Freezing holes??????

[DCF]

Just bought my first perm. Took it out yesterday. We didn't leave any heat on, won't be back for 4-5 days. Is there any tricks to keep the holes from freezing??? I know my auger doesn't do well on re-drilling holes, always binds up. Just looking for ideas. We did bank the sides with alittle snow, not much there, and we did cover the holes with the hole covers, not sure if we should have. Thanks for any tips.

[Christopher Quast]

I have found that if you leave your holes uncovered when you leave your holes wont freeze up as bad. I think it has to do with letting the remainder of the warm air that is still in your house keeps them open longer. They do make this adjitator gadgets Just google them or buy a chisel or laser auger, but in theory if you come back every four or five days the holes should be refroze good and solid by then on top which makes for easier reopening. Hope this helps

[fish_on]

I know a dash of olive oil keeps my holes from freezing when I am out in the open. Might want to try that.

[siberian]

Unless you bought a magic house, you will be doing some drilling. Raise your house a little, block the back of the tires, pull forward, drill, back up over the holes. Just don't ever move the steering wheel. Works well for small houses. Siberian

[KMR85]

a styrofoam disk a little larger than the diameter of your hole should help. place the disk right over the hole touching the water. they freeze to the surface of the water a little, but all you do is pry them up with your hands and they come right off and there is just skim surface ice near the edges of your hole. i have only seen this done with the styrofoam that is pink and doesn't break into tiny little balls when broken. not your standard styrofoam that you see cheap coolers made out of.

[redtail]

a styrofoam disk a little larger than the diameter of your hole should help. place the disk right over the hole touching the water. they freeze to the surface of the water a little, but all you do is pry them up with your hands and they come right off and there is just skim surface ice near the edges of your hole. i have only seen this done with the styrofoam that is pink and doesn't break into tiny little balls when broken. not your standard styrofoam that you see cheap coolers made out of.

Does this really work? Even when the temp dips below 0 ?

[Nutty Fisherman]

Holes will still freeze from the sides in. I left my heat on for a month in my hard side last winter and still had to redrill them once or twice because they got smaller around.

[Cecil]

HT makes a hole cover similar to what KMR is talking about. They work for the smaller periods of time.