Keeping Holes Open.

[Eddie Spaghetti]

CAUTION
introducing any chemical to a water source would probably  earm you a sizeable fine and possibly court costs

You are such a kill-joy. 

[dipNrip]

would t  buying the round insulated tip ups solve your problem without carrying around chemicals or other stuff...beaverdam,HT , Frabill all make them

  I have a few and don't use them anymore. They are awkward to handle and don't work well (trigger not adjustable and tight)
 Ping pong balls would be a nightmare. They would either blow out, snow would just fill in and trying to pick them up at end of day would be fun.
  Just buy either the foam mat or foam insulation at Home Depot and make them way cheaper than the ones you can buy online

[ddgst7]

lol this is hilarious.... just kick snow in the hole, nerds. 

[MikeFLN]

I still like the black ping pong ball idea too. Low tech and I'll bet surprisingly effective. Motion and heat exchange in a snag-proof package. I'm going to try this one out. What, a coupla bucks in balls and paint? How can I lose?

you can buy them already painted black.

https://www.amazon.com/Tennis-Lottery-150Pcs-Frosted-Seamless/dp/B0731F6YQK/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1514898048&sr=8-4&keywords=black+ping+pong+balls

That is a lot of them but I bet you would use them all eventually.

[mcca1476]

I would not recommend adding any chemical to the waters of our commonwealth.  Once capful here, one capful there...  not good in the longrun.

[danceswmuskys]

I kind of like the black ping pong ball idea except for the thought of me chasing them across the ice with a good tail wind. maybe extra salty food and extra strong booze and I could have my own pi$$I%& contest just like a lot of the threads seem to turn into any more, and maybe with a little luck some of the run-off would find it's way into my holes and help prevent freeze-up.

[treblesandshiners]

when its this cold go around and clean them check bait cant tell you how many times after doing this i get a flag also warms you up

[flyfishbowhunticefish]

Even with my homemade covers I still check them about every half hour. And rebait before prime time. A fresh lively minnow usually gets eaten pretty quickly.

[chez]

I made a set of hole covers out of 1/2 inch blue board insolation with a slot cut in them works pretty good  on super cold days I'll take a hand warmer to the bottom side of it I must admit it's crude but it's stupid simple and works well

I've done that and it works Great!!!

[ActiveTrapChecker]

Go to 5 below...  It's like a fancy dollar store. In the back there's usually a section with some work out excercize stuff...  There u will see foam puzzle piece mats for floor padding... Buy a few for 3 bucks a pop n cut holes two inches bigger than your auger. Mines 8" so I cut 10" dia. Then cut a line to center and another so it makes a small "T" just like the ones sold for 10 bucks online. Works like a charm. Fished all day Saturday n never cleared a hole once with snow and wind blowing all day...  Even when they're completely covered your good...  Maybe even better BC of extra insulation.

Any issues pulling them off of frozen slush?

[flyfishbowhunticefish]

None....  It's a very dense closed cell foam. So nothing gets absorbed . The underside is smooth. Comes right off.

[Jaggerhunter]

Im interested in seeing if the ping pong balls work.

[fisher 74]

sandwhich bag full of saw dust it wont freeze

[EssoxHunter]

Probably the easiest non-toxic way to go- thermal tip-ups

[ActiveTrapChecker]

Went to ocean state job lot yesterday, picked up four 24x24 mats for $9. Made 8 covers out of 2 of them, left the other 2 whole for now, gonna leave them on the floor of the quickfish 3i. I only wish I didn’t chicken out and hit the ice this morning, was -10 when I woke up.

Thanks for the idea FFBHIF!

[desmobob]

Went to ocean state job lot yesterday, picked up four 24x24 mats for $9. Made 8 covers out of 2 of them, left the other 2 whole for now, gonna leave them on the floor of the quickfish 3i. I only wish I didn’t chicken out and hit the ice this morning, was -10 when I woke up.

Thanks for the idea FFBHIF!

+1

I picked up a pack of 12"x12" foam puzzle flooring tiles.  Two will become a foot mat and the others will become hole covers.  Monday should bring much more "fishable" temperatures for us here in upstate NY!

Tight lines,
Bob

[ice dawg]

I'm glad to see this thread with all of these nontoxic ways to keep a hole open. I'm 74 and I can remember many years ago when I was teed off because some of the "old guys" were pouring PRESTONE in their holes. When confronted they would say it wasn't enough to harm anything.   

[ActiveTrapChecker]

I'm glad to see this thread with all of these nontoxic ways to keep a hole open. I'm 74 and I can remember many years ago when I was teed off because some of the "old guys" were pouring PRESTONE in their holes. When confronted they would say it wasn't enough to harm anything. 

I would never put a liquid in a hole. Not only am I’m eco friendly, but I can’t imagine a pike or walleye going anywhere near a line that smells like 50/50 mix!

[fishon814]

I've actually fished with guys that sprayed WD-40 on smelt and used it for pike bait it was very productive!

[ice dawg]

I've actually fished with guys that sprayed WD-40 on smelt and used it for pike bait it was very productive!

I have known people who sprayed WD-40 on crawlers and the line on their reel. They claimed it improved their catch rate. I have never tried WD-40, but have thought the oil Sardines are packed in has worked for me on the ice.

[subtlehustle76]

When I was in elementary school (35 years ago) I ordered some crap from the back of a magazine to put on your bait. Smelled like WD-40 but couldn't get it off your hands and it stunk the whole classroom up one day. It wouldn't wash off. Wish I remembered the name, I'm sure its probably illegal now.

[Zbar3365]

I wanted to try one of those small battery powered airators for minnow buckets and small live wells to see if it would move the water enough to keep it from freezing. If anyone has tried this let me know how it worked out for you please.

[ice dawg]

There is one I think may work. I believe it's called a South Bend Egg Aerator. It floats and should move around in a hole. Saw one in wallyworld a couple days ago. About $17 or so.

[IceFlagger]

Thermal tip ups are the best way, I don't use them as my regular tip ups, but only when it's super cold, windy or leaving them in over night.

[RuttNutt]

There is one I think may work. I believe it's called a South Bend Egg Aerator. It floats and should move around in a hole. Saw one in wallyworld a couple days ago. About $17 or so.

Yes! I just happened to see one at K-Mart yesterday and picked one up. Mine is made by Celcius and was $17.95 Kept my hole open all day today! Some skim ice started to form after 30-45 min, but I just nudged the egg when this happened and it moved in the hole and the ice dissipated.

I have a 10 sec video I can text to anybody who wants to see it in action. Just PM me.

[shokey]

I am going to have to try this.

I made a set of hole covers out of 1/2 inch blue board insolation with a slot cut in them works pretty good  on super cold days I'll take a hand warmer to the bottom side of it I must admit it's crude but it's stupid simple and works well

[esox_xtm]

I keep thinking about this. What can be simple and effective? Ping pong balls are out. As effective as I believe they may be they'd be nothing more than a pain in the @$$. Can't see down your hole without a lot of messin' around.

I've had great success with very light, flexible rubber hole covers but can it be better? I starting to think why not something that floats in your hole, covering as much as possible, can be removed easily and conducts solar heat. Thin wood painted black, thin black foam, black PVC sheet (if it floats). Cut to "fit" inside your hole, allow the line/tipup access, easily removed...

Experiments will follow. Ping pong balls excluded.

[RuttNutt]

[Stivvy83]

Get yourself some saw dust, preferably more like chips, say from a thickness planer. Fill gallon Ziploc bags with said dust/chips, lay it over the hole. Works like a charm.

[ajv5148]

Drink enough beer you gotta piss frequently and keep the holes topped off. Works for me