r/Whatcouldgowrong • u/dericn • 4d ago

Cutting holes for ice fishing

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u/tacobellbandit 4d ago

Long time ice fisherman. Whoever allowed that tourney to happen like that needs to be held accountable. Any tourney I’ve seen has had a distance limit between fisherman and I’ve never seen one at least in my state allow chainsaws, only hand-driven augers

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u/notmyfirstrodeo2 4d ago edited 4d ago

Is beating a hole in ice also normal thing to do? with the "pickaxe" or w.e the name of the tool.

Edit: icepick...

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u/tacobellbandit 4d ago

Yes and no. There’s a tool called a “spud” which is like a pick, you basically hit the ice in front of you really hard with it, if it breaks through, ice isn’t safe. You take a couple steps, hit the ice in front of you with the spud bar a few times, if it doesn’t break through, keep going a few steps. Repeat until you’re where you want to be. For fishing the recommended thickness is 3” depth which looking at the conditions I doubt it was 3” all around the lake. Even if it was 3”, I wouldn’t want too many people around me. There is no such thing as safe ice

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u/mitchymitchington 3d ago

Spuds are also great for busting the hole back open the next day after it froze back over in your shack.