Is there such a thing as too big of spear hole or spear house?

[outdoor guy]

Is there such a thing as too big of spear hole or spear house? I’m looking into building a new permanent spear house on wheels. I was wondering what some of your thoughts are on the size of the spear house and the size of the spearing hole. I want to make a larger house with a big spear hole, but I’m just wondering does it affect or detour the big pike from coming in? I have heard stories of guys with bigger spear houses and they put tip ups outside their house and catch the pike without ever seeing them in the spear hole. It seems the bigger fish know the house or hole is there. I have also had problems with bigger pike sitting just outside the hole, but it seems the little fish come right in. Any thoughts would be great!

[merkman]

I don't think any size hole is going to get away from the problem of some pike being just out of reach.

There are probably pike that watch from even greater distances than you see now, that you didn’t know about before, and with the bigger hole you will be able to see them and still not be able to do anything about it.

I think you will see more pike that stand off less distances with a bigger hole though.

I have an 8 X 8 with 2 holes and it is amazing that many days one hole sees many more fish than the other. Even if we both have the same decoys down.

I think that is just the way it is.

The bottom line is in you only have a X sq ft window on a lake thousands of acres large. No matter how large the hole is you won't see every fish.

I do believe that a larger hole is better than a smaller hole though. And if I have my choice between wider or longer I would choose longer over wider. Any hole that is much wider than you can reach with your extended arm in my opinion is a waste of time and energy cutting it. I do like the 2’ or 2.5’ X 6' or 8’ holes I have seen going all the way down the long side of a darkhouse though.

I have never used a house that has a hole in the center of it so I can’t really comment on that.

Maybe others have different ideas?

[outdoor guy]

I have also speared out of two person spear house and I learned a lot from the experience. I had the minority of the pike come into one hole. We were both using the same decoys so we decided to take up the decoy in the hole where we were seeing the majority of the fish and just use the hole that wasn’t producing. After doing this we noticed that the fish came to the hole that was not producing. I came to the conclusion that the pike were just coming in from that end of the house but if there was not decoys in that hole they would find their way over to the other hole. I am thinking of making my spear hole 2.5’ by 57” (almost 5’). I usually spear out of a 2.5’ by 4’.

[merkman]

I am thinking of making my spear hole 2.5’ by 57” (almost 5’). I usually spear out of a 2.5’ by 4’.

That will be nice, I just opened mine double house holes up to 44" wide and I like them that size!

[tmmcd]

Maybe you already know this but the only drawback I know of with a large hole is the house doesn't stay as warm. My house 8' x 12' with a 4'x6' hole is freezing inside even with foam insulation and a mr heater going on high.

[outdoor guy]

The only problem I have had heating a house is that the heater takes out to much oxygen. This was solved by installing more vent holes. The heater I want to use puts out 18,000 BTU. How much does your Mr. Heater put out?

[merkman]

How much does your Mr. Heater put out?

Buddy:

4,000 BTU/hr - Lo

9,000 BTU/hr - High

Big buddy:

4,000 BTU/hr - Lo

9,000 BTU/hr - Med

18,000 BTU/hr - High

[Gordie]

Maybe you already know this but the only drawback I know of with a large hole is the house doesn't stay as warm. My house 8' x 12' with a 4'x6' hole is freezing inside even with foam insulation and a mr heater going on high.

are banking the house up with snow and I mean alot of snow that will help with the hole not frezzing to a point and if you run a couple of computer fans blowing air down towards the hole this will help as well.

[GoneFish'n71]

I have a 2x6 in my 6x10 zack shack. I run my big buddy on low and sit in my tee shirt. When the ice gets thicker, I overcut to about 3x6 so I can see further out front.

[Capt'nMorgan]

I got a friend with a 7x16 foot house and he has a 4x8foot hole in it, its great you can spear 4-6 people in it easy with more decoys

[bassNspear]

BIGGER THE BETTER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Gordie]

BIGGER THE BETTER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'll leave that one alone BNS

[bassNspear]

about time!

[Gordie]

You Know this feels kinda good being nice....... NOT

[bassNspear]

ha haha