Size of the Spearing Hole

[duck2]

Hello, I am building my first spearing shack and will be going with a simple 4' x '8 size design. I am looking for feedback on the minimum size that I could use for the hole. Would 32" width x 16 height" be adequete? How about even going narrower, with a 12" height?

Thanks

[mnmuzzleloader]

All depends who is going to be using it, I have seen the 4x8 that have a 3x4 hole in the center you have to jump over to get to the other side, if you are taking kids with you might want to have a smaller one, I have never had a spear hole to big, I take that back one time in the portable went alittle big since the ice was thin and easy cutting?!!? my permiant 4x4 has on the is 18x28. good luck with the new project?!?

[glenn57]

about a 2 by 3 hole in the corner of the house opposite the door. hole bigger if you like. location is important.

[duck2]

Thanks for the quick replies. I was actually trying to build a dual purpose shack that would have the spearing rectangle cutout on one end and two ice fishing holes on the other. That is why I am trying to get by with the minimum (yet effective )spearing hole.

More ofetn than not, i will use the spearing hole as an enlartge angling hole to give me a visual thrill in seeing the fish approach my lure.

[merkman]

I have a 4 X 6 house with a 36"~38" wide hole across the back of the shelter. It is ~20 inches from front to back

I would think for the width make it as wide as you can and still maintain the strength of the floor and walls.

For a 4X6 house the 20 inches from front to back is very nice since it gives you some room behind you for all the "stuff" that you may drag out there. I would not want it any less than 20 inches from front to back though.

If I had a 4X8 I would increase the front to back to about 24 inches I think. The only thing that would be a pain is; if the front to back dimension was too big and you had to lean over the hole to spear in the back of the hole.

The other thing that you have to remember is:

What ever size the hole is you have to remove all that ice too. lol

In general for the Norwegian TV go with the widescreen!!!

[Gordie]

my 4x6 spear shack has a 24"x40" hole at one end of the shack and my 4x5 has a 24"x38" hole one the end. one of the first houses I speared out of was a 4x8 and it had two spear holes in it the door was in the center of the 8ft wall and the holes were on the same side I'm guessing that they were 18x34 .

another thing you could do is make a template out of cardboard and make it the biggest possble hole you could have then paint it black then move it around the house to find the best location trim it down to get the best fit. hope this helps

[duck2]

I had not thought about the possibility of doing the two spear holes along one side. Doesn't that type of hole placement present some strutural challenges to floor strength? You would have to space the joists out at least 30" apart over those two holes. It seems like that would be a too little support for bearing the weight of an angler.

[Gordie]

I'm not sure how it was framed but thats how it was.This house sat tight to the ice and there wasnt any skids on it. you could also go oppisite corners with the two holes. just a thought

[bassNspear]

Great post guys.

mine is a bit different then others, and most of you have seen at the spearing outtings that we have had.

When i got my Canvas Craft, i cut one hole on other end of the house so it is away from the door. The house is big enough where i will be able to sit 3 people comfortable.

The size of the hole is awesome IMO. If you are cutting it with a 10 inch auger, it would be 5 down and 7 across. The thing i like about it is that if i set my decoy int he middle of the hole. 75% of the time, the fish will not always come into the hole close to the decoy, they will hang outside on the end where its tought ot get a goot throw at the fish with the spear. With the hole being this big, you are goind to get a clear shot becuase the hole is that size. Its going to look like there under the ice, but there in clear shot! Just something to think about.

[efgh]

I have had a spear house for 50 plus years,after being broken into a number of times I decided to buy a otter small cabin 2 years ago. all my other houses had a 20 by 26 in hole set square in the floor directly in front of my chair. I decided to use a carpet to cover the ice in front of the sled and cut a hole in the carpet. Now where to cut the hole? I took a piece of cardboard and laid it in various places on the carpet, the best place I found was to lay it kitty cornered in front of the sleds chair. I cut several different sizes of cardboard to simulate the hole. The size I settled on was 18 by 26 ins. One corner of the hole points directly at the chair on the otter sled. I can place one foot on 18 in. side and the other foot on the 26 in. side. Looking straight down and leaning ahead you can see back under the sled, lean back you can see quit a way forward, lean left or right you can see side ways for quite a area. I don;t know why it took me 50 plus years to figger this out, but I sure like this hole placement. When cutting the carpet for your holes leave one side HSO, the carpet rolls up much better. I used outdoor in a nutural color.

[MN Greenheads]

Hey Duck2 was that you I met out on W.B. last year late Dec.? I had a green and white trimed spear house and I believe your fishouse was just north of the beach.

[bassNspear]

dod you guys spear wb alot?

[duck2]

Mr Greenheads... If you are referring to Mahtomedi Beach on WBL, that could be me. If you are the person with the Metallic Green sided shack. I was out cross country skiing in the lake and stopped by a green metal sided spearing shack to chat and examine the interior.

I have never speared before, but have an elderly friend up north who wants to get me into it and help me build a shack. Most of the time it will be used for hook and line angling, but I will occassionally host my old friend and we will do some spearing.

I love a reference I have seen on this site to the illuminated spearing shack hole as a "Norweigan TV"

[merkman]

I had not thought about the possibility of doing the two spear holes along one side. Doesn't that type of hole placement present some strutural challenges to floor strength? You would have to space the joists out at least 30" apart over those two holes. It seems like that would be a too little support for bearing the weight of an angler.

I have seen some people make a 18 inch X 6 foot to 8 foot long spear hole all the way along one side of their house. That is allot of work to move all that ice but it is something to think about. Your runners on the bottom of the house (if you chose to use runners) would run in parallel to the hole and there would be plenty of strength to hold a person up.

It looks something like this.

Cut all the ice out from the hole when spearing or drill 4 holes in a line when angling and you would both be facing the same wall.

I would recommend a door in each end if you do so you won't have to step over the other guy when nature calls.

[merkman]

Doesn't that type of hole placement present some strutural challenges to floor strength?

If you have runners or supports on the bottom of your house the hole(s) should be framed from underneath.

[bassNspear]

nice shot bud.

Theres no fish in there?

[MN Greenheads]

duckman2 that was me, It was nice meeting you. We had to shut the spear hole down on account of too many of my young kids around. I recomend a 2x4 ft. hole on the far side of a 6x8 shack with two holes in the opposite sides corners. goodluck and see you around.

[efgh]

Where did you get that 9 tine spear? I made over a 100 spears that look something like this one. they were 5,6,7,8 and 9 tine spears, what ever someone wanted. That one looks like a Argalas spear that used to be made in Kilkenny Mn. 40 years ago.

[bassNspear]

if im not mistaken, he makes them himself.

[merkman]

Ya No fish in the hole... sorry.

The pic was taken by a guy I know.

He was showing me how his house was laid out.

I am really not sure what kind of spear that is.

I didn't make that one.

I had a batch of spears that I laid out the money for, and made (with a whole lotta help from my friends) just to raise enough money to get into spearing. They turned out to be very good working spears.

At the end of the day I would rather be on the ice than in the shop making spears. My hat is off to the guys who make spears for a living and consistently deliver high quality artesian quality spears. There is allot of work in just one of those spears!!!

[bassNspear]

your a worker, thats all i can say.

[Gordie]

your a worker, thats all i can say.

man I think thats an understatment he does it all and hes good at it.

[bassNspear]

whatever it take right?