ICE Blocks

[Meat-Run]

Not sure what others do with there ice blocks but recently I've been pushing them under the ice so not to lift them out. Why didn't I think of this before and like someone stated before if you can get a good push they'll glide away from you some distance. Unfortunately most of the ice chunks wanted to float back towards the spear hole and made for some interesting under the ice wrestling this weekend up on Leech.

A friend of mine stated that they melt some what under the ice since the water is still warmer then the ice or air above not sure if all of the chunk will decrease but I'm sure there's some truth to that theory.

MR

[bowhunt]

I always pull my block and put it back when done, I also always mark my hole. The reason I put the block back is because the hole will freeze solid faster making it safer if someone steps on it. It is a little extra work, but I cut the block into a couple pieces and it think it is worth it. Don't want to find out someone fell in my old spear hole and I could of done some thing to prevent it. Just my take on it, I know there are a lot of opinions on this topic here.

Bowhunt

[MJ1657]

I do and have the same thoughts as Bowhunt o

n this issue.

The main thing is to never leave the block on the ice and mark your hole.

[Meat-Run]

Yes I too mark my spear hole with branches maybe little more then necessary. But when you haven't been in your house for some time the ice is very think almost to big to pull out, of course you can chip them smaller but so much easier to push down and under...just my .02

Now if its early ice and first time out and haven't got the house set on the hole I surely would pull the blocks out.

MR

[ninakawawa]

It gets a little tricky when the ice gets more than two feet thick but leave the ice chunk as one piece and get a long pole or ice saw or whatever and sink it into the end of the ice chunk. Give it all you got and the chunk will go a good ways from the hole. If you break it up it makes it harder to push the chunks away.

[bassNspear]

im always reminding people to put there blacks back into the water. I dont pull them out anymore, i push mine under.

[Gordie]

I pull them, and if I dont chop a new hole for the old one I will break them up into many pieces.

I will have to give the push under a try sometime and Yes they do slowly melt away as the water is just a bit warmer than the block but its not a fast melt that happens.

[smurfy]

the issue i have with pushing them under is what about the next guy that cuts a spear hole only to find that block? and i still think it affects fish movement. just saying and not trying to start anything.

[Gordie]

the issue i have with pushing them under is what about the next guy that cuts a spear hole only to find that block? and i still think it affects fish movement. just saying and not trying to start anything.

I guess I would only push mine under if I knew you were to find it smurfy

[smurfy]

what a guy!!!!!!!!!!!!! thanks gordie!!!!!!!!

[MJ1657]

the issue i have with pushing them under is what about the next guy that cuts a spear hole only to find that block? and i still think it affects fish movement. just saying and not trying to start anything.

I would agree with that

[bassNspear]

I would say it would be a VERY LOW % that someone would cut a hole over the old ice before that block had melted. they dot go far, and unless your laska, you shouldnt have issue!

[smurfy]

hers my reasoning for saying this. when i head north to the lake the cabins on i fish real close to my previous holes i've cut. yea i may know which direction i may have sent it off in.............but do i know where it floated to????NOPE!!!!!!!! or for that matter if i set up close to where the last guy had his house on any given lake should he have given his chunk an underwater ride!!

[shortfatguy]

i would bet you would have a hard time finding the block under the ice if you tried. And the odds of some one stepping in a marked spear hole are far less than the odds of a snowmobile hitting a block that didnt get put back in the hole because it froze to the ice or whatever. During normal winter temps a spear hole will freeze quickly.

[terrible_fisherman]

I agree with shortfatguy...I always push mine under.

[mrklean]

put them back and mark them only way i do it

[merkman]

As long as the block is not left on top of the ice and the hole is marked; I really dont care what is done with it.

[bassNspear]

As long as the block is not left on top of the ice and the hole is marked; I really dont care what is done with it.

cant agree more.

[Hendy]

This is my first post here. South Dakota just opened up most of its lakes to northern spearing. The Department of Game Fish and Parks has already put out a press release reminding people to mark their spearing holes. I hope the sport doesn't get off to a rough start in terms of public acceptance. My wife and I always pull out the ice blocks and put them back. We have a little system involving ice anchors,a chisel and leverage that works pretty well. I am too old to fight the ice. P.S. I have enjoyed this forum. I was away from spearing for close to 30 years. It is nice to be back.

[MJ1657]

Welcome Hendy.

Please keep us up to date on your spearing adventures in SD.

[Gordie]

Great having you join the HSO family hendy and I'm really glad you got back to the sport of spearin.

I was away from spearing many years and I think I'm addicted more now than ever.

Please let us know who it goes in SoDaK and please post in the South Dakota forums too.

[Hendy]

Thanks for the welcome. I will be happy to share what we have found this year.