Excessive hole drilling

[Knoc]

I live on a rather small lake and always look out the window to see what the ice fisherman are doing and where they are fishing. Ive been checking the window now and then for the past hour and see a guy that must have punched 60 holes (not exaggerating)and they are all pretty much within a 100 yard space. Keep in mind this is a smaller lake and being its Sat., there are quite a few other people out there fishing. Whats your guys take on this? If you were out there trying to fish, would you say something? I just thought it was a little much and probably not the safest thing to do.

[Bigtom]

I think that is called looking for fish, most people only drill 8 holes and then fish. I normaly like to hole hop so I drill around 100 holes every time I go out. They also could be looking for a drop off or strucher.

[Norm1980]

I don't see any problem with it as long as this guy isn't drilling them 10' from where I'm set up.

[bogwalker]

How thick is the ice?

[highlife4me]

I have seen lots of guys that do that. I really don't mind it unless the are drilling the entire time especially with a dull blades. Then when they have the entire area looking like swiss cheese they claim the entire area as saved!

[drewevans]

i also will drill many many holes before i start fishing and while im fishing if i am not on the fish yet. i do this because i also hole hop all day i cant stare down one hole very long unless im marking fish or catching fish and if im marking them they better bite soon or im moving ot the next hole..... just me though oh and if this guy were drilling holes 10 feet from me then yes it would be a problem and i would not do that to anyone else either.

[fishuhalik]

thats how i fish too. i dont see a problem with it. what gets me is people that drill a bunch of holes over an area then get all bent out shape when someone else sets up on "their" holes. just cuz you drilled the holes dooesnt mean you own them!

[reinhard1]

i've usualy had people ask me if they could drill near me. i think that's the polite thing to do and i dont have a problem with that at all. heck you may find a future fishing partner or just meet some nice people. haven't met any rude people yet realy. one day we drilled about 40 holes looking for lake trout. had some people pull up on sleds and offered them the use of the holes if they wanted. cant be at all of them at the same time. good luck.

[WallyGader]

People can drill as many holes as they like its all public. As far as getting to close theres just that fine line of common courtesy that everyone may have a bit of a different definition for. As far as people trying to claim holes depends on the situation. If i have 60 holes drilled and i have say 4-5 productive holes relativly close to one another. and im jumping between them every 5-10min. that are all near eachother and someone comes over and punchs a hole right next to one of the 5 so they have 2 and sets there portable up on my holes, we will have words. Actually happened last weekend but the guy had a kid so i let it slide.

[Knoc]

Thats the thing, its a small lake and most houses are all in one area off of a point. This guy is drilling tons of holes all around this group of houses set up. Also how many holes does this guy have to drill to find out this lake is 11 feet everywhere except 5 feet off shore?

If the lake was big and he was doing it away from people, then fine. Let er' rip. But I think its a pretty d**k move to punch holes, within feet of people, completely around people who are trying to fish for hours.

The lake has 6 inches of ice on it.

[Koepper08]

Drilling holes in the winter is like using the trolling motor in the summer. You know where the fish are holding, just have to find the sweet spot. Nothing wrong w/ punching holes...

[Knoc]

People can drill as many holes as they like its all public. As far as getting to close theres just that fine line of common courtesy that everyone may have a bit of a different definition for. As far as people trying to claim holes depends on the situation. If i have 60 holes drilled and i have say 4-5 productive holes relativly close to one another. and im jumping between them every 5-10min. that are all near eachother and someone comes over and punchs a hole right next to one of the 5 so they have 2 and sets there portable up on my holes, we will have words. Actually happened last weekend but the guy had a kid so i let it slide.

First you say people can drill where they want but if then if they drill next to your holes "your gonna have words"?

If people would actually do their homework on a lake before fishing it, I dont see a need to punch over a dozen holes.

[silverbulletguy]

He's probably excited to use his "new" auger.

[LightningBG]

Make sure you strap some snowshoes on your kids, like a minefield out there.

Wont see me popping 100 holes, or even 50. Maybe 12 max, for 2 people. I don't have all day to sit behind an auger.

Public lake. Sure whatever. It has to do with courtesy. Would people mind if I just left my auger running all day? Maybe jam to some Britney Spears all day? Pop holes literally all around your house? Public lake, right?

[Knoc]

Make sure you strap some snowshoes on your kids, like a minefield out there.

Wont see me popping 100 holes, or even 50. Maybe 12 max, for 2 people. I don't have all day to sit behind an auger.

Public lake. Sure whatever. It has to do with courtesy. Would people mind if I just left my auger running all day? Maybe jam to some Britney Spears all day? Pop holes literally all around your house? Public lake, right?

EXACTLY my point.

Like I said if the guy is out there alone, have at it. But right on top of people trying to fish?? Just rude.

[silverbulletguy]

Wait til he stops drilling and then go close to him and start drilling. Maybe he will take the hint.

[Bigtom]

sounds like Julia, lots of High schoolers and the weekend croud fishing in one populated spot. that's why I don't fish around town.

