Drilling holes for a portable

[wasssit]

Just wondering how people drill holes for their portable house with a floor? I sometimes have problems getting the holes just right. Is there a surefire way to do this?

[Insp Gadget]

I set the house up and go in and "Mark the holes with the auger, then move the house aside, drill the holes, shovel the slush away, scoop the holes clean, THEN move the house back, heat, bank, fish, catch, celebrate catch, catch more, talk trash to my fishing partner, celebrate trash talking, step out to rotate fluids, catch more, trash talk buddy again, close things up, haul home, (trash talking friend on the way) get home, meekly enter house and beg forgivness for coming home late, and offer to cook a nice late supper.

Hmmmmm, was that to much information??

Good luck, I envy those who have or are fishing soon, looks like my schedule will keep me on land until the 21st at best.

Gadget

[klbowe]

I have a old washed out baby lotion bottle filled with chalk line dust. I set up the tent house positioned where I want it, go inside and shoot the center of the holes with chalk line dust, flip the house on the side then drill the chalk marks. clean up the ice shavings and place the house over the holes.

Works good on snow or directly on ice.

[Ron Vroom]

Set up portable to determine distance between holes-center to center. Then mark this distance on your auger from tip along shaft and place a short split piece of PVC that fits tightly around shaft. So after you drill your first hole it is simply a matter of laying your auger down to locate your next.

[pikemania]

One way I have seen a lot of people do although I don't know if it is the most enviorment friendly way. Is to take a can of blaze orange spray paint and mark a small spot and then drill the holes on the spray paint mark. If there is snow I have seen people use food coloring to mark a spot and the warm food coloring will melt down in the snow a little ways and you have a nice mark where to drill

[iffwalleyes]

I like the chack line dust idea. The paint will work but they freeze in the cold and I am not thrilled about having a can of paint ride around in the cab of my truck.

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Grip it and Rip it

IFFWalleyes
I Fish For Walleyes
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[marine_man]

The other way is to use the chipper end of a chipper dipper and mark a little spot on the ice... be sure to stand on that mark when augering your hole as the ice shavings will likely cover it after drilling the first hole (depending on how close your holes are to each other)

marine_man

[Muskieguy]

I use something sharp(ice picks I wear around my neck) to scratch a circle on the ice/snow through each hole, move the house, drill a pilot hole in each one, and then drill all the way through. I drill the pilots becuase once you break through the water/shavings can cover up your other marks. I used to just use the auger inside of the house to drill my pilot holes, but even that small amount of shavings makes the floor wet and then the sides of the tarp freeze with all the condensation.

Muskieguy....

[the big dipper]

Buy a bottle of red food coloring in the grocery store. Then just squirt out a dot in the hole and your set to move the house and drill.

[LOWinEYEin]

Insp Gadget Got it exactly!! :0 Hilarious

I think a little pee came out!!

[This message has been edited by WhaTT! (edited 12-11-2003).]

[protiller]

i've used the chalk dust idea. i have also placed a coin on the ice to mark my holes.

[Mr55371]

I'm of the belief that the less you have to carry out on the ice, the better, so I'll vote for marking the hole with the auger. Just a quick spin, and it's done.

[CrappieJohn]

If you are fishing from a portable with exposed ice such as found in the smaller otters and the frabil Hideout, cut a piece of carpet large enough to cover that portion of ice. Cut three or four holes in the carpet to fish through. Use this as a template for your drilling, shake the chips off and put it back down on the ice and around your holes. Now place the shack over the carpet and finish shoring it with snow. When you are fishing, your feet will be on the carpet and somewhat insulated from the cold, the holes will have a very dark perimeter which will improve your aboility to see subtle actions and greatly improve your vision down into the hole for sight fishing. The fish will be far less able to notice movement as well , especially if the interior is being lighted. When done fishing, pack it up for the next trip.

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Sure life happens- why wait....The Crapster....good fishing guys!
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[coldasice]

Gadget, that sounds way to familiar!! By the way, that is exactly how I/we do it. Set the Otter up, pilot the holes with our Jiffy, slide the Otter out of the way, finish drilling holes and slide the Otter back on. Use the slush to bank around the canvas. I am curious however; what hole configuration do most of you use, I have an Otter Magnum Lodge. Have a great winter!!

[Insp Gadget]

I have a Speed shak XL, (6x6) and we sit with our back to the door, the hole on our left is drilled close to the door wall, and the one to the right is drilled away from the door wall. Giving a trapazoid(?) layout. We are both right handed and that way the left stick is the dead one and the right one is for jigging. It works pretty well for us. My buddy has a shappell (big one, 6x8??) and in his we go two side by side but facing opposite directions.

I also drill a hole just out side the house off one corner and put the camera down that hole and can usually get all 4 baits on screen at once.

We often drill an extra hole about 8" deep right next to a dead stick hole, sometimes chipping out a fill channel in between. The schnapps usually floats well in the shallow one.( ) By then we are all done drilling unless we move, or until we get home but often find better success with the auger on the lake. ( )

Good Luck!

Gadget

If you're too serious the fish sense the tension! Ever wonder why women and children catch so many?

[This message has been edited by Insp Gadget (edited 12-12-2003).]

[Dobber]

Gas for the 2hr drive to the lake = $10.
4 large coffee's from Starbucks Coffee = $8.
5 minute [PoorWordUsage] to mark and cut holes in ice upon arrival = priceless

[Guest]

I just step off the distance between the two holes is use in my Clam Jr. using the heel to toe method and after I drill the first hole I step off 4 1/2 steps and drill the second one (center to center). It works perfect every time!

[scalescratcher]

I also use the auger to start a pilot hole then move the house. I put one foot over the pilot hole for one while drilling the other. Once done with the first I simply brush away the shavings with the planted foot and have no problem locating the pilot for the second hole.

[Kaz]

I always have some coffee with me, so I just pour a little in the spots I want to drill. Stronger the coffee is, the better the marks....Kaz

[ceramicjohn]

I own a two person clam, and what ive found that works real good for me, is a scoop shovel. I like to drill ,a series holes, across a structure, to find fish. After drilling the first hole, I place the blade of the shovel across the center of the hole, and drill, the second hole, at the other end of the shovel(handle). That way if the fish, stops biting, I can easly move the clam to another set of holes, that I have allready drilled, they line up perfectly with the holes in the clam. I hope this works for you. This method can be adapted to other types of portable, by using a measuring stick, of some kind.....Good Fishing!