How Many Holes?

[waterninja]

Ok, another thread got me thinking. When you head out for a day of ice fishing, how many holes do you generally drill?
Are you like myself, who picks a spot, sets up, then drills about 5-9 holes 20' apart then figures out what depth they like, then drill another 5 at/around the right depth? Do you park, drill a few, then fish and check electronics and move on to the next spot and start again?
Personally, I don't move around that much, and I don't need extra holes for electronics or pranks, but I still end up drilling an average of 9-12 holes on a good day, and 17-29 on a bad day. Gas powered of course.

[degasvegas]

I would say on an average trip I punch between 10 and 20 holes depending on my luck. I usually punch 5 in an area, fish it for about an hour and then move on to the next 5 at a different depth if I'm not getting any luck. I don't move as much as I should.

[C & C]

If its a lake I know well 2-4 per person. If its a new lake....well skies the limit

[waterninja]

Originally Posted by degasvegas

I would say on an average trip I punch between 10 and 20 holes depending on my luck. I usually punch 5 in an area, fish it for about an hour and then move on to the next 5 at a different depth if I'm not getting any luck. I don't move as much as I should.

Our philosophies differ here. I pick a spot and wait for them. I'll admit, I get arguments.

[waterninja]

.

[waterninja]

Originally Posted by C & C

If its a lake I know well 2-4 per person. If its a new lake....well skies the limit

Skies the limit. I love it.

[Evan83]

I like to find a decent spot and fish all day. I always see guys moving around drilling holes and wonder if that's a better idea. I just don't like to move once I get setup.

[the local angler]

i move alot so its usually about 2-4 per location. like a previous comment said it depends on how well the person knows the lake. if i know it well then i don't move much. if its a new lake i move and move every half hour to an hour to a new location. i fished with people where they drill tons of holes and including the injury i sustained from my last ice fishing trip last week falling into a hole covered by blowing snow.

[grouse_hunter]

If it's a lake that I know, then one maybe two holes for myself. If it's a new area I find a spot that I like and drill a grid. Usually I go three holes wide and four or five holes long with ten feet in-between the holes.
Tomorrow morning it'll be one hole only at lake X

[degasvegas]

Originally Posted by waterninja

Our philosophies differ here. I pick a spot and wait for them. I'll admit, I get arguments.

Actually that's always how I've fished. Moving maybe once in between. This year I'm just trying something a little different, seeing what its like if I'm way more mobile. We'll see if the fish count actually goes up, or if I just get really tired lol.

[Dewey Cox]

Ideally, I'd show up to a hole that hadn't frozen over from the day before and fish it!
I always figure the more time I spend moving around, the less time my hook is in the water.
Far more relaxing to stay in one spot. And that's why I'm there.

[the local angler]

thats true in some cases but for me is if i fish a spot and there's no bites i wonder if i move and hit the mother load then it would make my day. but if the second location is also a dud then call it the work out at the gym. lol

[bobalong]

I rarely ice fish a lake that I have not fished in the summer, so have numerous waypoints to try. I have had a GPS since 1997 and fished quite a few lakes in that time so dont spend a lot of time looking anymore. May not work for all species but for walleye it works pretty well, especially for mid lake structure.

[Rumtan]

You my friend may have a problem. I suggest Hole-drillers-anonymous. it starts off as a small 6" hand auger but soon grows to be an insurmountable compulsion to acquire a 10" turbo diesel Binford 9000. Best of luck

[58thecat]

I went with a fella who is a hard water specialist. He drills from shore out say ten holes, drill a bunch midway and at the top of initial holes so it kinda looks like an umbrella like pattern midway and at the top if viewed from the sky.
That is one set so 30 holes...he is a madman but wow he catches fish.
Oh yeah he also has great equipment so no farting around.
I just get in the way

[Bigwoodsman]

I use a hand auger, so I only drill 2 - 3 holes for myself. If I have company it's another 2 - 3 per person.

I like to set up the tent as a command post with table heater chairs, cards, munchies etc., with a tip out set up either deeper or shallower depending on what depth I have below the tent. I usually move the tip up and stay put in the tent.

BW

[AK47]

It depends on what I am targeting, how thick is the ice ( I have only hand held auger so that limits moving if ice is 2ft or above lol), how cold it is and how well I know the place. If I know the lake well I do not move too much, if it is some new place I will move as much as I can or until I find a good spot with decent action.

[neilsledder]

For me I don't like to move around much. I move once or twice a trip out. With 2 holes a person. But since I bought my new Z71 ice auger I tend to drill more holes lol


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[Doodle30]

Two Holes in the first spot and move maybe once has been my typical day out but I haven't been to a knew spot in years. If I think about it I could have been very mobile. Bare minimum for gear to pack up and a power auger.

I just picked up a Shelter and a Big Buddy. With the extra gear I might not want to move at all.