Really depends on the size of the spot or structure your targeting and if you come across fish or not, kind of a open ended question.
Really depends on the size of the spot or structure your targeting and if you come across fish or not, kind of a open ended question.
I guess that’s another question. When you are on a piece of structure, do you just drill 1 or 2 holes to check for fish before drilling more? I guess I thought the majority drilled a bunch of holes in a given area and then fished once the holes are finished. Which leads into the original questions.
Thanks!
For me after drilling 4 holes, maybe 6 max…I’m done. Gassed… 
My preferred method is to step in to a heated sleeper house with the holes already drilled and then get in my pajamas and slippers right away. But that’s just me because I’m old and have gotten lazy. 
To answer though what you’re asking, I can only offer what I have witnessed. There are some that perform this “ice trolling” where they will drill 100+ holes along a structure, could be along a drop off, around an extended point or spine, or along the break off a mud flat. They then will follow (hop along) the drilled holes searching/chasing active walleyes.
I think it can be effective and on slower days they may be picking up a few fish along the way, when me sitting in the fish house sipping beer and munching on cheese and crackers will have to wait for dark for a walleye to happen by. I would wager they do catch more walleyes than I do.
Comes down to what you want out of your experience out on the ice. What I love about ice fishing is that there can be so many different ways to go about it based on what you really want to get out of it. 
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Comes down to what you want out of your experience out on the ice. What I love about ice fishing is that there can be so many different ways to go about it based on what you really want to get out of it. 
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Thanks for your input Mr. Cox. I’m more of the mobile type, but I’m a younger guy :-).
Mainly seeing how others guys go about it.
Thanks again!
I stay mobile also but i generally will get to my go to spot and start with just 2 holes and start fishing but that’s cuz i get there early morning and less noise the better at that point as the day wears on ill have dozens of more holes before the night bite rolls around so I’m usually done drilling a few hours before sundown as to not spook em
Last year was my first with my power auger. My 2nd time out I drilled 10+ holes with it and found fish on the 3rd hole. 30 minutes later some dude was fishing holes I hadn’t even checked yet. From then on I drill 3 at a time…
I usually fish with atleast one buddy and would guess on average will string out about 6 holes each usually in different directions. No fish then will drill 6 more holes each. If I think there’s fish I’m after in the area I’ll only spread my holes out 10 feet or so but if we’re not marking much I’ll spread them out 20-25 feet.
If it’s cold or windy I usually don’t last too long before I’m in the portable with the heater on tho 
I usually drill about 10-15 before I start fishing. Depending on how/what I am fishing, I may drill them from shallow to deep while trying to find what depth the fish are hanging out at or may try to drill them all along some piece of structure or a break. I usually drill, walk 10 steps, drill, repeat for 10-15 holes.
If I’ve got the auger out, then I usually prefer to just get the holes done so I can focus on the fishing for the next while rather than back and forth. I usually have 2-3 rods rigged up with different presentations on them and spend a couple minutes with each rod in each hole, then move on to the next.
Some days I never drill more than those initial holes. Some days I drill a bunch more closer to one particular hole. Some days those original holes are worthless and I have repeated the 10-15 hole set up about 10-15 different times.
If I am by myself I usually drill and then go back with the flasher and rods and check them all. If I am with a partner, then one drills and one checks the holes with a flasher. I used to fish every hole no matter what, now I am getting more and more so that if there’s not a fish on it when I drop the flasher down, then I’m onto the next.
Small spot on the spot, I will drill a small # of holes to feel like I’ve covered it. Bigger area like a flat and I will grid it out and drill a ton of holes.
Small spot on the spot, I will drill a small # of holes to feel like I’ve covered it. Bigger area like a flat and I will grid it out and drill a ton of holes.
Werm, I like that process.
Let me ask you another question, Saying you’re fishing a bigger point, do you still stick to a spot on spot mentality within the point or spread yourself on the point?
Thanks!
Saying you’re fishing a bigger point, do you still stick to a spot on spot mentality within the point or spread yourself on the point?
I’ll still drill out the point at a variety of depths. Then usually set a tip up in the shallowest hole, and check holes with the Vex until I’m marking. And fish marks for 5-10 minutes before moving if they don’t commit and check back periodically on what I think should be the best hole. Weather permitting of course, if the weathers bad I will setup on the “spot on the spot” and need a longer lack of action to motivate a move.
