New York Ice Fishing sponsored by

Author Topic: ideas for hole covers  (Read 3331 times)

Offline nightrunner06

  • Team IceShanty Addict
  • *
  • Posts: 508
ideas for hole covers
« on: Jan 13, 2019, 03:00 PM »
I need a few more hole covers to complete my set. I looked them up and are pricey was wondering what everyone else uses?
FLAG!!!!!

Offline Stickhick86

  • Team IceShanty Maniac
  • **
  • Posts: 1,142
Re: ideas for hole covers
« Reply #1 on: Jan 13, 2019, 03:03 PM »
I was thinking of using cheap yoga mats and cutting them to fit. Can probably get quite a few out of one mat.
Give a man a fish, feed him for a day. Teach a man to ice fish, have his wife mad for ever.

Offline can_of_worms

  • Team IceShanty Regular
  • ***
  • Posts: 292
  • Ice Fishing Rulez!
Re: ideas for hole covers
« Reply #2 on: Jan 13, 2019, 03:44 PM »
spot on with the yoga mats, works well.

Offline hot tuna

  • Team IceShanty Maniac
  • **
  • Posts: 1,228
Re: ideas for hole covers
« Reply #3 on: Jan 13, 2019, 03:59 PM »
Yoga mats are ok but tend to curl.
I found the best things are a 4 piece puzzle fatigue mat I found at ocean state job lot for $9.00 and they come flat.
 You get 3 out of each square ( 4 in a pack). using a five gallon bucket as a template.
They are about 3/8" thick and work well .
Front and back picture.



Offline nightrunner06

  • Team IceShanty Addict
  • *
  • Posts: 508
Re: ideas for hole covers
« Reply #4 on: Jan 13, 2019, 07:48 PM »
Yoga mats are ok but tend to curl.
I found the best things are a 4 piece puzzle fatigue mat I found at ocean state job lot for $9.00 and they come flat.
 You get 3 out of each square ( 4 in a pack). using a five gallon bucket as a template.
They are about 3/8" thick and work well .
Front and back picture.




Winner winner, chicken dinner!
 Thanking you!
FLAG!!!!!

Offline ship of fools

  • Team IceShanty Maniac
  • **
  • Posts: 2,253
Re: ideas for hole covers
« Reply #5 on: Jan 14, 2019, 05:24 AM »
Yoga mats are ok but tend to curl.
I found the best things are a 4 piece puzzle fatigue mat I found at ocean state job lot for $9.00 and they come flat.
 You get 3 out of each square ( 4 in a pack). using a five gallon bucket as a template.
They are about 3/8" thick and work well .
Front and back picture.



How well do they work RJ?
Goin' where the wind don't blow so strange,
Maybe off on some high cold mountain chain.

Offline bgaffney

  • Team IceShanty Regular
  • ***
  • Posts: 202
Re: ideas for hole covers
« Reply #6 on: Jan 14, 2019, 05:29 AM »
Did the same thing Hot Tuna, trying them tomorrow.

Offline PikeKing23

  • Team IceShanty Addict
  • *
  • Posts: 906
  • Go Big or Go Home!
Re: ideas for hole covers
« Reply #7 on: Jan 14, 2019, 05:53 AM »
I have made these out of the same material, but got 1 per mat for 8" holes.  I made them as large as I could.  Tip: use some spray glue and attach a piece of thermal safety blanket to the bottom.  You know, the silver ones that are thin but look like tin foil.  It will double your heat retention in the hole. ;)

Offline hot tuna

  • Team IceShanty Maniac
  • **
  • Posts: 1,228
Re: ideas for hole covers
« Reply #8 on: Jan 14, 2019, 06:02 AM »
How well do they work RJ?

They do work very well especially if there is blowing snow.

Offline tblaster123

  • Team IceShanty Addict
  • *
  • Posts: 542
Re: ideas for hole covers
« Reply #9 on: Jan 14, 2019, 06:31 AM »
excellent idea. I just made some last night, Ive had a handful of those mats laying around for years, never even crossed my mind. Ill see how they work without it, but I might be putting the emergency blanket material on them too.


