How many holes do you drill per outing?

[sdsu_jacks]

I continue moving and drilling until I either find a consistent hole to set up on or it gets dark and/or cold out and I have to set up the shack to stay warm. It probably means I drill anywhere from 15-100+ holes a day, usually in the 40-50 range though probably. If it's during the day time though I try not to set up my shack if possible.

Who else drills till they find fish? It seems like 99% of the people I see on the ice just set up camp on the first hole they drill. While most shows on TV the guys are trying a ton of holes until they find the fish. However, I am really struggling to find fish right now even with drilling holes!

[nofishfisherman]

Depends on the day. A lot of times I head out for a short trip at night after work and if its cold like it is now I'm only going to drill 2 holes and set up hoping for the best.

Other days when I have more time or better weather I'll drill more holes. Usually I'll drill a string of holes and hop from hole to hole seeing what there. If nothing then I move on.

I'm still using the an old jiffy model 30 so its weight does cut down on the number of holes I'm going to drill. I've done maybe 25+ holes in a 3 hour trip. That auger gets HEAVY after a few holes.

[leechlake]

I usually walleye fish on the lake our cabin is on. In that case I'm drilling just the holes for the house between 2-4.

If I'm pan fishing on a smaller nearby lake I may pop about ten holes looking to find them.

I'm not a fanatical ice fisherman so take that for what it's worth, I enjoy being out and just rely on years of experience on the few lakes I fish. It works pretty well for me.

[fishing tech]

sdsu, I am with you. I use to drill 100/time out or more. After 2 back surgeries it has slowed me down but if I am not on fish I like to move.

[sdsu_jacks]

I don't want to drill 100... Last year was my first year living in MN though, so part of it may be that just about each time I go out I am either trying a new lake for the first time ever, or a new spot on a lake I've fished a couple times. Hopefully as the years go on and I find trusty spots, I won't have to drill as much.

All I ever read/see is drill and move, drill and move, and yet I never really see anybody drilling many holes. So, just curious! Thanks!

[monstermoose78]

I like to make sure I cut enough holes in an area. Lots of times a 4 foot move gets me over fresh fish. I would say somewhere from 20-100 is normal for a day.

[SDS]

10 at most and thats if I fish two spots. If I'm by myself walleye fishing it will depend on what state I'm in per state line count laws.

[Mr.Seaguar]

I use a hand auger almost exclusively. I fish a very popular set of lakes. Many times I use old holes and never drill a hole. I often drill out the middle of old holes and only have to drill through 4-6" of ice. I don't mind drilling holes but I would rather fish.

[WalleyeSlayer21]

I normally go back to previous spots from other years and other outings and go to the spots on my GPS that i saved. Works well.

[grasshopper]

When do u fish? Guess I know the lake I'm on. Always go home with fish. Seems like a lot of drilling. Must be the guy drilling around the my house.

[rascal23]

Generally I drill 15-25 holes in an area,even if I know it. Fish can use different parts of the same structure for alot of various reasons. Depending on how much time I have, I might fish 2-4 areas in a day. I can think of a day on Pokegama a few years ago when we fished 6 areas in a day looking for a good bite. I also enjoy breaking down and learning different parts of lakes - its part of why I fish. Like walking a couple miles of trout stream, to see what's up ahead.

For panfishing, alot of holes means alot of "first drops". Check out Dave Genz to see what I mean.

I retired my Jiffy 30 after 20 some years and got a SM honda lite just so alot of holes is alot easier!

rascal

[cbrunick57]

Fishing structure I'll drill a lot of holes in a small area, keep moving until you contact fish. If I'm fishing over a basin I'll spread my holes out much further until I contact a school. Have had days where I've drilled 100+ holes with little success and other days where I've drilled 10 and had great luck.

[ZachD]

I would say on average about 40. Like you said I normally don't see other people doing it either. As soon as I get to my spot to fish I will drill at least 15 holes without dropping my ducer or a line. I feel as if people are looking at me funny.

