Took the leap and bought an ice house on ML. Plan to use it in summer and winter. Now need to figure out drilling 10 inch holes. Types, brands, models and ideas? Shop new? Craigslist? Next purchase a generator, then camera. More toys for boys in my future.
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To be perfectly honest Vern I prefer an 8″ hole especially in a permanent house… It sounds counter-intuitive but I’d guess that you’ll lose 10% more fish with a 10″ hole versus an 8″… The reason being that having the floor about a foot off the ice makes it harder to reach down and grab fish and it’s pretty common to have them come unhooked right at the top of the ice, with an 8″ hole they get into the smaller space and aren’t able to turn around allowing you a few seconds to still grab them. With a 10″ hole you’d be suprised how easily they turn and are gone. And I’ve personally never seen a Mille Lacs eye that won’t fit up an 8″ hole.
I’m not sure if you plan on fishing anywhere besides the perm shack but I would look into one of the Strikemaster electric augers as they have no exhaust in a confined space.
Where will you be keeping the shack up there?
Will’s reasoning is something I have never considered and makes sense however after fishing in permanent houses and now my own wheel house I decided to get a Strikemaster Big Volt 10.25 inch auger. My experience is an 8 inch hole after 2 days becomes a 7 inch hole. Because of my Vexilar transducer it leaves even less space by the 3rd day. I suppose you could simply redrill.
9 inch is perfect, and if you use it outside tip ups and your feet don’t fall through them. Consider an electric though, no stink or mess. Ion’s drill clean holes and reopen them great. The only two bad things about Big Volt is that you’re tied to a car battery and they really throw ice all over when drilling, outside of that, they are GREAT augers.
agree with all comments, I have a 9″ and love it. (gets to be tight in some houses with smaller holes in the floor)
I plan to keep in on ML at Agate Bay Resort. The former owner gave me these to use in the holes. They are 12 1/2 O.D.. Are these common?
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You’re only about 4 miles from where I grew up… Dean at Agate will take care of you.
They aren’t all that common, but they will help save on propane and keep your holes from freezing. Just be care if about leaving them in when you leave the house unheated or you’ll have a heck of a time getting them back out.
I’d be careful about 10+ inch holes. Safety issues. Ever step into one? I have.
I have 2 10 inch augers a strikemaster and a Jiffy from the early 80’s. I think Will is right about fish that come unpinned being able to turn and get away easier. If I had it to do all over again I would of done 8 inch holes. I have nearly broken my foot stepping in old 10 inch holes plus they are no good around kids. When I had a perm at Agate Bay I found my self redrilling almost every week so the 10 inch was no advantage. My Jiffy is definitely better at redrilling in a fishhouse
Mwal
Buzz, is that commercial sewer pipe? Are they super heavy like the ones I had? That will work as good as any store bought hole sleeves out there. They
are very long though, must be for blocking and a high floor? Otherwise they’ll be a pain to reach into and your going to have to pull them to redrill.
I too am interested in what that hole insulator is made out of (both the tube and the square piece).
I went from an 8″ strikemaster gas to a 10″ jiffy propane this last year. You still need to open the windows/doors with the jiffy (I recommend a carbon monoxide gauge that shows you the level and put it close to where the auger is to find the maximum concentration), but it is still a lot cleaner than gas.
All points made are correct however I opted for the 10″. It has more room for ducer and remains usable longer.
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