Offline pieman1998

  • Team IceShanty Addict
  • *
  • Posts: 691
  • just have to ice fish
Re: ideas for hole covers
« Reply #10 on: Jan 14, 2019, 04:20 PM »
i use rubber roofing on my heritage tipup

Offline Hardwaternubie53

  • Team IceShanty Maniac
  • **
  • Posts: 1,803
Re: ideas for hole covers
« Reply #11 on: Jan 14, 2019, 08:13 PM »
I had a large rubber mat that I got from Tractor Supply. It was a small truck bed liner. I no longer needed it for that, so I cut it up for hole covers. Heavy, black- won't curl, blow away and keeps the holes open, even on a really cold day.

Offline choo choo

  • Team IceShanty Addict
  • *
  • Posts: 903
Re: ideas for hole covers
« Reply #12 on: Jan 15, 2019, 05:00 AM »
I made mine out of  old black rubber tractor trailer mud flaps .
My boots on some ice... A line down a hole...Some fish on the screen... And a flag in the air !......Winter is Good !!

Offline bowski76

  • Team IceShanty Regular
  • ***
  • Posts: 359
Re: ideas for hole covers
« Reply #13 on: Jan 15, 2019, 07:36 AM »
Question, if it's really windy, won't the hole cover lift and blow off the hole? I would think a tip up wouldn't hold them down.
Second question, when it's really cold and you just cut the hole, do you have to wait for the water on the ice to freeze before using the covers? I imagine they would freeze to the ice.

Offline hot tuna

  • Team IceShanty Maniac
  • **
  • Posts: 1,228
Re: ideas for hole covers
« Reply #14 on: Jan 15, 2019, 07:45 AM »
Question, if it's really windy, won't the hole cover lift and blow off the hole? I would think a tip up wouldn't hold them down.
Second question, when it's really cold and you just cut the hole, do you have to wait for the water on the ice to freeze before using the covers? I imagine they would freeze to the ice.

I haven't had a problem with either question

Offline PikeKing23

  • Team IceShanty Addict
  • *
  • Posts: 906
  • Go Big or Go Home!
Re: ideas for hole covers
« Reply #15 on: Jan 15, 2019, 08:35 AM »
They will blow away if you leave them laying down on top of the ice.  Works like a sail and will take your tilt all the way across the lake!  I have never had one lift up off of a hole and fly away.  it probably has to do with your next question.  Whether you leave a slush rim or clean the entire area surrounding the hole, make sure that you have a flat, level surface.  The idea is that the cold air does not get under the mat, so there is no freezing below the mat to make it "stick".  Obviously, if there is snow blowing around, it can be a different story.

Offline Bowhunter79

  • Team IceShanty Regular
  • ***
  • Posts: 151
Re: ideas for hole covers
« Reply #16 on: Jan 15, 2019, 09:54 PM »
I myself have not used hole covers. But I did see a fellow fisherman using 5 gallon buckets as hole covers.  He placed the buckets over his holes upside down and then had holes in the bottoms big enough for the spool on his tip ups to fit through and just set the tip up on top of the bottom of the bucket. I thought it was a neat idea. hope this helps
Fish on! Ice Fishing Team Yamagoochy

Offline ArmyRugger08

  • IceShanty Rookie
  • **
  • Posts: 4
Re: ideas for hole covers
« Reply #17 on: Jan 16, 2019, 04:15 AM »
The foam mats work great.  Never had them blow away on me. 

Offline trapper2000

  • Team IceShantyholic
  • ***
  • Posts: 8,620
Re: ideas for hole covers
« Reply #18 on: Jan 16, 2019, 06:04 AM »
I just skim the hole once in awhile

Offline tblaster123

  • Team IceShanty Addict
  • *
  • Posts: 542
Re: ideas for hole covers
« Reply #19 on: Jan 16, 2019, 06:32 AM »
I myself have not used hole covers. But I did see a fellow fisherman using 5 gallon buckets as hole covers.  He placed the buckets over his holes upside down and then had holes in the bottoms big enough for the spool on his tip ups to fit through and just set the tip up on top of the bottom of the bucket. I thought it was a neat idea. hope this helps

that's a very interesting idea considering the spool wouldn't even be in the water... if im picturing that correct? I suppose theres no reason why it wouldn't work, but makes it more difficult to set up 1ft off bottom, or where ever your setting them.


