IceShanty.com's Ice Fishing Community
Ice Fishing Tips -Check your local regulations! => Ice Fishing Safety => Topic started by: mistertwister on Dec 13, 2016, 10:50 AM
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I'd really like to bring a spud with me fishing, but have never had one. I know some guys just make them, is there anything that will work say from like lowes or walmart? I would be willing to make one if guys have ideas (rather than buy one). I try to travel light if possible, so I'm also wondering if there is a minimum weight that you'd want a spud to be.
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Something between 4# up to 14#, if the heavier doesn't go through, well it may be safe? Maybe ! :nono:
There are many things/tools that will do the job of testing the durability of ice without personally getting drenched.
Some sort of spud may be best.
A dull 5' piece of rebar could be pounded in with a single jack or maul.
Loggers use an axe.
All these items need a wrist strap for continued possession, due to the extreme gravity experienced as the ice opens and the bottom reaches up, grabbing the tool and keeping it safely with a collection down there just out of reach. :woot: ;)2
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I bought mine at Dick's for $20 or so.
There are tons of options and all will work. You want to experiment a little so you know what it takes to get through "good/safe" ice and then you will be able to use it properly.
With mine if i can give the ice a good solid whack and it doesn't go through then it will hold me. There are times in the early season that i literally test every step.
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One I have used for years is 3/4" re-bar about 5' tall, 6" Tee on top and a chisel welded at the point. Has not let me down yet........
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I would check your local bait shops and pick one up. I always use mine first ice and lakes I'm unfamiliar with. What's a few extra pounds when it's a tool that can make the difference between being safe or falling through.
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eskimo 2 piece works great and super convienient ...i think i paid 28 for it on sale well worth it. keep it in Tacoma behind seat all winter. dont get rusty or buried in ice/snow in bed.
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, try the search button I believe there was a thread on the subject but I could be mistaken ,
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I picked up an HT spud at Cabelas for $19.99. Icouldn't make one for less. Save youself a few bucks and just buy one. That said, my first spud was a 5' long 3/4" steel pipe with an angle cut on the business end. Don't forget to tie a lanyard on so it doesn't end up at the bottom of a lake. ::)
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One I have used for years is 3/4" re-bar about 5' tall, 6" Tee on top and a chisel welded at the point. Has not let me down yet........
I have the same one for about 40 years...
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, try the search button I believe there was a thread on the subject but I could be mistaken ,
I tried the search button it wasn't working (I even tried scrolling through Google searching for this site), and now it isn't even available. I know what you are saying filetandrelease I remember finding some good threads in the past. I did pick up a 2 piece chisel from gander mountain today. Weighs 10lbs, I think it will do the trick!
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Mistertwister, what are you using for a wrist strap?
Hook it up before the first thrust or it could be gone. Deep ! :'(
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I got the Eskimo Economy Redneck chisel at Walmart for $20 and saw it for about the same price in other stores. It weighs 4 1/2 pounds so it's not going to be a pain hauling it around and works very well.
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Bought a Mille Lacs ice chisel years ago. Easy peasy ;)
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One I have used for years is 3/4" re-bar about 5' tall, 6" Tee on top and a chisel welded at the point. Has not let me down yet........
x2 that is the exact one i have made too. has good weight and will keep you safe and maybe save your life if there is some snow on the ice and you run into some thin ice.
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http://www.iceshanty.com/ice_fishing/index.php?topic=266631.0
This was a thread I had going at some point. Might be of help to you
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Mistertwister, what are you using for a wrist strap?
Hook it up before the first thrust or it could be gone. Deep ! :'(
This chisel came with a wrist strap! I was looking for a few things, I wanted something in the 10lb range, built in wrist strap, 2 piece, and foam to deaden the vibration.
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I did the 3/4 rebar thing and cut an angle on the end to make it pointed. Attached a hunk of paracord for a wrist strap and used pipe insulation on the handle end for a comfortable grip. It works great.
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home made spud.
5/8 ths bar stock with a piece of the same for a handle. Used 1/4 flat stock for the chisel end, sharpened on one side. Works great!
The most important thing is to get to know your spud. They all hit different.
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If you decide to make one, a chunk of a leaf spring makes an excellent blade. And absolutely use a lanyard. I have 2 in Lake Erie if you want to be adventurous. ;)
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I use a 52" Jiffy Mille Lacs.. Well worth the money.
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Part and partial to a Frabill economy spud. A nice tapered head with a D ring at the top to attach a wrist strap. Fairly light. About 20 bucks when I got mine.
https://www.amazon.com/Frabill-9000-Standard-Ice-Chisel/dp/B0056A1A1M
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I made one out of 3/4" rebar. 6' long with a 1 1/2" chisel point welded on the point. Never weighed it but it does a good job.
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I used to have 1. I made out of rebar. Now its on the bottom of a lake. Now I use an Ice chopper with a wooden handle. Like the kind ya use on your sidewalks. Idk what it weighs But Thats what I have used the last 2 years. It works for me ;)
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I am in a unique position that i am a fabrication welder. I made mine out of a piece of 1" OD, 7/8" ID dom tubing with a manganese head. Its a little on the heavy side but it has saved my butt a few times now.
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Bought an Eskimo from Cabelas. First time I used it, it paid for itself. Kept me off the ice, when I probably would have went out if I didn't use it. We'll think nothing of spending money for a new jigging rod, but we'll question buying safety equipment. I think we've all done it, standing there with the spud in your wondering "do I really need to spend 50 bucks on this thing". My answer now "is yes you do. Better safe then sorry.
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I had a spud that was made from 3/4 black pipe with threads on both ends to hold a "T" that was used for a handle and the other end had a coupling welded to a chisel for chopping ice. I used it for testing ice as I walked out on the river where I fished, then used it to open old holes to fish. the T had a rope through it so I could wrap it around my wrist and not loose it chopping holes. Sadly it took a bath 2 years ago falling off my snow mobile while traveling to a fishing spot on Saginaw Bay. It was light, and about armpit high, and worked well for what I used it for.
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I had a buddy at work weld one for me out of rebar it's about 50" tall with a 16" cross bar at top and a 2"w x 3.5"t 3/4" thick block welded to the end sharpened to a wedge if it foes through in 2 hits I am off the ice I have cut holes In the ice with it as well to check thickness planning to paint it orange and tie a line to it sometime
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Spuds are even used in Sweden as can be noticed in this video (including the rescue of a moose). :woot: :thumbsup:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TxK-C2KmBdk (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TxK-C2KmBdk)
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I fabricated mine from 5' of 1/2" black iron pipe left over from my furnace install a T connector and a old steel wedge .
cost me nothing. I threaded a piece of para cord through the T just in case it does get dropped you have something to snag with a hook.
To help it from slipping I sprayed the top 2 ' with spray on rock guard then painted the whole thing with black rust proof paint,
It stands against the wall in my permanent hut and clips into a broom holder, Its light and works awesome .
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I bought the two piece from Gander Mountain. It's heavy, but now that I've had it out a couple off times, I found it's great for keeping the kid occupied during slow times. The bottom half works great for him to be creative, almost like a big icy sandbox. The only problem is he likes to dig trap holes and I walk into every one of them. I keep telling him it's only funny til I break an ankle and he has to drag everything back to the truck by himself.