Rookie question on spearing

[TV BOY]

Excited to try spearing this winter!!! Just got a new to me 6x8 skid house. It is set with 5 catch covers, The one end is framed to make a spear hole. The size of the area is 20"x48" . My question... is that big enough? I don't want to cut the floor and find out that it isn't deep enough, especially when the ice gets thick...

[MJ1657]

My perm is 30x48 and my portable is 30x36 which is nice but what you have will work just fine. Try it and see if you like it.

[mrklean]

I think its a bit narrow myself i have a 2.5x3.5 in my house but i want a big hole in my house, for some im sure thats just fine, grab a bucket and sit over it for a few minutes and try and judge what you think. i know guys that spear out of much smaller holes

[Gordie]

Your spear hole will work but as you said when the ice gets thicker it will become more difficult to see off to the sides with out a lot of chiseling on the sides of the hole. I have speared out of a house with a hole simalr to the size your talking of and it wasnt that bad I did spear a few pike but it was a relief to get back into my house and look down the bigger hole.

I prefer a spear hole that is bigger than 28 inches or wider most of mine are 30 -32.

[TV BOY]

The house is basically a year old and looks brand new. I would hate to cut a hole in the floor and have it not work. The hole would be at the end of the 6x8 with door at opposite end.

[TV BOY]

Duh, I can easily cut a bigger hole in ice, then slide the house over it. The floor opening would still be a bit narrow but could I would see more, especially in thicker ice.

[MJ1657]

Duh, I can easily cut a bigger hole in ice, then slide the house over it. The floor opening would still be a bit narrow but could I would see more, especially in thicker I

ce.

Now you're thinking!

[hawkeye43]

Now the kids thinking smart

[merkman]

Ha...

Now tell him the real truth.....

That is fine as a starter house, after a year or less of darkhouse spearing you will be hooked and have 2 or 3 houses by the end of the following year....

Welcome to the addiction TV Boy!!!

[TV BOY]

This one makes 6, but is the first spear house. My wife thinks I have a major problem, since I can only be in one at a time Going to try selling a few this fall

[merkman]

This one makes 6, but is the first spear house. My wife thinks I have a major problem, since I can only be in one at a time Going to try selling a few this fall

Don't sell any... just give her the classic response...

So how many pairs of shoes do you have????

[MJ1657]

Have you had success with that question Merk?

[merkman]

It works from time to time... can't use it too much though....

[drakerebel]

I agree with mrklean, if you have room to enlarge the hole i would...36" would be the ticket (imo). call me lazy, but if the house is already there, i would rather cut out the existing hole than move the house to first cut an oversized one and move it back into place...especially when it's butt cold and it's frozen to the lake.

[TV BOY]

Here is the hole.... as big as the framing would allow

[Gordie]

Here is the hole.... as big as the framing would allow

Looks great and once you figure out you love spearing you will figure out a way to make the hole bigger and get rid of those round things. By the way what are those round things.

[merkman]

By the way what are those round things.

I think they might be beer coolers

[merkman]

That looks like a nice house TV Boy...

Is that spray foamed?

[Spike76]

TVBOY, when you paint the floor and walls black, make sure your paint doesn't eat the foam away. Once I built a nice spear house and bought some good enamel paint. The next day I had to redo the foam, and buy some cheap latex paint. Your house will work fine until your wife needs a new pair of shoes...ha ha. I've got 4 spear houses and still not satisfied. The perfect spear house might not be made yet is my responce because my wife doesn't buy many shoes.

[merkman]

The "perfect house" is the one with the hole already cut and the heat turned on.

[Spike76]

Merkman, you are probably right. Years ago, my fatherinlaw would always have the spearhouse ready when I'd get up to Brainerd. I really miss him. The older I get, the harder it is to get everything set up.

[BOUNCED]

TVBOY, when you paint the floor and walls black,

FYI it's easier to find things on the floor when it's NOT black

[TV BOY]

Was going to put a coat of polyurethane on the floor, then carpet over the top. I would assume one gets the floor more wet spearing? also, how critical are black walls if the windows are blacked out?

[MJ1657]

Dark walls help out alot. Lots of light comes up through the hole In the dark walls help mask your movement.