When going ice fishing, one of the most important parts of the day is to find a spot and create a good ice fishing hole. You’ll only need to do it once, going back to it multiple times during the winter season. But do you see the ice begin to reform again after a few hours?
I know how irritating that feels, which is why I want to share with you my ways on how to keep ice fishing holes from freezing. So read on!
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How to Keep Ice Fishing Holes From Freezing
Don’t freeze your line in the water or come back to a reformed ice fishing hole! Check out these three easy-to-follow tips you can follow:
1. Use a Skimmer
A skimmer is one of the best ways you can keep your ice fishing hole open. All you need is to pack a plastic scoop (which you can find at home) and use it as needed. This method only works if you’re sticking near your hole the whole time you fish, as you’re unable to scoop out your ice fishing hole if ever it freezes over completely while you’re gone.
To use the skimmer or scoop, simply scoop out ice as it begins to form while you fish. Repeat scooping if you find ice reforming again, it’s as simple as that. There’s the risk of soaking your gloves if you aren’t careful, so avoid scooping into the water and skim the ice off the top.
When using this method, there’s no worry about packing or running out of coals and sprays (which I’ll mention later on). All you need is one material, bending and scooping as much as you need.
However, it can get quite tedious having to scoop up that much ice. Not only that, but you might be more focused on scooping rather than watching your fishing line for a bite!
Remember to focus your time on the fishing line as well, and if ever the ice keeps reforming, you may want to create a new hole or try another method.
2. Cooking Spray
You can use any type of liquid that freezes slower than water, such as any form of oil. But the cooking spray is one of the handiest and safest ingredients to use, as it doesn’t contain unsafe chemicals. Cooking spray is easy to bring, won’t spill (unlike oil bottles), is cheap, and safe for the fish if they come close to it.
Do NOT use anything that contains chemicals like WD-40, as this affects the water and fish you catch. This can also affect YOU if you plan to eat the fish.
When using cooking spray, you simply need to spray the ice fishing hole every half hour or so, depending on how cold it is and the quickness of ice forming. The cooking spray will freeze slower than water will, keeping it open for longer hours.
As you pack your cooking spray, keep it in a warm container and bag, storing it in your pack or pocket, if it fits. The goal is to keep it as warm as you can to prevent aerosol from failing.
3. Coal Cans
This is honestly one of the most effective BUT most tedious methods of the three. You can create your coal can using a coffee can, chisel, and charcoal. Fill our coffee can with charcoal and have the causal begin burning.
Drill a hole at the same size as your can, next to the main ice fishing hole. Be sure to leave a few inches of space between these two holes, then chisel a small channel, connecting the holes. You don’t need to break through the water as you chisel the channel.
Afterward, set the coffee can with burning coals in the small hole. When the coals burn, the water around it warms up slightly, pouring through the chiseled channel. This then goes to your ice fishing hole, which will keep it open.
This method is best for those who will walk away from their ice fishing holes for over an hour and plan to spend the day fishing. It lasts longer than cooking spray and won’t have you scooping ice every few minutes or so.
Read More: How Does Weather Affect Ice Fishing: The Factors to Consider
Learn more about keeping your ice fishing hole from freezing over with this informative video:
Wrapping It Up
There are a lot of ways you canker your ice fishing hole from freezing over. Fortunately, it doesn’t need to be so expensive and tedious. With the right knowledge, your ice fishing hole can be used for almost the entire winter season!
I hope that my ways on how to keep ice fishing holes from freezing helped you out. So don’t wait any longer and begin trying any of these methods to keep your ice hole ready for another day of fishing now!
