Guys,
The new perm shack is getting hauled up nort tomorrow, I’m sitting here wondering how a guy can keep the holes open in between using it.
What do most of you cover them with?
Does a couple layers of rigid foam insulation work?
How about just a piece of plywood?
How the heck do you keep it from “becoming one with the lake”?
How does Granrud do it?
I’ve been ice fishing for decades but this is the 1st perm for me.
Any ideas are appreciated, thanks.
Don
I saw in a book you could put a candle in the area by the hole and that may keep it open. As far as when you are out. I think there is a video on this site that show some devices that would do that.
Block the house up with a scrap of 2×4 or higher on each corner to keep it off the ice then bank it up. watch out for any slush building up outside your house, if it does you should block it highter because the weight is sinking the ice and water is coming up the holes and that will freeze a house down. Generally this is caused by snow load on the ice, but sometimes just the house alone depending on weight and ice thickness.
I gave up trying to keep holes open, sometimes if its well insulated and sunny they will stay open by them selves.
-Good luck with it, Mark
From back when I had a permanent house a good gas auger was best for keeping them open. If you house is well banked they should stay open for the weekend.
Mark hit it on the head, block it up with 1 ft. long chunks of 4 X 4 on each corner and in the middle of each side. That way it is easy to chip out the pieces when you take the shack off.
Keeping the holes open is next to impossible unless the shack is kept warm and you don’t want to do that. I have seen a product that goes into the hole and gets inflated but I have never seen one used.
It is called the Ice Hole Saver and here is a link to the patent, there is a PDF that shows a picture of it on the link page. http://www.freepatentsonline.com/4761909.html
insead of buying that couldnt you just get some car tire innertubes put them in the hole and inflate them?
I leave my heater on the lowest setting over the weekend. I have a 30 lb tank and I usually only go through 2 a year with leaving the heat on almost every weekend. If you are not going to be out for a while bring the auger and open them back up. I haven’t found anything that will keep them open when the heat is off and I am away for a few days. It doesn’t take that long and then you get a nice new clean hole to fish out of.
Good Luck and enjoy your new shack 
If you don’t want the exhaust in the house each time you fish, use an electric auger.
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