How do you keep your holes open?

[Fishaholic2011]

After years of fishing in portables I now have a permanent shack as well. So I'm kind of a rookie when it comes to permanents.

I'm probably begging here, but does anyone have products or methods that actually work for keeping your holes open while your NOT fishing? I do not lock my shack and don't want to leave anything of value in it.

[dan z]

Strikemaster makes a product that circulates water they run off a 12v source give them a look.

[Gordie]

inverter with a aquarium bubbler will work too, but when all else fails use them.

[CusLandem81]

The Ole Coffe Can trick ! But when Im in the castle I use baked bean or vegetable size cans. Put like 2 or three peices of charcoal in the can , torch or lighter fluid and spark em up , place about 1 inch from the edge and within about 10 minutes You will have yourself a hole heater that lasts for hour to a few depending on how many coals you have in them. This method is stellar when fishing outside or with tip ups man. that way you use a folgers can put about a dozen coals in and it lasts of hours plus you can hold your hands over. But beware not to touch your line when pulling in the big ones. Once the channel is melted keep sliding the can back from the whole so this dont happen! Good Luck and Your Welcome.

[cavalierowner]

The Ole Coffe Can trick ! But when Im in the castle I use baked bean or vegetable size cans. Put like 2 or three peices of charcoal in the can , torch or lighter fluid and spark em up , place about 1 inch from the edge and within about 10 minutes You will have yourself a hole heater that lasts for hour to a few depending on how many coals you have in them. This method is stellar when fishing outside or with tip ups man. that way you use a folgers can put about a dozen coals in and it lasts of hours plus you can hold your hands over. But beware not to touch your line when pulling in the big ones. Once the channel is melted keep sliding the can back from the whole so this dont happen! Good Luck and Your Welcome.

Everything I have read says that burning charcoal in a confined space (such as a fish house) is a really bad idea. When charcoal burns, it produces carbon monoxide.

[hawgchaser]

My understanding is the OP was seeking to keep the holes open when the house is not in use. The coffee can heater with charcoal would help. You could also make the coffee can/alcohol/TP heater that burns much cleaner. I'm presuming you're just talking overnight. I know a guy who uses the second coffee can method and "tents" his holes with an overturned bucket with a chimney hole cut in the bottom.

[FISHINGURU]

I always just kept my pilot light on my heater or set it at a really low temp if it was going to get super cold out.

[centralmnguy]

Catch cover sleeves or 5 gallon buckets with bottoms cut out & bank up your house really good on outside. I usually just have to chisel a skim layer of ice on top & 8" holes usually last me a couple weeks unless we get the cold blast we just had. A portable aerator works also but then you have to monkey around with batteries etc.

[MikeG3Boat]

I want to know how to make the coffee can alcohol and TP heater? How do you do that?

[hawgchaser]

I want to know how to make the coffee can alcohol and TP heater? How do you do that?

emergency heater

You can buy the alcohol by the gallon to save $$$.

[adamr]

Run a fan blowing at the holes

[Pleasant]

that is what I do also run computer fans at the holes, they run a long time on a small 12 volt battery

[grasshopper]

I leave my heat on as low as it goes, because I'm out there every day. I get there and the house is 40 degrees and ready to fish.

[Fishaholic2011]

Thanks for your replies. I use a big buddy that I'm not willing to leave behind, so the low heat idea will not work. The biggest obstacle is not wanting to leave anything of value behind. No luck finding the strikemaster product. I think some minnow bucket aerators run on a 9 volt, that might work and so might a small fan. I know there are endless variables, but what temp range could I still expect these methods to work? I now have hole covers that fit into my floor, will the bucket work better?

[tazimna]

With 30+ yrs of permanent houses out,the best way to keep your holes from not freezing is to keep the heater on low and cover holes at night. Having a permanent out takes dedication for sure if you don't want to reopen holes each time out(which is a pain). The BEST solution we've found is to purchase an ice saw and reopen holes with it. Hands down the quickest/cleanest way of reopening holes in a permenent house IMO.