homemade Ice Strainer/Skimmer

[brycro]

Tired of my metal Jiffy strainer.  I hate it essentially.  Want something that is robust, has large scoop and can take some abuse....have been thinking of fashioning my own with a cut out from a bucket lid, a heat gun and a hardwood handle.........or a broken hockey stick.  Any ideas or recommendations?  Any one here that has made their own?  Thanks

[DIRTBALL2]

Bryco, We have exactly what you need here in Minnesota!   http://www.mrsolsonslefse.com/bigdipper/  This bad boy can clear your hole in only a couple scoop's! Enjoy! ;DDIRTBALL2

[Oldfart]

Big or little dipper. You can't bust em.

[Hard_H2O]

I have been looking at these:
http://frabill.com/1685.html


http://www.mrsolsonslefse.com/bigdipper/index.htm

I haven't pulled the trigger on one yet.

The soft plastic is nice because you can just squeeze to break any ice on them. On my metal scoops they get a bit bent from hitting them on the ice to deice them.

I just broke the weld on my favorite metal scoop so it is in the trash.

Both of those have nice rulers on them for measuring fish or ice thickness. On one of them the ruler starts on the butt end and the other it starts at the scoop. I would think starting at the scoop would be nicer for measuring ice thickness and for something to bump the fishes nose to.

All my other scoops are quite a bit smaller and easier to store and transport. The smaller ones won't tip a bucket over.

I see the price and think about cost vs. benefit and so far I haven't picked one up.

[Oldfart]

Never seen the big dipper in metal. All the ones I see theese days have the yellow plastic scoop that you can twist to bust off the ice buildup. And they sell them up here in Maine for under $20. No shipping $$.

[kasilofchrisn]

I found the Frabill dipper that Hard_H2O linked to locally and I really like it. It works great.
I also like my jiffy chipper dipper but use the Frabill more often now.
I used to have a flipper dipper. It was faster but oftentimes froze up and wouldn't flip easily on colder days.
It finally broke and I bought the Frabill instead of another flipper dipper. I sure am glad I did.

[reddog11]

Nice.

[brycro]

my buddy has the big black and yellow frabill dipper and he cracked the handle although it scoops well. 

Thanks for the ideas.

[Hard_H2O]

my buddy has the big black and yellow frabill dipper and he cracked the handle although it scoops well. 

Thanks for the ideas.

I am leaning toward the Big Dipper because it seems, that from looking at both, the hockey stick based handle would be more robust.

[Handy]

I bought the little dipper some time ago and have yet to break it. I love the ash handle with the ruler on it.


Paul

[brycro]

I decided to make my own....used a bucket lid I found last week while ice fishing.....used an old handle from a garden tool.  Hand planed down the end to make a flat surface to mount to.  came out pretty nice and sturdy.....Gonna test it out tomorrow

[brycro]

here is the whole thing.....32 inches long total.  cost me nothing to make........I am going to add a measurement scale to it but have to figure out how to do it so it looks good.  Best thing is that if it breaks, which I can't see how, I can make another one in 5 minutes. 

[Lobes]

Go to the housewares department somewhere. For $0.50 - $1.00 I get the serving spoons with the holes in them. Plastic or metal. If I lose one at that price it's no big deal.

                                                                                     
NBG

[brycro]

Go to the housewares department somewhere. For $0.50 - $1.00 I get the serving spoons with the holes in them. Plastic or metal. If I lose one at that price it's no big deal.

                                                                                     
NBG

Sounds like a hassle to clean out a hole full of shavings with such a small scoop.......I had one once from the dollar store and it lasted damn near a full season but what a hassle.....my new one will not break and it was cheaper than a dollar.