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Has anybody tried trolling while ice fishing?

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Aug 22, 2013
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Location
Red Lake, Ontario
We've been talking about it for a couple of years now and I think we are going to attempt it this Saturday.

The idea is to cut a long channel in the ice, then hook the fishing rod to the ski-doo and troll.

I'm not sure we'll catch anything like this but it sure will be fun.

My concern is creating an unstable ice surface. We have 24 inches on the main lake and 36-48 on the road and my guess is there will be enough ice so we won't end up creating a big chunk breaking free. Has anybody tried this or heard any stories like this? Interested to hear some anecdotal evidence.
 
Yur Drunk, LOL! That's the kind of crazy stuff cabin fevered northerns hatch when the booze is flowing! Even with a chainsaw, it's gonna take you a lot of messy wet freezing work to cut a channel long enough to troll. How's the slush up your way this year? It's terrible on the lakes around here, you'd need bout a four foot blade to get through the slush first then the ice.

The ice will hold, no worries about that. If you do this, you have to videotape the entire process and post it on youtube, you will be a king of Northern Ontario! Gonna be a lot of work for an hour or two of trolling before the "hole" freezes up again, but the video of you "trolling" will be worth it.
 
We have lots of ice fishing and ice fishermen and snowmobiles on our lake. I think if any one did this they could create a major accident hazard for the unwary. Its not a little six inch hole you can ride around or over

Should you try it here, don't be surprised if you are looking at the face of a Warden. Particularly if you do not mark ALL of it.
 
Well, it would only need to be maybe a foot wide, max, even a massive pike is less wide than that. So, two guys with chainsaws, start at opposing ends to cut down on drenching each other, it is going to warm up this weekend so it would stay open longer And it would be good for casting practice too! Just do it!
 
Mr. Geraldton, you are welcome to come and participate, but the 10 hour drive would bit just a bit too much, just a bit.

Haven't been out on the sleds much, -35 is not the nicest temps to be riding, so not sure about slush. Going to bring a shovel and shovel the trough first then cut. If it doesn't work, it doesn't work and it may or may not be an idea hatched over a beer or two.

Already got the camera on the charger.

Not too worried about the warden, as far as I know there are no laws about cutting the ice. Going to use mineral oil instead of chain oil. IF they do come they will marvel at my Northern Red-Neck ingenuity, or not.

Brrp, going for another beer and think this through some more.
 
Put that beer down, and don't over think it. You could cut a wider trench/hole, and water ski it. You'll scare all the fish away, but you'll attract a crowd. (Wear some sun block).
What I'm suggesting makes no sense whatsoever, but I'm looking forward to your trip report. Stay safe.
 
Wonder if they ever tried this on the Red/Green show?

Our fishing regulations wouldn't allow it. I think it's an 8" round hole - max.

But the old gandy-dancer way to do it would be to drill holes at each end, pour a long trail of your favorite liquid fuel between the two (no - not the beer) and set it on fire. A fuel-soaked rope would be even better. Let the melt water drain into the holes, and repeat as necessary. Don't bother to consult the EPA or other authorities (that is also the gandy way).
 
Well, Red I think you're on to something! Don't believe I'd cut a trench though. Cut the two holes however far apart you want them and run a messenger line between them. There is the little problem of getting the line over there to the far hole: make a small, waterproof, radio controlled tractor, that floats and use it to run over to the other hole. I'm thinking two caterpillar tractor treads with a box in between. Probably put a light on it so you can see where it is. The thing will really need to float because that's where it will get it's traction.
Once you've got the messenger line over then rig up your trolling line. Believe I'd make up some sort of pulleys on a small beam to cycle the fishing line over. Combine that with a cover to help keep the hole from freezing over. Don't know how you can keep folks from tripping over/into your return line.

Now, you might have started out kidding but I'm getting all excited trying to think out how it could work.

About the traction: if the ice didn't lay right on top of the water then it could still work if you cupped the treads on the one side to act as kinda paddles, a whole line of small paddles.

Best Wishes,

Rob
 
Oh help!! I'm outta control!
Rather than making a tractor thing, with all that complication, just make a little boat that barely floats. Put an eyelet in the end of it to drag the line and have a radio controlled motor pod that swivels on command. (think how the motors hang down from a zeppelin, only controlled to swivel.)
Probably put on a light for location.
Rob
 
The natives have a way of getting a rope from one hole to another in order to set fishing nets in the winter. A quick search of the inter webs found me this...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WzfqgS6i1Dc

But I really want to try dragging the rod from the snowmobile, not as an effective mode of fishing, but simply to be a goof ball red neck.

It should be t-shirt weather here Saturday(-7C) so conditions are favourable to be a fool. Lake we are fishing is pretty remote so I am not concerned about folks falling in, but it will get marked with branches.
 
Just to update those who care, I tried today the ice was too thick. Had the 18" bar buried to the hilt and still couldn't get water. I guess a month of -30's with minimal snow coverage will do that. We'll try again another time.

We did catch some fish through regular holes though
 
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