Where to get a Spud Bar?

[evanesce]

Do they sell these at general hardware stores?  Are they Ice Fishing Specific Gear?  I've never heard of one or what they look like, but with the mild winter here in NY so far I'd feel safer having one. 

Does anyone have a detailed instruction on how they work also?  Is there already a forum post on all this?  I searched but I'm search handicapped, thanks

[adkwiley]

You can use a number of things for a spud bar.  they also do make ones specific for ice fishing, run a google search for ice fishing and spud or ice chisel and you ll find what your looking for.  go to any Gander or Dick's or any local bait shop and they should have them as well.  To use it you just give a few good whacks on the ice in front of you as your walking out.  If it goes though, go no further.  also your looking to hear the sound that is made as well as you hit the ice.  A nice dull thwack is a nice sound when your spudding, means good solid ice.  Also is your spudding your way out and see any pressure cracks make sure to whack and those to make sure they are solid.  Where In  NY are u from?

[evanesce]

I'm in Schenectady, NY however I don't plan to fish around here.  I plan on fishing the lower Adirondack small waters just north of Caroga Lake.

[GrizlyGarou]

I use an ice mutt I got at a hardware store for seven bucks. Most people would use them to chip ice off their stairs or driveways. It's got a four inch wide blade. I sharpened it up real nice, and I can hit water on three inches of black ice with one whack, and chip nice holes to fish out of pretty quick too. Best part is with the wooden handle, it'll float if you drop it in!

[FRESHBAIT]

You can use a number of things for a spud bar.  they also do make ones specific for ice fishing, run a google search for ice fishing and spud or ice chisel and you ll find what your looking for.  go to any Gander or Dick's or any local bait shop and they should have them as well.  To use it you just give a few good whacks on the ice in front of you as your walking out.  If it goes though, go no further.  also your looking to hear the sound that is made as well as you hit the ice.  A nice dull thwack is a nice sound when your spudding, means good solid ice.  Also is your spudding your way out and see any pressure cracks make sure to whack and those to make sure they are solid.  Where In  NY are u from?

Don't always rely on the spud going through to tell you to go no further.  Two weeks ago I was checking bait traps and spuding as I was going along and the spud was not going through.  And I was really putting it into the ice hard.  It wasn't going through,  got to with in 4' of my bait trap and as I was checking the ice the spud didn't go through,  stood there a while  then I went through. 

[evanesce]

Don't always rely on the spud going through to tell you to go no further.  Two weeks ago I was checking bait traps and spuding as I was going along and the spud was not going through.  And I was really putting it into the ice hard.  It wasn't going through,  got to with in 4' of my bait trap and as I was checking the ice the spud didn't go through,  stood there a while  then I went through.

I'm glad you're ok, stay safe!

[FRESHBAIT]

Went to my waist then just broke the ice to walk out.