tips for new house

[mrpike1973]

hi well i got a 4x8 fish house alum siding etc. so when it was made it had the 2 runners on the sides then a 2x4 down the middle. they cut the middle one so it would make a 2x4 spear hole. so being the middle one is cut it is sagging i think i can take a 2x4 and cap it so it will strengthen it. should i leave the hole 2x4 or make it a little smaller 2x3. and put sides were the hole is . thanks for the help

[motley man]

I have fished out of 4X8 fish houses for 40 years. I would leave spear hole and put a fold down cover for it. Fold down comes in handy when you just angle and more than one person. If you put a good 2X4 laid flat for bracing across under floor by spear hole it will support the floor. If more are needed back farther just do same. Keep the floor solid and sides light so it's easy for one person to move. Winch on front of trailer is all that's needed to load on trailer. Good runners and hitch is great, I just run a chain thru tubing for hitch. Bolt to 4X4 runners and loop over hitch with a loop in chain works easy and fast on the lake. Be sure to make a good [angle iron] cross brace to mount hitch or runners will buckle in.

[MJ1657]

A 2x3 hole is big enough to spear out of. Personally the bigger the better for me but you can only have them so big in some houses.

My perm house is 36"x48" my portable is 30"x36".

Remember the bigger the hole the more ice you have to cut and the bigger the block you have to pull out.

[Archerysniper]

Personally the bigger the better for me but you can only have them so big in.

[MJ1657]

I should have known.....

[Archerysniper]

HAHA MJ but I do have to agree the bigger the better. Their were many nice fish that I didn't get this winter that I would have if I were in your house. But with spearing outta my little porty I still need some room for my feet,heater and too be able to get out once I get a fish.

[BehindtheHead]

i built a 4x4 house this year with a 2x3 hole. its plenty big for me.

[MJ1657]

i built a 4x4 house this year with a 2x3 hole. its plenty big for me.

Who are you????

[Archerysniper]

i built a 4x4 house this year with a 2x3 hole. its plenty big for me.

Do you grease yourself up to fit into it? I saw it when you were up here and it's a great design,I really love the heater and glove dryer you made.

[Gordie]

Another way to look at is the more you can see the pike the more the pike can see your movement with that said I have speared out of shacks with a 18 inch by 36 inch hole and got pike as well as what I spear out of which is 24X44 inches hole and my double shack is 26X84 inches.

Cut your hole in the house bigger than what you think you will use and you can always make the hole in the ice smaller and set the house over it.

[mrklean]

I put a 30"x42" in my portable and love it the bigger the better i think, like Gordie said the nice thing is you can cut the hole smaller if you think thats is to big

[Sunnie]

Just as a thought that has helped me, when designing a hole leave enough floor on the back side of the hole so you have a place to plant your foot and stradle the hole when you need to chisel or saw it open during the season. This allows you to not have to lean over the hole for the same purpose.

[mrpike1973]

wow thanks for all the help. its 4x8, door on narrow end on other end is the hole. i'm making it smaller 2x3 so i have a spot for my foot and spear and i can still angle from it. when they cut the hole out they left no part of the floor up to the frame could i frame this in with 1x2 board. also for the spear hole cover do you guys prefer one with hinges or just a board that is removable and just covers it thanks for all your help.

[Sunnie]

I do the removable board that also has styrofoam insulation siliconed to it to help retard freeze up of the hole. Works great!! Also the cover can be removed to block areas of light that might affect your house or the hole.

[MJ1657]

I like to be able to take the cover out of the house.

If you leave the house on the ice overnight and have to chip it open you can put your foot on all 4 sides of the hole.

[Gordie]

Old timer showed me a neat little trick he put the styrofoam down and shoveled snow back on it quite a bit of snow. He said that he only did that when he was going to be gone for more than 2-3 days the snow would insulate the hole and all he had to do was scoop it back out. he also said if he was going to be gone for a extended amount of time he just used snow and no insulation..

I was going to try this year but we didn't have any snow

My cover is removable