Ice fishing cheats?

TheLandshark · **Posted:** Tue Jan 09, 2018 9:13 pm

I was just wondering if any of you have any little tips or tricks that make your ice fishing easier. Maybe it's how you pull your sled? Perhaps your hut is spruced up or some other piece of your equipment. I have a few. I bought strip led lighting off eBay, I added it to my hut. I carry a spare battery and when it starts to get dark I just use alligator clips to clip to the battery.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/zIV2H3ExJTBZIH9x2

FishinScuba · **Joined:** Wed Feb 13, 2013 7:25 am **Posts:** 149

I have started to bring coat hangers with me now that I have an insulated hut so I can hang my jacket on to dry the sweat out of it, makes for a much more comfortable trip back to the truck

EG3 · **Joined:** Fri Jan 06, 2017 4:33 am **Posts:** 32

If anybody smokes a small clip on battery powered fan (10-20$ ) works awesome

LarryGuy · **Joined:** Wed Feb 24, 2010 9:23 pm **Posts:** 142

I like to bring a small pail to prop my Buddy heater on find the tanks last longer & don't frost up as quick. I've also used lid from a pail, but like that the heater now is aimed at my midsection vs my toes.
I also like to use a small rubber mat to keep my feet off ice the ice.

randaller · **Joined:** Wed Feb 10, 2010 7:50 am **Posts:** 26

Great idea for a topic!

I put Reflextix insulation on the top of my pop up this year and it has made a huge difference. I used spray on glue and put it on the inside. It keeps in way more heat and I don't get as much frost build up on really cold days. The down side is that it doesn't fold up as well as it used to.

Cost about $30 for the Reflextix and 12 for the glue! worth it!

Jamie99 · **Joined:** Mon Sep 22, 2008 5:26 pm **Posts:** 324

I use a 1/4 inch rubber mat with holes spaced every inch to keep the weight down to keep my feet off the ice. They don't get cold at all anymore.

Beeswax lip balm on hut zippers keeps them from freezing up.

If anyone has a hack to hook up and disconnect a portable clam from the tow hitch without getting on my belly, that would be great! I checked out the Otter Pivot Hitch but it adds too much length to fit into my SUV.

LarryGuy · **Joined:** Wed Feb 24, 2010 9:23 pm **Posts:** 142

Jamie99 wrote:

I use a 1/4 inch rubber mat with holes spaced every inch to keep the weight down to keep my feet off the ice. They don't get cold at all anymore.

That's the type I use also!

TheLandshark · **Posted:** Fri Jan 12, 2018 8:13 am

Another thing I have in my clam Nanook is an anchor system. I drilled a hole through the plastic on each back corner of my sled. So as it is set up I have one over the back of my left shoulder and one over the back of my right shoulder. I ran about four foot of rope through each hole and tied a knot on the end of the rope that will stay inside the sled along with a couple of washers that won't allow the knot to pull through the plastic. On the outside of the hut I have each other end of the rope through about a 10-12 inch dowel That I also drilled holes through the center. So if it's really windy, I can drill a couple holes in the ice behind me outside the hut. I can then put the dowels in the hole and cross brace them under the ice. That might keep my hut from going for a ride a mile down the bay. When not in use, you can just pull the rope inside so the dowel is up against the side of your sled and tie them off inside the hut.

apmikel · **Joined:** Tue Mar 29, 2011 5:07 pm **Posts:** 232

I have an older gas 10" jiffy ice auger that is getting un reliable. I just tried an 8" hand auger with a cordless drill adapter. It works amazing and my opionin there is no other way to auger. I have the Milwaukee M18 4 amp drill. Started with two full batteries and drilled over 35 holes running and gunning on the bay. All ice was 10-18" thick. Ended with one battery dead and still half power in second. So I see no reason why wouldn't get 40-50 holes. Cut fast too. And back up could always do one by hand.

ONbuckhunter · **Joined:** Wed Jan 19, 2011 8:00 pm **Posts:** 46

I cut up little itty bitty pieces of elastic. Put one on the hook behind the minnow and it is amazing how few minnows you will go through. Pieces of rubber from baits will work too.

Neto · **Joined:** Wed Jan 04, 2017 9:51 pm **Posts:** 38

Jamie99 wrote:

I use a 1/4 inch rubber mat with holes spaced every inch to keep the weight down to keep my feet off the ice. They don't get cold at all anymore.

Beeswax lip balm on hut zippers keeps them from freezing up.

If anyone has a hack to hook up and disconnect a portable clam from the tow hitch without getting on my belly, that would be great! I checked out the Otter Pivot Hitch but it adds too much length to fit into my SUV.

I used An ATV Three way adaptor.
$10 at royal distributing. Works perfect to hook up my otter
You can find it on their catalog online. I'll see if I have a picture.

Neto · **Joined:** Wed Jan 04, 2017 9:51 pm **Posts:** 38

Neto wrote:

Jamie99 wrote:

I use a 1/4 inch rubber mat with holes spaced every inch to keep the weight down to keep my feet off the ice. They don't get cold at all anymore.

Beeswax lip balm on hut zippers keeps them from freezing up.

If anyone has a hack to hook up and disconnect a portable clam from the tow hitch without getting on my belly, that would be great! I checked out the Otter Pivot Hitch but it adds too much length to fit into my SUV.

I used An ATV Three way adaptor.
$10 at royal distributing. Works perfect to hook up my otter
You can find it on their catalog online. I'll see if I have a picture.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Clamman · **Joined:** Thu Dec 28, 2017 7:22 pm **Posts:** 9

Just added a little lighting system to my two man clam
I ordered 3' led light strip off Amazon and mounted it across the back tube of the hut on/off switch and runs off 4 aaa batteries
Under each seat I mounted 1 1/2 pvc pipe hanger as a rod holder for each seat
I also have 4 pieces (2 each guy) of 1 inch rigid foam cut to about 6"×14" to put below you feet to break the contact with the ice
I mounted a go pro this yr but have no good fish footage so far which I hope changes soon
Will try and post pics

TheLandshark · **Posted:** Wed Jan 24, 2018 5:47 am

One other thing I do is I take a couple popsicle sticks and put them on the side of my iceducer and up to the cord. I wrap electrical tape around the whole thing. This way when you aren't pulling the cord and yanking the wires out of where the cord meets the ducer. If any of you have ever tore the wire out , ya know what I mean

ONbuckhunter · **Joined:** Wed Jan 19, 2011 8:00 pm **Posts:** 46

TheLandshark wrote:

One other thing I do is I take a couple popsicle sticks and put them on the side of my iceducer and up to the cord. I wrap electrical tape around the whole thing. This way when you aren't pulling the cord and yanking the wires out of where the cord meets the ducer. If any of you have ever tore the wire out , ya know what I mean

I do something similar. I took a rod glive and cut it to size. Then zip tied it to ducer. It protects the cord, Keeps ducer straight and holds the foam floater really tight. Also keeps the weight of ducer on the rod glove rather than the cord.

HOME	Bait&Tackle	Bed&Breakfast	Boat Rentals	Campgrounds	Contact Us
Cottage Rentals	Guides/Fishing Charters	Hotels/Motels	Hunting Supplies	Ice Huts/Ice Guides	Marinas
Outfitters	QUINTE FISHING SERIES	Resorts	Tourism	Trailer Parks	Launches

Quinte Fishing

Ice fishing cheats?

Who is online