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Hole Hopping


kitchy

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OK, I know it's early but I'm starting to get the fever. I usually drill a bunch of holes and hop around until I find fish. I only use a porty if I have trouble keeping my hands warm (don't like wearing gloves). Anyway, I would like to share ideas from other hole hoppers. I like to travel light and typically just have a bucket (with tackle, rods, etc), my flasher, and my auger. I just use the bucket to sit on. It gets a little cumbersome when I need to bring minnows since that is another container I need to carry. I'm thinking that maybe I should be using a small sled that I can load my gear onto and pull between holes. Plus I'm thinking I may find something better to sit on (again, soemthing else I need to carry). I don't like the seat tops you can get for buckets since I am always needing to get into the bucket for gear. How do you guys "gear up" for hole hopping?

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put a bucket in the rack on my snowmobile throw all the rods and the tackle box in that, aguer across the lap stop start the drill while sitting then go to the next.. other than that i take a sled with 2 buckets one with minnows, the other to sit on. rods in bottom of sled with auger

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Most of my winter fishing is done with only a small sled that carries my vex, auger, a couple poles, a small tackle box, and my Frabill sit-n-fish that I sit on and carry bait. Most of time I'm kneeling when I'm fishing as I jump from hole to hole. This allows me to stay free as I move down break-lines and humps. It can be cold, but it's a fast and light way to find active feeders.

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I bring a fold up chair to sit in...if your comfortable, you'll stay warmer as well. Doesn't take up any space in the sled either as I lay it on top of everything else.
I also carry a beat up old folding chair. sure is nice to have a back to lean against.
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OK, I know it's early but I'm starting to get the fever. I usually drill a bunch of holes and hop around until I find fish. I only use a porty if I have trouble keeping my hands warm (don't like wearing gloves).

Bring along a plastic sled to hold all of your stuff and for your cold hands bring a extra bucket and put a single mantel lantern in it and put it between your legs when you are sitting on your bucket and that way the rising heat will keep you hands and your body warm. I hate wearing gloves in the winter cause if the walleyes are light biting you will miss the bite. I use a Otter now and I just fold it back and throw my junk in the sled and move but when there is early ice the bucket trick works great.

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Thanks for the advice. I just picked up a small sled and I will see how it works out for me this year. Usually I just take with whatever I can carry in two hands. Sometime that can be a challenge (especially if you are after multi-species).

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hey kitchy have you tried Strike Master's new Glide-Lite sled? The Glide-Lite is both light and can carry all the you will need to bring with you out on the ice. It will also help you stay very mobile. Here is a bit of a description of the Glide-Lite:

• Vertical rod holders molded into the base for quick access

• Removable seat cover fits on standard 5 or 6 gallon buckets

• Main compartment for flasher, underwater camera, and other gear

• Rugged roto-molded body and skis stand up to freezing temperatures

if you are looking for good cost, light weight, and quality this is a good product for you.

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I pull a small house or sled out because I get cold hands easy and like to sit in the warm house out of the wind. Plus I like to be out of site when Im popping fish. Keeps the city from moving in on me. Unlessits a super nice day then I cut a bunch of holes and just hop from hole to hole with a active search lure like a jiging rap or Nils Jigging Shad. If I find fish that wont hit that I go to something like a plastic and if they wont hit that I try live bait. Usually if I pop a bunch of holes I dont even fish holes I dont see fish in.

I sit on a 6 gallon pail with a lid on it that has a notch cut out so my poles will stick out when walking from hole to hole.

A good set of ice bibs like Arctic Armor with padded knees and back side really are nice when hole hopping.

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Northlander, good point about staying out of sight. A buddy of mine open water fishes a small 14ft boat. I've watched him from my boat and it is very hard to see him boat a fish. He's an old-timer and is pretty tricky about not "publicizing" his catch. That brings up another issue I have. I'm looking into getting some Arctic Armour. I wish they had an all black model. That bright red puts a target on your back saying "I'm a pro, come fish by me". Hard to be inconspicuous wearing that gear. Do you guys see this as a problem?

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Same as Northlander, try to fish somewhat undetected, more you fish in the open the more company you will receive.

I will almost always set up a house, maybe drill some holes around the area to search out some aggressive biters, but mainly fish out of the shelter, that is whay I have a flip over, just move the shack to the hot hole, move on to the next.

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Northlander, good point about staying out of sight. A buddy of mine open water fishes a small 14ft boat. I've watched him from my boat and it is very hard to see him boat a fish. He's an old-timer and is pretty tricky about not "publicizing" his catch. That brings up another issue I have. I'm looking into getting some Arctic Armour. I wish they had an all black model. That bright red puts a target on your back saying "I'm a pro, come fish by me". Hard to be inconspicuous wearing that gear. Do you guys see this as a problem?

You could always go with the camo version of Arctic Armour that way it can be used for hunting and in my case outdoor photography when its cold out and you have to sit very still to get the shot.

