Thread: When is it enough?

I still have my box. Still use it when there isnt snow on the ice. I have lost my fair share of homemade spuds too.

Originally Posted by wicklundrh

I still have my box. Still use it when there isnt snow on the ice. I have lost my fair share of homemade spuds too.

Only bad thing about them was, they tipped over easy. Should have made them wider. Don't know how many mantels I broke in the Coleman because of it. Carried the lantern a lot till I hit the ice. lol

Originally Posted by wicklundrh

I still have my box. Still use it when there isnt snow on the ice. I have lost my fair share of homemade spuds too.

I welded a short 8" cross bar on my homemade ice spud to keep it from going through the ice should my kids (or me) drop it. I've graduated to a hand auger.

There were many times that I "thought" of building my box bigger for that exact reason. I actually had a handle on mine so that I could carry it. Of course, in the summer, no one wants to work on building a new ice fishing box. It was a great idea and had great uses. In the end, it gave way to the plastic sled.

Mike, The 8" bar is a great idea however, I am reminded of a time that I lost a spud where the bar would not have helped. My best friend (and resident Idiot) was spudding a whole on Lake Cadillac. The ice was about 5 inches thick and I beleive we were spudding a spearing hole in about 6 feet of water. At any rate, he was in a hurry and decided to jump on the nearly 3 foot square he was spudding. As you can imagine, it gave way to his 250lbs frame and he went in to his arm pits. Of course, he wasn't in any danger of drownding as it was shallow and he is over 6 feet tall. In one hand was my spud, in the other was a cigarette. I watched as he put the cigarette in his mouth to free up one hand, and then drop the spud in the water to free up his other hand so that he could lift himself out.

The nearly 200 yard walk across the lake to the car seemed punishment enough at the time. It was my favorite spud

Wicklundrh wrote <In one hand was my spud, in the other was a cigarette. I watched as he put the cigarette in his mouth to free up one hand, and then drop the spud in the water to free up his other hand so that he could lift himself out.> Wow that must have been on great tasting cigarette. I quit back in the 60's when they went from 18 cents to 35 cents a pack. (USAF Commissary) I can't imagine saving that smoke.

I never had a problem with my box tipping over. My fat butt must have held it down LOL As for losing a spud, I never lost one. I had a rope tied on mine with a loop on the end that went around my wrist.