shoveling

[crazy man]

Shoveling is a basic thing that I don't find discussed much. I bring a short handled shovel, either a small one or a grain scoop for deeper snow.  I use a shovel to clear the chips and snow away from the hole.  I also use it to clear a space underneath the flip over.  It seems like a lot of work though and I aint young anymore so...How many of you guys get by with less shoveling or with no shovel? 

I wouldn't mind shoveling less or leaving the shovel at home but I don't see much way around it.  If you don't shovel away from the hole then stuff will fall in your hole.  Also,  if you only shovel the hole and not the whole flipup then you end up fishing over a big cornice which tends to melt when you run the heat. Then, if your hole is a dud... you have to drill more holes and shovel all over again.  It can be a discouragement to mobility which means less fish. 

  Do you use a shovel when you drill a hole or move your flip up?  Do you use a shovel in snow to dig out a place under your portable? What kind of shovel do you bring and how is it used?   

[fishfeind]

good topic,  what I finaly started doing was leave the plow on my atv drill holes push away set up might not save time but saves back strain. 

[snohiker]

i do the same when we have snow on the ice i shovel to keep it clean around the hole and house the hole so when i have reel in the line after catching a fish there's less tangles i have a blue collapsible one like u carry in the car

[michianafisherman]

I made a new shanty that folds in two sections and had to shovel so it would set flat. It was allot of work. My old two man, I would drill the holes and kick the snow away. I would clean out the holes, then pull the shanty over the top without knocking too much snow back into them again. I think the biggest thing was the time it took to shovel. We get in a big hurry and shovel like madmen. I found that if I paced myself it was more enjoyable. I wasn't as tired and more willing to move around. I found a lightweight shovel that had deep sides, more like a scoop.

[Drifter_016]

I also have a collapsable shovel that I use to clean an area around the hole.
I hate it when my line gets caught on left over ice chips.   

[Madpuppy]

I'm with Drifter, I have a collapsable.

[mealworm]

i hardly ever use a shovel,with my tip up holes i may kick a little snow around to make my tip up sit right on the snow,if i'm in my flip over i leave the snow in the area under my sled but i do clear all the snow away from the inside of the shanty again i just kick the snow away with my feet

[TIBS]

No shoveling here.... I just kick it away from my holes.  A shovel is just something else to forget at home.

I do bring a shovel when get the perm set up and take it down though, snow likes to drift around them and can make it a pain to get to sometimes.

[scmelik]

it all depends on the snow for me one whether or not I waste time shoveling.

Hard Pack:
Don't shovel unless I need to get rid of a drift and its the only place to put my shack.  I try to make sure when I pull my auger up that I do it slowly so that I do not pull much water with me as well so that it doesn't make a mess of the snow.

Light Fluffy:

I shovel down to bare ice.  I don't want that snow melting and making things a mess or getting kicked into the hole.


I always have my shovel with me just in case.

[yoslick]

it all depends on the snow for me one whether or not I waste time shoveling.

Hard Pack:
Don't shovel unless I need to get rid of a drift and its the only place to put my shack.  I try to make sure when I pull my auger up that I do it slowly so that I do not pull much water with me as well so that it doesn't make a mess of the snow.

Light Fluffy:

I shovel down to bare ice.  I don't want that snow melting and making things a mess or getting kicked into the hole.


I always have my shovel with me just in case.

Ditto on the just in case, been stuck quite a few times!!  Also nice for banking the big house to keep down the draft

[mdrobny]

i will shovel a wind break to sit behind when seaching out fish&it's windy,then set-up the portable after i get on `em. alot depends on condition of the snow,   hard pack-no shovel     light snow-will remove it. don't like to get too set if i'm not on the spot,spend too much time setting and breakin' down,like to sit a bucket than fish in the portable if it's not real cold anyhow.

[BobOlink]

I keep a collapsable to clear the hole & too put snow around the portable

[Wiener]

I have a collapsable shovel that I use to put snow on the skirt of my portable.

This helps keep it from blowing around with the high winds we get on the great lakes.

I usually don't go through the trouble of shoveling until I have found fish, or a spot that I do not plan to move from.  (Usually a spot that I have marked on structure)

I have a portable shack (Voyager) but it can be a pain to move. 
So I don't set up fully until I have a bead on the how the fishing is. 
You want to have fun, not make work.


Wiener

[GotEmHooked]

auger your holes first then shovel so the snow will soak up the water and you dont have a damn lake under your feet!

[Waterwolf Doug]

Most of the time I dont realy bother clearing the snow. If I do Ill find myself laying on my back wondering what just happened. Im getting up there in age and dont bounce off the ice like I used to.

[Mainehazmt]

I always have at least 2 shovels with me  1 in the truck (never leave home without one there year round   and have a  collapsable shovel  in the bottom of the shack always   it doesnt take much space and doesnt weigh much anyway

[Skidda]

Maybe I am not old enough yet but I usually just kick the snow out of the way and drill my holes. I don't have a shack or a hut yet so going without seems to work for me. Besides I shovel way too much at home when it snows and don't want to do that when i am out enjoying myself on the ice.

[MeatHunter737]

Maybe I am not old enough yet but I usually just kick the snow out of the way and drill my holes. I don't have a shack or a hut yet so going without seems to work for me. Besides I shovel way too much at home when it snows and don't want to do that when i am out enjoying myself on the ice.

same here.... drill, kick, scoop... no shanty, so the walking is light

[wyo700]

i have a little shovel that has a extendable handle and fits perfect in my sled doesnt take up much room.  after drilling my holes i always completely clear the area around where i will be fishing.  i then dont have to worry about walking in the slush and kicking around into my holes.  just one of those little things that make fishing on the ice easier for me.

[FISHFORPIKE]

Maybe I am not old enough yet but I usually just kick the snow out of the way and drill my holes. I don't have a shack or a hut yet so going without seems to work for me. Besides I shovel way too much at home when it snows and don't want to do that when i am out enjoying myself on the ice.

Yep - you are right "not old enough yet".  However, you might change your mind if you tried one; I did. 

[surflizard]

I found a 36" plow blade and swapped the blade frame mounting bolts with clevis pins. I load the blade in the Otter sled behind the Frabil and out we go. I only had to bring it with me twice last season, boy I sure was glad I did. No more shoveling for this kid. 

[$ignmoney]

Always just kicked it out of the way. I plan on using another members idea of using  a rubber floor mat.So I think I will have to keep the area clear and clean until Im set up then shovel it back around the hut. Thats my summer plan, it may change once Im on the ice