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I also like to hole hop, I do this different ways depending what time of year and the weather. Early ice when I walk out I use a one man fish trap, has the built in seat and holds all my stuff. Later in year I have places that I want to fish so I park my four wheeler or truck on that spot and start drilling holes and fish. If the weather permits I just fish on the ice and when I find fish and there are people around I will move the truck between me and them. Or if I have to move around the holes alot I use my one man fish trap to hide. If I am walleye fishing I will have about six lines set up so i don't have to retie, and I use just the minnow heads and tails so I keep them in a zip loc bag. This way I don't have to carry live minnows in water which is a pain. Where ever I end up I will bring my truck over to me when I have time. I usally just kneel down on the ice when I am on the move. I also like to wear thin fleece gloves that I pick up at the end of the year cheap and carry 3 or 4 pairs with me. When one pair gets to wet I put on a dry pair, my hands get cold and I don't think I lose any feel jigging for walleye. And yes i can't wait for ice fishing either, just ordered a fish house shell from Perormance Engineering to use as a base camp on the ice. Rick

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Last year we got a thermal clam and that worked good heats fast and keeps heat good. We dont always set it up alot of times it was used as a sled. When i fish outside of the shelter i would set the hook with a quick short hookset. try and keep your back to other people your body can be a good block if you master short hooksets. Otherwise use the shelter but people catch on when it keeps flipping up and down every so often. I usually fish with my brother on the ice and we take turns jumping holes if my hands are cold he'll go out and so on and we usually only use one pole while hopping holes.

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two cups, I see your from Itasca Cty. Our lake house is about 15 miles SE of Bigfork on Hwy 7 (Antler Lake). Do you ever get up to this area? I'm looking for suggestions on walleye lakes. I've got the bass, pike, and panfish figured out but walleye lakes seems a bit more scarce in this area. I know I can run over to Bowstring or Winnie but they are a bit far and I'm looking for smaller water. Just looking for suggestions on lakes. I'll do the work finding and catching the fish. Drop me an email if you like. rkuech at frontiernet dot com

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hey kitchy have you tried Strike Master's new Glide-Lite sled? The Glide-Lite is both light and can carry all the you will need to bring with you out on the ice. It will also help you stay very mobile. Here is a bit of a description of the Glide-Lite:

• Vertical rod holders molded into the base for quick access

• Removable seat cover fits on standard 5 or 6 gallon buckets

• Main compartment for flasher, underwater camera, and other gear

• Rugged roto-molded body and skis stand up to freezing temperatures

if you are looking for good cost, light weight, and quality this is a good product for you.

Looks like a good thing. I just wonder, Is it very tippy? It looks kind of small and tall. I like the small part of it as that would be easy to drag behind but I haven't had alot of luck with tall sleds that like to always tip over.

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no the Glide-Lite is not tippy at all. i got to try it out a few times last ice season and i liked it alot. IMO a very good portably sled. its light, keeps you mobile, and is comfortable. if you're looking for a well priced option to keep you mobile, then this is the sled for you.

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Northlander, good point about staying out of sight. A buddy of mine open water fishes a small 14ft boat. I've watched him from my boat and it is very hard to see him boat a fish. He's an old-timer and is pretty tricky about not "publicizing" his catch. That brings up another issue I have. I'm looking into getting some Arctic Armour. I wish they had an all black model. That bright red puts a target on your back saying "I'm a pro, come fish by me". Hard to be inconspicuous wearing that gear. Do you guys see this as a problem?

I believe that your wish my soon come true. I'm pretty sure I've seen an all Black suit that might be available this year.

I like to go out and cut a bunch of holes first and just hop from one to another. I like to keep a Rose Creek jig box in one pocket and and a container of Euro in the other. A plastic Folgers coffee container (with the screw on lid) works good for minnows.

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I'm looking into getting some Arctic Armour. I wish they had an all black model.

I use a set of all black bibs made by Snosuit. I've used other brands of ice wear and these are flat out the warmest driest bibs you could ever hope to wear. They aren't the cheapest and it took me a while to talk myself into getting them but I was not disappointed! I NEVER get wet in the knees or have my pant legs absorb moisture. All I can say is just try a pair on before you buy something else!

I'll also second the Glide-Lite by Strike Master very well built.

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Good feedback on the SnoSuit bibs. I haven't got to wear them yet since I bought them the end of the season. From looking at them, I can tell they are over engineered on everything from the zippers to the material. They should last me a lifetime. smile

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Hmmm...that Glide-Lite might be the ticket.

The Glide Lite is awesome. BUT- no place for an auger and other gear. I have posted this pic on here before, but what I did was I took my Otter, put some I bolts into it, took some cheap mountain climber clips and put the rope of the Glide Lite and pull it all out at same time. If I need my Clam Scout, I hook that up to the Otter instead.

kids.jpg

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