[sdsu_jacks]

I would say on average about 40. Like you said I normally don't see other people doing it either. As soon as I get to my spot to fish I will drill at least 15 holes without dropping my ducer or a line. I feel as if people are looking at me funny.

Haha exactly! I feel like everybody stares at me too. I usually do about 10 as soon as I start without dropping the transducer or line as well. For the most part, I try to fish away from the big crowds so it's usually not a big deal.

[sdsu_jacks]

When do u fish? Guess I know the lake I'm on. Always go home with fish. Seems like a lot of drilling. Must be the guy drilling around the my house.

That's part of the problem. I don't have a "home lake" yet or lake that I know like the back of my hand. Every day is a new adventure! I'm pretty new to MN. The Missouri River in SD is my "home lake" that I know like the back of my hand. Lots of learning new techniques and finding all those GPS spots to save now that I live here.

[Esox_Magnum]

Some days 2 others 100+. Depends on target species. Weather and my mood

[monstermoose78]

I have a couple lakes dialed in and I still get to the area I have been fishing and fire up the auger and punch 15-20 holes. I agree with ZachD that people look at me goofy. Once I get those first holes drilled and fished for little bit than I start cutting some more if the fish are not biting.

I have been getting 1-5 nice fish per hole. Seeing I am looking for trophy gills. It seems you pick off the biggest ones first. Another reason for drilling so many holes is to try and get a better idea why the fish are where they are. I have noticed little differences that seem to hold fish. Say a sandy bottom and a few feet away it is a softer bottom and that is where the big gills are feeding. It amazes me how many people go out fishing and cut 2-4 hole and put there house up on them and never move. From what I have been seeing at the landings that theory is not the best for getting lots of fish. Everyone can do there own thing and that is cool with me. I usually fish away from the groups, but the group has been moving closer and closer to the area I have been fishing. O well I know of 2 other areas that I should try as well

[bigbad401]

On the lakes I usually fish I have been going to the same spots for several years. So I usually only drill enough holes for the people that are fishing with me and set up our pop-up house. While there maybe down time when the fish are moving we do seem to catch a fair amount of fish.

[grasshopper]

But I fish lots of lake too. I take vexilar and bottle of water with my HO2 clear the snow back, dump some water on ice, put down loctoer trasducer on ice and c what I got down there. Seems to wock just fine to fine fish. Don't need a limit every time out. I'm out 5 times a week. I was on 20 diffent lakes last year and always came home with fish. Just don't like people drilling 50 hole all around me. But what do I know, I'm just a Grumpy Old Man.

[ZachD]

But I fish lots of lake too. I take vexilar and bottle of water with my HO2 clear the snow back, dump some water on ice, put down loctoer trasducer on ice and c what I got down there. Seems to wock just fine to fine fish. Don't need a limit every time out. I'm out 5 times a week. I was on 20 diffent lakes last year and always came home with fish. Just don't like people drilling 50 hole all around me. But what do I know, I'm just a Grumpy Old Man.

That works well too but personally when I mark a fish I want to drop a line right away and catch it. I dont want to mark it through the ice then then have to drill a hole and try to catch it. Part of the reason I drill a punch of holes and once or if I am with a friend I have them follow me and mark fish as I drill that way they can drop line when there are fish while I keep drilling.

Most the time I am nowhere near anyone I hate crowds I think the closest I like to get is 100 yards from a house.

It also helps that I work 3rd shift I can fish all day with hardly anyone on the lake

[grasshopper]

I hate crowds too, But they end up by me anyway whether I drill 2 holes or 100.

[ZachD]

I hate crowds too, But they end up by me anyway whether I drill 2 holes or 100.

You must know where the fish are I must look for you when I am on the lake!

[mrg]

what ever it takes to find fish. 10 to 30 holes is the norm. some days you find them, some days you search. just depends. my auger runs good!

[Fowlmouth]

I keep the heat on in the shack, no need to drill