Offline tarmstrong24

  • Team IceShanty Regular
  • ***
  • Posts: 171
  • Can't see that from your couch!
Re: ideas for hole covers
« Reply #20 on: Jan 16, 2019, 08:08 AM »
I waited until the frabill thermal tipups were on sale.

Offline bowski76

  • Team IceShanty Regular
  • ***
  • Posts: 359

Offline SirCranksalot

  • Team IceShanty Maniac
  • **
  • Posts: 1,652
Re: ideas for hole covers
« Reply #22 on: Jan 16, 2019, 08:41 AM »
For cold sunny days the best thing is a THIN black cover. the object is to let the sun's heat into the hole rather than retain what little there still is in the cold water. I use a cheap thin rubber floor mat. heavy enough nit to blow away, too.
Keep yer stick on the ice!

Offline ActiveTrapChecker

  • Team IceShanty Maniac
  • **
  • Posts: 1,704
Re: ideas for hole covers
« Reply #23 on: Jan 16, 2019, 08:42 AM »
Yoga mats are ok but tend to curl.
I found the best things are a 4 piece puzzle fatigue mat I found at ocean state job lot for $9.00 and they come flat.
 You get 3 out of each square ( 4 in a pack). using a five gallon bucket as a template.
They are about 3/8" thick and work well .
Front and back picture.



x2. Got mine at Ocean State Job Lot. $10 for enough hole covers and a partial floor for my hub

Offline PikeKing23

  • Team IceShanty Addict
  • *
  • Posts: 906
  • Go Big or Go Home!

Offline johnb340

  • Team IceShanty Regular
  • ***
  • Posts: 115
Re: ideas for hole covers
« Reply #25 on: Jan 16, 2019, 08:46 AM »
A buddy of mine cut old car mats and they work fine.  I bought the thermals on sale like tarmstrong24 did.

Offline hot tuna

  • Team IceShanty Maniac
  • **
  • Posts: 1,228
Re: ideas for hole covers
« Reply #26 on: Jan 16, 2019, 10:47 AM »
I have a set ( 5 ) thermal tip ups.  Not a fan of them at all.
The telescoping ( antenna) flags laws bend and or break . They are not very visible from any distance so machines just run them over. They are awkward to wind up and transport. 

Haven't used them in years

Offline tblaster123

  • Team IceShanty Addict
  • *
  • Posts: 542
Re: ideas for hole covers
« Reply #27 on: Jan 16, 2019, 11:53 AM »
Yoga mats are ok but tend to curl.
I found the best things are a 4 piece puzzle fatigue mat I found at ocean state job lot for $9.00 and they come flat.
 You get 3 out of each square ( 4 in a pack). using a five gallon bucket as a template.
They are about 3/8" thick and work well .
Front and back picture.




ever had problems with the 3/8" thick not being enough? im pretty sure the ones I just made are 3/8" as well.. but theres a lot of different thickness options available to buy just wasn't sure if maybe I should consider getting them 3/4" or even 1" thick

Offline Seamonkey84

  • Team IceShanty Maniac
  • **
  • Posts: 2,469
Re: ideas for hole covers
« Reply #28 on: Jan 16, 2019, 12:22 PM »
Those interlocking mats are thick and cheap enough that I might use up a pack to make my own “finicky fooler” type covers. Just glue two or three together and cut one layer with a bigger hole to make the seal. https://finickyfooler.com/products/finicky-fooler-hole-cover-with-rim

Offline Doeslayer

  • Team IceShanty Maniac
  • **
  • Posts: 1,742
Re: ideas for hole covers
« Reply #29 on: Jan 16, 2019, 12:36 PM »


I use these and rarely get a freeze up ezcept on brutally cold windy days and its still minimal... How they didnt catch on idk
Catch and release, into the grease!
"gotta be somebody needs some killin" ~ Major Payne

 



Iceshanty | MyFishFinder | MyHuntingForum
Contact | Disclaimer | Privacypolicy | Sponsor
© 1996- Iceshanty.com
All Rights Reserved.