[bturck]

Knoc: Does the name of you lake start with a "J"?

[slipperybob]

Just as long as they don't drill holes in the way where people are walking to the honey hole and access. Hate having to dodge holes on the way. Even worse when it's deep snow and someone drills holes into the tire tread path.

[looneyducer]

thats how i fish too. i dont see a problem with it. what gets me is people that drill a bunch of holes over an area then get all bent out shape when someone else sets up on "their" holes. just cuz you drilled the holes dooesnt mean you own them!

I agree. You can drill a thousand holes for all I care, but all those holes that aren't next to you -- those are public property, baby. And by the way, thanks for drilling them for me. That's awful gentlemanly.

[WallyGader]

I may be the donkey drilling alot of holes but i gurantee you i wont come within 75 yrds of your house, if you want to set up near the crowds then dont be upset when somone sets up by you because you will be mad almost every ice trip. I try and fish as far away from the crowds as i can, more peace and quiet, and more rewarding that way. Which is why on most occassions if your fishing the holes that im activly fishing, that i drilled and you just come and plop down on them and dont say anything because you know your prolly too close and crossing the common courtesy line is when we have a problem. I usually drill about 10 - 30 holes in one area at a time, and for many reasons. The more important ones are so i can find either the more aggresive fish, or just that one honey hole. There are also times on a few lakes i fish where you get 3-4 crappies right away on a hole then nothing for 10 min., where as i jump to the next hole right away theres usually fish waiting there and i get what i think is more of a reaction bite when you drop the jig right on them, opposed to them seeing it from a distance and swimming up to it. The lake you describe sounds like a lake a person could benefit from "hole hopping", if theres no structure, and like some of lakes i fish the fish tend to roam everywhere and the only way to find them is through old fashion trial and error.

[gixxer01]

Too many guys out there think that drilling an area entitles them to it. I mistakenly drove into a groups 1.5 acre minefield last year on my way to one of my waypoints (which fell inside of their spread), and asked if I could fish my waypoint. The only response I received was one of them firing up their drill and proceeded to drill holes around my truck...literally within feet of the bumpers and doors. I drove to my waypoint trying to run over as many of his holes as possible on the way to it. Not a word was spoken, but there was definitely an understanding! Stay 10' away from my setup or tip up, and I'll be fine. One other thing...stop drilling during prime time. If I show up late for a bite, I'll drill my 4 holes and sit whether it's where I want to be or not. I won't screw someone else because I was late.

[hamms-scooter]

Dozen holes? That is fine if one of the 12 gives you your fish for the day. When I get to a spot i'm looking for the spot on the spot. I drill 12 holes or so to start. Fish those holes meaning check with the flasher... I have 5ft contour lines on my gps for some lakes I fish so not very acurrate. If no fish present but I have a slight flicker on the bottom i'll get a tungsten jig down quick and try to work that fish up off the bottom if its not interested i might switch baits/jigs but most of the time I move! There are plenty of active biters at any given time you have to land on them. It's called Ice trolling for a reason. Being mad about a guy drilling 12 holes is crazy. Especially if your trying to stay on top of roaming perch or panfish. Some guys don't have time to sit behind an auger all day. I don't have time to fish holes that are vacant. Your flasher doesn't lie. Fish may not be where they were 2 weeks ago so going to an old spot is good but might have to open up some more holes. I use a 6" auger most of the time so it's way more efficient and no one is going to step into them.

[ibleedice]

Ok, here is my two cents. I actually went out today and drilled 50 holes. So to me drilling 50 holes is not a big deal, yet respecting the others on the lake is a big deal. I drilled holes along the 8-10 line up until about 150 yards of a house. I knew I wanted to drill pst that house, so I shut down the auger an went and asked the gentelman in his house if I could pop some holes around the area. Know if you have ever asked anyone on the ice permission to fish close or around them you would know that 95% of the time they will not have a problem with it. So to answer your question, no drilling 100 holes is not to much to find the fish. Yet, respecting the others around you is the number one prioity.

[CAMAN]

I popped over 150 holes today fishing by myself. It was a brand new lake I had never fished and the map I had was nothing better than a couple squigly lines. Started with a set of 15 and the first hole I drop the camera down and there are a couple real nice largemouth and a bunch of panfish. Fished those holes for a bit but the quality just wasn't there. Took a couple hours of drilling sets of 10-20 holes then dropping the camera down each, but I just couldn't find anything better. Went back to the first set of holes I drilled and BAM, there they were. Punched the area like crazy with a couple dozen more holes and started fishing. Limited out on fat 8-9 inch sunfish and a couple 10 inch crappie in about 1 1/2 hours. But had to keep moving, once that Marcum went dark I had to move to the next hole. If I hadn't drilled so many holes I know I wouldn't have caught all those fish.

I love drilling holes, I can't stand sitting still if I don't see fish on the Marcum. And sitting over a couple holes all day doesn't interest me at all.

Best thing about today - didn't see another soul the entire time I was out.