hole-drilling location

[sobe]

Looking for any tips/tricks for marking hole-drilling locations when using portables. Thanx, Scott

[Guest]

If you mean finding the hole you fished before that was productive, then GPS is your answer.
That way your not leaving a bunch of junk out on the ice (Propane bottles, pop bottles on a stick, etc) and know-body but you knows that the spot is a good one.
I use a Gamin 12XL, and it gets me so close to the hole, it's scary some times!

[sobe]

I guess I didn't word it too well ! What I meant was, physically marking the ice when settin-up so the holes are positioned correctly when you slide your portable back over them.

[LaVoi]

I just use a good ice pick and chip about a half inch deep hole in the ice, with about an inch diamter right where I believe it would be centered. Then make sure the augers tip is directly in the center of the hole you chipped. Works great for me. Hardly ever get holes that are not centered.

[Mankato-Ice-Man]

All I do is set the house up where I want it and go in and drill just a titch in to ice any place that I want the holes, down about an inch or so, pull the house of of the way and finish drilling my holes, clean em out, pull the house back over, and start fishin!

[brian6715]

I do the exact same thing Mankato Ice Man does and it works great.

[pikehunter]

I fish by myself alot, and don't like to set up my portable and let it sit while I drill holes as it always seems to be windy in southern MN. One day when the bite was cold, I stepped off the distance between holes in my house, so now I just step it off and drill the holes where I mark ... works well for me, but then again, I have pretty big holes in the bottom of the house, so it doesn't have to be too exact.

Happy Fishin!

[wallydiver]

I do the same as Mankato Ice Man and Brian6715. It works great.

[Guest]

Whoops, sorry for the misunderstanding the question...
I do the same thing that pikehunter does. I fish with two different huts, and it works good with both of them.

[Pharcta2]

Just to muddy up the water... I ususally have some sort of beverage with me. Coffee and Mountain Dew are great for marking hole locations! Just a few drops, slide the house, drill the holes, and slide her back. I used to do the chipping method as well.

[Hoyter]

An idea I've used before is using an old cordless drill with a large (1" or so) speed bore. Set up your house, mark your holes, move your house, auger holes, replace house. This also keeps the auger from slipping around when starting since you made a pilot hole and it's a whole lot easier than lugging the power auger in the house.

[Wobbler]

That is a really good idea Hoyter. I think the cordless drill will definitely help me keep mine straight! Thanks!

[Guest]

I like the powdered chalk trick.

------------------
Kevin Neve's Devils Lake Guide Service
fishingminnesota.com/kevin-neve-guiding/
e-mail: [email protected]
Phone: 701-473-5411 or 701-351-4989
Minnewaukan ND

[hawgTime]

Pikehunter has it right. If there is any wind, you probably don't want to set up your portable until you have your holes drilled and you're ready to secure your house and fish. I found it's easiest to step out the hole configuration (you only have to do this once) inside your shelter and use that mental pattern to drill your holes before you set-up your shelter, that way you can set-up your shelter and secure it over the holes all in one step without having to worry about it blowing away while you drill the holes.

hawgTime

[This message has been edited by hawgTime (edited 11-25-2002).]

[FishTracker]

I mark my holes by placing a penny on the spot or spots, move the portable then start drilling.

[wallydiver]

Another thing I like to do is to drill a couple of holes about about 12 to 18 inches down, then fill them with lake water. Makes for a pretty good minnow bucket and saves space as well

[MattT]

I just keep a little bottle of that food coloring that is used for baking/dyeing easter eggs/etc in with my other gear. A little drop in the center of the hole cut-outs of your shelter and you mark the exact location of the center of your holes.

[HOGEYE]

Ive seen some use powdered chalk. The kind you refill snap lines with. Just mark the hole with the powdered chalk.

[Twitter]

Personally, I drill the holes about an inch or 2 deep inside the house, than move the house and complete drilling. I've got a Buddy that carrys golf tees in his tackle box for the purpose of marking his holes though....always thought it was a pretty good idea.

[This message has been edited by Twitter (edited 11-25-2002).]

[Deitz Dittrich]

I have a Frabill XLtwin now, So I dont have to worry about where I drill the holes... but when I did, I left a little snow on the ice, then set the house down on top of it... then you just walk in the house, lift the house off carefully and it tells you where to drill? You can see the hole markings in the snow!

[Bushwacker]

I have a dipper that has a little chipper on the other end. I just set up the house, trace the holes with the chipper and slide the house off. I is easy and the holes are on everytime. You don't even have to press very hard with the chipper to see the mark, and you don't have to start up the drill, move the house, and start up the drill again.