How high up do you block your house?

[Guest]

I cut a 4x4 and use that to block up my house but am wondering if I should go higher. Seems when I augger my holes I get alot of ice/water in the house.

[rmh2o]

I have a 10x20 that is heavy and I block it up with 4x4 blocking 4 per side and havnt had a problem but there hasnt been much snow the last few years.Some of the water you see may be caused from the heat of the house.

[rmh2o]

If your floor is close to the ice and you are getting water and ice off your auger when drilling cut the bottom off of a bucket and put it over the hole when drilling might help

[road kill]

After I cut my holes the first time, I always recut the holes again with a good hand auger. You want to keep your house as low as you can to keep your floor warmer and your holes open. I use 2x2 blocks most of the time, and if the water starts to come up around your fish house then add another 2x2 to it if needed. The idea here is to keep the house as low as you can to the ice without freezing in.

[Ears]

I have also had the problem with the water and ice shavings coming in the house when I auger the holes. I bought a tub to catch the water and snow as you auger, from inovative products, same people who make the catch cover. I have not tired it yet, but it looks like it will work great.

[eyehunter]

I use 8" concrete blocks, they don't splinter when you have to chisel them off, or I have used a hand held torch also to free them from the ice, can't do that with wood. As for the keeping the holes open, I cut the holes in the floor so that they are the same diameter as a 5 gal pail, then cut the bottom of the pail off and slide in the hole in the floor. If you take the pail out when you are drilling, all of the ice and water go under your house, then you just slide the pail down into the slush from the drilling, it will seal up and prevent most wind from getting in and freezing the hole, with a little banking they won't freeze at all. I also save the lids for the pails and when I am done fishing I snap the lids on and I only have to re-drill the holes once every couple of weeks, unless it's really cold of course. Usually I can get by with just chiseling the holes open.

[hawkeye43]

i cut the holes with the house up in the air, then sit it down on the ice( no blocks) bank the holes inside the house, then use the leftover ice to bank the outside. let it freeze in, at least it keeps the wind out!!!!!!!! the steel frame will pop free from the ice

[This message has been edited by hawkeye43 (edited 01-13-2004).]

[Northlander]

Always block your permanent house! You will regret it one day if you dont.

[road kill]

Very much agree with northlander!

Be Smart!