I always flatten but then I also use the slush to seal in the tent. I like it clear for the flasher and there are less edges for the line to hang up on.

Flat here. Also pick up everything before I leave. Match sticks from lighting the lantern/heater, apple cores etc. are picked up. Used wax worms go down a hole. Only signs I have been there are my tracks and holes.

9 times out of 10 i’ll flatten my holes. Like others have said, it makes it nicer for the flasher, plus you dont get your line caught up on the edges. Nothing major, just a simple foot swipe to the left and one to the right.

If I’m going to fish outside, yeah flat top all the way, except if there’s a stiff wind I like to mound-up that direction to block it.

i typically fill them back in a bit so they aren’t a big hole to drive a vehicle into. Also, always clean up before leaving. The fish don’t have weekly trash pick up when people leave trash on the lake.

Herb, you are such a rebel. And I agree with you. Do what you want.

x2

Used to flatten with the solid ducer arm of the Clearwater Classic, but no more since the LX5. Boy what a difference after 10+ years with the old trusty. I like to leave the sides now so I don’t have to use the scoop and it also takes the hole longer to freeze when wind protected (if it’s that cold out). I also remembering tweeking my knee a couple of times when I would wait to kick the holes free until I dropped into them (lateral motions with the side of the boot not recommended).

Depends on if the wind is blowing and which way. I’ll typically kick the snow away but then use it to construct a a wind sheild and if I am in the portable it’s definately kicked away

As far as fishing in a hole someone else drilled, If your not fishing in or have something next to it I believe its fair game.

Just the other day I drilled three holes with my 8″ hand auger and fished those holes for prolly 5 hours another guy drilled about 25 holes all over the place. After he settled in for about an hour on the same couple of holes I decided to walk over and try one of the holes he drilled (I was 50 yards from him in a relatively small area) He walked over and kind of threw a hissy fit. I didn’t say a word walked over grabbed my auger which was just slightly bigger thans his and drilled 3 of “His” holes bigger and said “Well now they are mine then” He went back and sat down.

I think he was a little upset I was pulling some nice saugers out and he wasn’t