The Black Hole

[bogwalker]

What have you lost down the hole while ice fishing?

[tsande00]

The neatest thing I lost down the hole:

I was out fishing with my brother in the flip over porty. The lantern was resting on an upside down 5 gallon pail. Well I stood up and accidentally bumped into the pail. The lantern somehow managed to drop straight down the hole without touching anything. In a split second it was complete darkness in there.

After getting a flashlight out we noticed that bubbles were coming up from the hole. The house began smelling like propane. Funny enough the propane from the lantern was traveling up through 20' of water and escaping into our shack. For shoots and giggles I flicked a lighter down by the hole and sure enough the hole flamed up.

Ended up dropping a lure down the hole and catching the lantern. Put some new mantles on it and fired it back up again a few minutes later. The only damage was the glass cracked from the sudden temp change. That lantern is still in use today.

[HooknHorns]

I cant believe you had the stones to light the hole inside the shack if you could smell the propane.

[Greg Clusiau]

We've all lost a few rods and reels when not paying attention. I normally carry a flying airplane jig (for trout) even if I'm only fishing for panfish. I've rescued a few outfits by dropping this jig down several times until I hook up. It makes a wide circle and you can cover a lot of ground in searching for whatever you have lost, as long as it's "snagable". The airplane jig MUST have all of the trebles on it, which are great for snagging. Try to find one with a treble stinger hook, with small treble on each "wing". Works for me.

[TCon17]

In my father in-law's perm on Leech I had his handheld Lowarnce with lakemaster chip on a shelf. The wall fan rattled it off, sent it perfectly down the hole. Spent hours trying to hook it, but to no avail. I got to buy him a new one.

Have also dropped my only set of car keys an hour from home as well. I need to velcro everything to me now!

[olbaidhh]

Lost... fish, dart, and a few lures.

Recovered... a camera remote control, vascular clamps and a set of keys.

[Will]

On url one time, we were lugging our gear into the sleeper shack when my buddy bumped my vex charger off the counter right down the hole. He ended up fishing that hole and did'nt have much luck, coincidence?maybe. Honestly he's not that good at fishing anyway.

[thatoneguy]

The only thing I've ever lost down a hole was a pair of glasses. That was probably a good thing, as I had been putting off an eye exam for a couple of years, and that forced me to schedule one to get a new pair.

I now wear contacts most of the time when going fishing

[fishfearme]

A remote control for the TV, ash tray, cell phone, ice scooper, pliars and fish of course. BTW everything but the fish was dropped by buddies of mine usually at night after too many beverages. Knock on wood!

[walleyefisher0990]

One of my buddies had his cell phone sitting in his lap, stood up and bloop right in the hole. Pretty funny. I personally have dropped my car keys, poles.

[icekid10]

2 cell phones, a few sets of led lights.

[cps420us]

Last year up on Leech, was fighting a northern on rod and reel at night, made a run and my elbow bumped the Maglite down the hole. It landed handle side down in 16 ft of water with the light still on. Stayed on for 3 more hours, needless to say, no more fish were caught.

[tsande00]

I cant believe you had the stones to light the hole inside the shack if you could smell the propane.

Meh, the smell of propane was there but it was far from overwhelming. Had it been any worse then it was though I definitely would not have lit it. Yes it was a dumb thing to do but at the time it seemed like a good/entertaining idea. Really wasn't all that impressive of a flame up since the propane actually coming back up through the hole was pretty minimal.

[Ed Carlson]

Big stuff of concern...Well lets see?

A Garmin Rhino 530 Hcx, and was promptly recovered by hooking the floating lanyard I had attached to it prior. I shagged it in less than 5 minutes with a #6 Salmo Chubby Darter.

A client sank my FL-18 in a soft pack once, and I also managed to snag that and pull it up from 14' on the Red. That once took an hour as it slipped down current a couple feet, and a few new holes were required to find it.

Both units still work just fine today.

Oh...a long time back one cheap digital camera ..at least I think that is where it went, not 100% sure on that one. I think it went sploosh, almost certain of it.

All other little stuff, is par for the course.

Lanyards and fast clips are a wonderful thing for cell phones and cameras. I now always hook them to a zipper pull on my bibs or jacket and so far, so good.

[minnbowhunter]

A full unopened bottle of expensive brandy, I still tear up when I think about it.

[Surreal Deal]

That propane lantern story reminded me of the time my red single mantle Coleman lantern went into the hole - I managed to rescue it before it sank, but it was out of commission for the trip. Ages ago I had a jiggle stick go into the hole, but the wooden handle floated so it was never really in any danger. I've never had it happen to me, but through years I've seen a few metal slush scoops go down the hole. Last winter I lost a homemade rod holder (a short piece of PVC bolted to a metal spring clamp), that was my first loss in a long time.

[motley man]

I'd go diving for that brandy in the summer. Fishing crappies on the ice and a northern grabbed jig stick and down the hole it went. Hardly any snow on ice so we could see the jig stick under the ice. Drilled holes to try to stag it but every time the snoot would move. Finally got it about 100 yards away from starting point. Have lost booze bottle when buddy saw us float a half full one in hole, so he set a full bottle in hole and it went straight down to Capt. Nemo. Many hooks, jigs, skimmers, pots, pans, glasses, and other odd items are now setting on bottom of lakes.

[bogwalker]

Makes you wonder what treasures these lakes hold.

[CrappieNight]

Haven't lost anything major.... yet. It is fun though to drop the camera down on the humps in Walker bay on Leech. Lot of good stuff down there.

[Freedom81]

Sunglasses, mini-mag flashlight, lighter, metal ice scoop( now I own a wood handled one), and FISH. All par for the course. 'Aint gravity a wonderful thing!!!

[Freedom81]

Had to laugh at my own post with "Leave No Trace" in signature...

[Robw]

Lost an ax. Using it to break my blocking loose after moving my house and stepped in a hole dropped it. I still can't figure out how it fit through with me being shin deep with size 13's on. It was the perfect storm of poor coordination.

[TooTallTom]

Lost an ax. Using it to break my blocking loose after moving my house and stepped in a hole dropped it. I still can't figure out how it fit through with me being shin deep with size 13's on. It was the perfect storm of poor coordination.

Robw, my dad tells me about an old-timer he knew up on LoW who swore that he just fired a few .30-06 rounds down the holes to break his house loose. I can't vouch for it being true or not, but maybe you want to try that instead? Of course, if you step into a hole, it's gonna be real expensive...

Tom.

[leakywaders]

I wonder how many of these "black holes" are of the 10 inch variety?

[jonesen]

Plyers, ice scoop, rods & reels ...

I wonder how many smart phones will end up in the black hole this winter?