Ice Chisel/Spud Bar

[cor2016]

Still new to ice fishing, I don’t want to pay the money for one. So my questions are, how big and heavy of one does everybody use? How hard do you hit the ice with it?

[Stickhick86]

This is the one I use and it has done me well. Being that it is a lighter one, I give the ice a really good whack with it.

https://www.fishusa.com/Eskimo-Economy-Redneck-Chisel

[zcm_82]

Still new to ice fishing, I don’t want to pay the money for one. So my questions are, how big and heavy of one does everybody use? How hard do you hit the ice with it?

I have the short BPS one. It is dull and fairly light so you gotta put a bit of arm into it, but it works real well for me feeling out ice density. They're also pretty cheap... $25-ish

[cor2016]

Thank you both! Didnt expect to have a response that quick honestly

[LEN F]

Find one that you can afford. It is probably the most important thing you can carry with you and use.

[cor2016]

I can afford to buy the more expensive ones, just would rather make one homemade if I could

[zcm_82]

You can make a razor sharp homemade one pretty reasonably. Depends on what you're gonna use it for. My Dad had one he used to cut holes before he had an auger made out of a chunk of 1" rebar with part of a wide wood chisel welded on the end. Thing was a great ice cutter, but it weighed a ton.

[cor2016]

I ended up paying 60 dollars for a rapala one, only one I could find close to me for tomorrow. Probably sell it in the summer and buy a cheaper one

[fishinator]

Mine is 7/8" rebar with a piece of leaf spring welded to the end. Its sharpened with 3 staggered edges. I give it a decent hit and it goes through i know to get back.

[filetandrelease]

 You could have 1 welded up , or you can buy a cheap 1 you just have to learn what it is capable of , after a time you will recognize , the sound and feel when striking ,
 I used a heavy 1 for decades , finally retired it a few years back , , also put some kind of wrist lanyard on it so it doesn’t become part of the lake bottom 😉

[cor2016]

The one I got has a lanyard on it, I’ll probably replace it since it doesn’t feel very heavy.

[badbrad2186]

This is the one I use and it has done me well. Being that it is a lighter one, I give the ice a really good whack with it.

https://www.fishusa.com/Eskimo-Economy-Redneck-Chisel

The one I use and found it on Amazon for $11

[cor2016]

Anybody know anything about the hammer chisel? I’ve seen them and almost bought one today.

[jaeger80]

I bought the cheapo Eskimo spud and it sucked.  I modified as seen here and now it devours ice.  Check it out...


https://www.iceshanty.com/ice_fishing/index.php?topic=379980.0

[Chris338378]

This is the one I use and it has done me well. Being that it is a lighter one, I give the ice a really good whack with it.

https://www.fishusa.com/Eskimo-Economy-Redneck-Chisel

I also use this one and it works great.  I've used a bunch of different chisels and the ones made from rebar suck big time.  The ridges in the rebar hurt your hand and more often than not the home made are heavy.  This one isn't too heavy and doesn't beat up your hands.  The one thing I would suggest no matter what chisel you get is to put a lanyard on it if it doesn't come with one.  I made my lanyard from a a leather shoe lace.  If you don't have a lanyard on it you can easily send the chisel to the bottom of the lake when it breaks through the ice.  That's never happened to me but I've seen it happen a few times.

[Speckledfin]

This is the one I use and it has done me well. Being that it is a lighter one, I give the ice a really good whack with it.

https://www.fishusa.com/Eskimo-Economy-Redneck-Chisel

I just recently purchased this as well. Not terribly heavy. Pretty solid bar and not too pricey.

[rlusk3030]

Clam I think 12lb. Two healthy whacks in the same spot gotta be honest with my hits I don’t want to go swimming