Bobber Question

[waligators]

I know you all hate just as i do when your toughing it out by sittin on the ice instead of in your fish house and the hole you have your set line in keeps freezing up, and your bobber gets froze into the thin coat of ice. Anybody use or here of anything to keep your hole from freezing up besides a insulated tip-up?

[Walleye Guy]

Three words: Ice Buster Bobbers!!!

[frabillfisher]

I second that it's the only way to go in that situation

[Lostit@theHole]

If its sunny outside and above oh say like 15 degrees try painting a bobber or something that floats black and putting it in the hole.The heat from the sun should keep your hole free of ice. It only works thought to a certain temp. Good Luck.

[bmc]

I've heard of people putting some charcoal in a coffee can, lighting it, and augering a second hole next to the first one, not all the way through though. Then use a chisel to chop a trough from the can hole to the hole you're fishing. The warm water will melt into your fishing hole and keep it open. I've never tried it though.

Brian

[George]

I've also found that the Ice Buster bobbers are the best. The only other thing that you may try is any type of bobber that will hold your bobber stop below the water. Some kind of bobber that has a hole at the bottom of it. Not one that you have to thread the line thru. This will keep the bobber stop wet but not allow it to freeze to the line or bobber. Hope this helps.

[Deitz Dittrich]

Ice Buster Bobbers for sure...but if there is any light at all... Here is a really stpid tip that works. Take a pingpong ball and color it black with a shaprie marker. It will absorb the suns heat that keep that hole open a bit better...

Get ICE BUSTER BOBBERS here

[iffwalleyes]

Use something like a Rock'n Reel or the Lazy Jigger then you don't need a bobber at all then. I switched last year and have never had a bobber on my line since. Before that I had a ice buster all the time.

[Bruce Mosher]

Waligators, If you are using a Bobber I would Suggest the Ice Buster Bobber. It is specifically designed for Ice Fishing. If you want to keep your hole open then as itwas mentioned above - Drill an extra hole that barely connects to the hole you are fishing out of. Put a coffee can with charcoal (light 'er up) in the dummy hole and it will keep the main hole open. I've used this quite a bit. I have used it at Ice fishing derbys also. IT works! Bruce Mosher

[Dan Thiem]

Great idea, but will the can melt mono if it touches it.

[Deitz Dittrich]

Dan, thats why you are drilling a second hole that just barely overlaps. So that your line does not come in contact with the can. I would be willing to bet, it would not be a good thing.

[so haaad]

Ice Buster bobbers are a solid option. I've also used the charcoal in the coffee can method. You can put the can right on top of the ice so it runs into the hole. This works pretty well, although you will notice that the can starts to tilt because of the melting ice underneath it. One thing that I've always wanted to do is put a small grill grate over the top of the coffee can and grill fish righ after you pull them through the ice.

[Dan_L]

off the topic a bit but i was fishing centerville and a guy set up his can next to me and was cooking every bullhead that came up.

ice busters all the way, the tops get a little ice on them but since the eye hole is under the water the line never gets stuck

[waligators]

How does the ice buster work and where can i buy them??

[Dan_L]

the ice buster is a yellow foam bobber looks like a pencil. with a clip on eye at the end. you add just enough weight to make the bobber stand up. and the eye will stay about an inch under the water. works like a slip bobber so youll need knots and beads

[Deitz Dittrich]

walligators.. click the link I posted above!

[Pat K]

Activate a handwarmer, put it in a zip lock bag, blow the bag up like a baloon and seal it. Let it float in the hole and it will keep it ice free for several hours.

[Northlander]

I love Ice Busters. Best bobber out there for ice fishing. Also the wave buster is great in open water.

[Dan Thiem]

Pat,

That sounds like a great idea! How did you come up with that? I for sure am gonna try it!

That and the coffee can idea.

I think a windy day would blow my line into the hot can and melt it.

[Bruce Mosher]

Walligators, You can buy the Ice Buster Bobbers pretty much anywhere. You can trim them down to make them as sensitive as you need to! Never Freeze to your line! Snap them on and off your line! No need for the plastic bead on your line - just the string tie knot (plastic beads are a pain-they slow your line down)and you're set to go. The 3" Ice Buster will hold a 1/16oz jig and the 5" Ice Buster will hold just over a 1/4oz jig. They are available on this site too.

About the can with charcoal. I also would put a 2"x2" x12" between the holes to keep the can from getting onto the main ice hole. LET'S FISHHHHHHHH!!!!! Bruce Mosher

[Dan Thiem]

Bruce, What do ya mean with the 2x2x12? Lay it down flat between the holes? Does that keep it from sliding over to the main hole?

[CrappieJohn]

As for the can idea....Take a two pound coffee can and put about two inches of damp, not wet!, sand in the bottom. drill a half dozen 1/4 inch hole around the side of the can just above the level of the sand. Add a few briquettes of charcoal and start them. and then set the can between to holes, use your spud to chip the trough and add charcoal as needed. The bonus here is that you can place two ten inch pieces of aluminum 1" angle stock on the top of the can and put on a pot of coffee/hot chocolate to keep warm or even fry up a burgerhotdog using nothing more than one of those cheap pie pans that come with like graham cracker pie crusts.

With all of today innovations many of the "old" standby tactics used years ago have fallen by the wayside. I knew an old guy who was a phenominal fisherman thru the ice and his hole heater was the can and sand, but he'd use old motor oil and soak corn cobs in it. He would carry a pail of the corn cobs thus soaked and burn them in the can.Worked like a charm as long as the wind didn't blow his line across the top of the can. Those open flames tend to shear the line...hence the need to use charcoal.

[Bruce Mosher]

Dan Theim, Yes the 2"x2" x12" piece of wood does keep the can from going over to the main hole. Just lay it down between the holes and you're set. Bruce Mosher

[Farley]

I know Ice Buster bobbers are the cat's meow here but Thill also makes a boober where the line runs through underneath the water. But the good thing about the Ice Busters is you can clip them on and off.

[blkfrg]

Grab a handful of the large diameter Ice Buster bobbers and then trim them off to the length needed to keep them just afloat, or whatever you like, with an assortment of jig sizes. Haven't used a different bobber in three years.