Jiffy Mille Lacs™ Ice Chisel

[Powder River]

I was wondering if any of you have used or seen someone use these chisels by jiffy? are they worth the money, or should I just make one of my own? 

[scuba]

They are absolutely the best thing for first ice. But I would suggest if you have the means then making one should be no problem. I really like to have it around for testing the ice as I go out.

[Iceshanty]

The Mille Lacs Spud rules, I am not scared to tackle 12" of ice if need be to get a hole. You won't believe the amount of ice it will take out in one hit. The best thing about them is that you can re-open old holes and actually make them larger which you cannot do with a regular spud. Got some pics for you of the business end if you want to try and copy it.

[mod_auger]

I have heard that the chisels tend to spook fish when they strike the ice. Is this true- or just a myth? If anyone has any facts or solid opinions please let me know.

[BushMaster]

I have used just about every chisel designed and the only one I will use now is the Mille Lacs ice chisel by Jiffy. I use to manage a resort on Mille Lacs back in the early 80's when the locals used that design. Problem was, they made them so damn heavy you got tired after about five minutes. Jiffy has combined the stair step design with light weight portability to turn this into a killer. Don't waste your time building one, spend the $50 and snag the last chisel you will ever own.

[Skiff]

How thick is the head, and how wide, and what is the step-down distance?  I've never seen one of these chisels. ('Course, I haven't been looking because I use a 8" Jiffy instead).  But I might try to make a similar design, just to open old holes.  Thx.

[Iceshanty]

Chippers, gas augers, and  hand augers all make noise that fish in the area can hear. I have seen both happen while watching fish when a commotion starts up on the ice ie* someone drilling or driving up. Sometimes they are jumpy and scatter at the slightlest sound. Couple years ago we had some clear ice for about a week or so, I ran around the shallows looking for fish. Schools of bluegills would just sit perfectly still impervious to what we did on the ice above them, This was early ice and the fish shouldn't have been accustomed to any activity. I saw a nice walleye sitting there in 3 foot of water, decided I am going to try chipping a hole exactly above it, about 6" of ice, I was thru and the walleye had not even flinched   Of course it wouldn't acknowledge any bait/lure that I put down there either.

What I like to do... don't matter if I am chipping or drilling, I'll go 3 hours or more ahead of time and drill out an area that I plan to fish, I do this mainly for fishing walleye shallow at night. I just go out on the lake drill my holes in the afternoon and come back later in the evening to fish, plop the tip-ups in quickly and wait for the action to start.  Years ago I would get mad if someone would come out later and drill around me, but I have seen what they do is get fish moving and many times will have all heck break loose during their drilling.

I used to really be a fanatic about this but now I really don't pay much attention to it, I have had enough fish take bait right out of my hands immediately after chipping a hole to know that it don't matter a whole lot, but I know one thing, is that it doesn't hurt at all to be a stealthy ice fishermen either.

I have heard that the chisels tend to spook fish when they strike the ice. Is this true- or just a myth? If anyone has any facts or solid opinions please let me know.

-Scott

[Bob_D]

Scott,
Good info in the spud bar. I was looking for one a couple of years back, but they did not carry them locally, so I got a cheaper one. I think one of those might be one of the few things I get this year.

As far as sound....I don't think a spudbar would spook the fish anymore then an auger. The ice makes so much noise on it's own that I don't think fish get as spooky in the winter. I've been in the same situation as Scott before where fish have taken the bait right after I have drilled the hole with my power auger, before I even had the flag set on the tip-up. I do tend to drill all the holes I think I'll need at once just to be safe.

[Powder River]

Thanks guys, I can't wait till later this fall.  It was snowing today in the mountains pretty hard and they actually had to rescue a lost hiker in the storm.  Its almost in the 30's here at night and the weatherman is talking snow this weekend with highs in the upper 30's low 40's, (Not to bad for the lower 48!!) so I might be ice fishing around the middle of october but will have to see.

Thanks again

Powder River

[shwung79]

I have heard that the chisels tend to spook fish when they strike the ice. Is this true- or just a myth? If anyone has any facts or solid opinions please let me know.

Ive heard the exact oposite and even know some guys that when the bite isnt happening go around with a spud bar and hit on the ice trying to "wake" the fish up!  Some times it works....but i think its just a cowinky dink??!

[TJG]

Chippers, gas augers, and  hand augers all make noise that fish in the area can hear. I have seen both happen while watching fish when a commotion starts up on the ice ie* someone drilling or driving up. Sometimes they are jumpy and scatter at the slightlest sound. Couple years ago we had some clear ice for about a week or so, I ran around the shallows looking for fish. Schools of bluegills would just sit perfectly still impervious to what we did on the ice above them, This was early ice and the fish shouldn't have been accustomed to any activity. I saw a nice walleye sitting there in 3 foot of water, decided I am going to try chipping a hole exactly above it, about 6" of ice, I was thru and the walleye had not even flinched   Of course it wouldn't acknowledge any bait/lure that I put down there either.

What I like to do... don't matter if I am chipping or drilling, I'll go 3 hours or more ahead of time and drill out an area that I plan to fish, I do this mainly for fishing walleye shallow at night. I just go out on the lake drill my holes in the afternoon and come back later in the evening to fish, plop the tip-ups in quickly and wait for the action to start.  Years ago I would get mad if someone would come out later and drill around me, but I have seen what they do is get fish moving and many times will have all heck break loose during their drilling.

I used to really be a fanatic about this but now I really don't pay much attention to it, I have had enough fish take bait right out of my hands immediately after chipping a hole to know that it don't matter a whole lot, but I know one thing, is that it doesn't hurt at all to be a stealthy ice fishermen either.

-Scott

Great advice Scott, all of it is super. When you fish for walleye, this is what the "pros" do.
What I would add is 45-60 minuites before the sun just goes over the trees or hill, is plenty,
if you find your self short on time. The biggest things that I find spook fish, is the auger and ATV/snowmobiles. I think the reason for this is the whin of the high rpm motors??? Spuds, axes, hand augers, 4x4 trucks don't seen to matter tooo much, but crack one of these other machines on and fish fly, like you said sometimes it is a blessing, but the evening waleye bite, it kills it. Its funny because you can rip the lips off a walleye and 9 times out of 10 he will bite again with in 5 minites but that high whin, closes their mouth and sends them away.

[richstick]

I've read somewhere - in-fisherman, I think, that of the three main methods of drilling a hole (spud, hand auger, power auger), the power auger is actually the least disturbing to fish.  Spuds are by far the loudest sound, and tend to spook fish the most.  Hand augers supposedly generate a less consistent noise than a power auger, so that supposedly spooks them too.  I don't know what's really true, but I subscribe to the drill your holes early thought for walleye.  For panfish, it doesn't matter 9 times out of 10.  Oftentimes, the noise will attract perch and gills. 

[billditrite]

IMO they are not really hearing anything they are feeling vibrations.so if you are trying to punch a hole with a spud you are disturbing the ice much more than cutting a hole with an auger.ill bet it doesnt make much difference wether its a hand auger or power auger ,the vibrations being sent through the ice and ultimately the water,from the blades cutting and shaving away is much greater than the vibrations from the motor .like i said its just my opinion but sometimes you can just about cut their head off with your auger and they seem to just sit and wait for your bait and pounce on it as soon as you drop it in!other times,...  well   

[Polar]

The biggest trick for catching first ice eyes is Drill a bunch of holes early as Scott stated.Don't over look the skinny water.You'll save yourself alot of aggravation by the yahoo's that get there at prime time and start popping in holes,They will see all the extra ones a pick one of them most cases and will leave at dark.