I’m a combination of nu98walleye and BigWerm.
About 6 at a crack. No luck then maybe another 6. If on a steep break I need to know exact depth and need holes to do that. BigWerm has it right that get a tip up on the first one while you fish the others.
If I know it’s a limited bite window then I’m never more than the first 6. Make my camp and hope they come in.
That’s the norm but not every day. Mr. Cox makes some good points about enjoying life and a beverage 
I’ve been known to blow through a couple gallons of gas making Swiss cheese. All depends on the size of the spot and the amount of vultures looking to jump in on the holes I drill. Having a guy hole hopping in holes I drill is fine as long as he’s returning the courtesy. Some days I’ve drilled 2 hole and never moved and others I’ve exceeded 100 holes. Also, some guys are not wanting to work very hard to find fish.
Additionally, if I’m camping on an area for an evening/nite bite, I’ll drill all my holes early. That way as fish come shallow at dark, I’m much quieter
I’ll drill until I’ve accomplished what I set out to do. Either 1. Identifying key structural elements that I’m looking for based off of maps (trying to find an inside turn on a break line, or the very edge of an underwater point, for example), and where I am in relation to them, 2. Marking fish, or 3. Covering a piece of structure with enough holes that I can hop around it and figure out where the fish are holding. Obviously I try to limit it to options 1 or 2 unless I’m either not marking any, or on new water with very little idea of what the fish are/I should be doing.
Having said that, I try to limit myself to a dozen holes or so before I start fishing (I’ll still drill dozens more throughout the day as I need to). I think that the average angler is getting way more into spending time utilizing maps, sonar, GPS, etc than just popping a hole and starting to fish; and while that’s good overall, you can always have too much of a good thing. I think unless you’re pre-fishing for a show, guide trip, or tournament, you can easily spend to much time looking, and not enough time fishing.
I’ve done close to a hundred, I was outfished pretty good by a guy who drilled a couple and just sat-this was a small bowl of a lake and waiting for the fish to come to you was the best bet (fat round gills)
I typically fish for walleyes, pike, lake trout. I will usually drill enough holes to identify what I think is the right spot….and then sit it out. I am definitely not a Swiss cheeser….. maybe that’s a carryover from my spearing upbringing? Cut a hole, and sit on it ALL SEASON, or maybe move the house once…lol.
The purchase of a Marcum LXi (I think that’s the model….it looks like a flashlight and reads thru the ice) has been a godsend for me. I tend to search with that and when I find the right depth, drill 2 holes and start fishing……
This is an extremely loaded question. It all depends on depth, structure, fishing pressure, and species for me. I’d say most of the time I’m drilling 5-10 holes, then checking and trying each. If I’m fishing panfish in water deeper than 10′ (so my cone angle shows more), I’ll skip over a hole that doesn’t mark fish without even putting down a line.
It baffles me the number of people who set up shop, drag out a heavy portable shack and floor, chairs, or even a wheelhouse and then proceed to immobilize themselves and not catch fish. With my 1 man portable setup, I can move holes in a matter of seconds and stay on fish
This is an extremely loaded question. It all depends on depth, structure, fishing pressure, and species for me. I’d say most of the time I’m drilling 5-10 holes, then checking and trying each. If I’m fishing panfish in water deeper than 10′ (so my cone angle shows more), I’ll skip over a hole that doesn’t mark fish without even putting down a line.
It baffles me the number of people who set up shop, drag out a heavy portable shack and floor, chairs, or even a wheelhouse and then proceed to immobilize themselves and not catch fish. With my 1 man portable setup, I can move holes in a matter of seconds and stay on fish
As he said, there are so many variables.
I have noticed a pattern where the more effort I put into finding fish, the more fish I find and catch.
It’s not always like this, but I’d say about 2/3 of the time this rule holds true, especially if I’m searching and not on an established pod of fish.
Spread them out with some common sense extra holes can help but some jackals drill them two feet apart and it’s annoying. The fish can see more than two feet. 6 or so about 10 feet apart in an area seems decent if no luck do 6 more on a different spot and keep moving until you find them
It baffles me the number of people who set up shop, drag out a heavy portable shack and floor, chairs, or even a wheelhouse and then proceed to immobilize themselves and not catch fish. With my 1 man portable setup, I can move holes in a matter of seconds and stay on fish
It baffles me the number of people who don’t seem to understand that many of us find our enjoyment of the “great fishing pastime” in a variety of different ways. Some just want to get out there and spend their time relaxing while wetting a line. If they catch fish, great…all the better. They don’t want to fish as if their trying to win a tournament. Some like to sit in a boat and watch a bobber all day. Some will never shut their motor off, trolling all day.
Sometimes I’ll go out and setup on a hot spot an hour before sunset, drill 2 holes and wait for the sun to go down. Once it’s quieted down, the fish show up. Like I said earlier in the thread…”there can be so many different ways to go about it based on what you really want to get out of it.”
I drill 2 holes and fish them.If nothing I move and those old holes are fair game.
I’ve been known to blow through a couple gallons of gas making Swiss cheese. All depends on the size of the spot and the amount of vultures looking to jump in on the holes I drill. Having a guy hole hopping in holes I drill is fine as long as he’s returning the courtesy. Some days I’ve drilled 2 hole and never moved and others I’ve exceeded 100 holes. Also, some guys are not wanting to work very hard to find fish.
Additionally, if I’m camping on an area for an evening/nite bite, I’ll drill all my holes early. That way as fish come shallow at dark, I’m much quieter
You at least went through a tank that time on Silver lake 
I do a little of both at the same time, actually.
I’ll find my spot, get my hub set up, and drill lines out in an “X” or “+” pattern going out all sides of the hub. Then, while fishing is slower I hop around and try and develop a pattern. If need be I’ll move my house after searching. Then, as prime time sets in, I’ll throw a tip-up out and rotate it around while I jig in the house. If things get crazy inside the house, I’ll pull the tip-up and drop a dead-stick in the house.
It’s usually not more than 5-6 holes out each direction. I always leave the slush piles so you and others can see them. I learned that the hard way when Inwas younger (stepped in a 10 incher in the dark and lost a boot).
Some of the biggest walleyes I have caught have been on tipups out away from the house (lights/noise are a factor, no matter how stealthy you think you are you’re putting vibrations out into the water).
There are also times when I just throw he hub up and sit and relax. But, if I’m really ambitious, or I’m totally unsure about how the fish are relating to the structure, I’ll employ the method I explained.
Last year was my first with my power auger. My 2nd time out I drilled 10+ holes with it and found fish on the 3rd hole. 30 minutes later some dude was fishing holes I hadn’t even checked yet. From then on I drill 3 at a time…
This is extemely irritating to me (the guy hopping in your holes).
I get you can’t stake a claim on a large area of a lake. But, hopping into someone else’s hole when you have your own drilled elsewhere, is a huge violation of the unspoken fisherman’s code.
Always ask the guy. Nobody in their right mind will refuse. Obviously, just a hole or two and keep distance from the guy. You don’t need to move in and take over his grid. If the guy is an unreasonable jerk, start popping holes near to where he is fishing…he’ll change his mind.
It’s just a matter of politeness and etiquette. People who think they own the whole lake, or people that think they can crowd on anyone else that’s done the work found fish, are the worst part of the sport.
I will start out scouting with a maps finding brake lines and points and push ups.I will will give each hole about 15 min. I drill holes on the key spots on structure top and bottom sides such as on a hump 4 in so to speak corners on top side 4 in on bottom side then i will jig with aggressive Bates like rip and raps spoons if i get fish to come in and won’t bite I will drop a dead stick in that hole and continue to aggressively fish the other holes after that I will move on to the next piece of structure looking for active feeding fish at night at the holes that I had the most fish come in to investigate I will go at walleye :30 back and fish finishing up my day there and that is my strategy and that’s what works for me hope that helps
I will start out scouting with a maps finding brake lines and points and push ups.I will will give each hole about 15 min. I drill holes on the key spots on structure top and bottom sides such as on a hump 4 in so to speak corners on top side 4 in on bottom side then i will jig with aggressive Bates like rip and raps spoons if i get fish to come in and won’t bite I will drop a dead stick in that hole and continue to aggressively fish the other holes after that I will move on to the next piece of structure looking for active feeding fish at night at the holes that I had the most fish come in to investigate I will go at <em class=”ido-tag-em”>walleye :30 back and fish finishing up my day there and that is my strategy and that’s what works for me hope that helps
X2 – drill a handful of holes along some structure you find on maps, get a tip up/down on the first hole you find fish, and work the others till you find some biters.
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