3/19/15

[slabslayer]

Think it's the end of the road for me. Hit it 1 last time with snowcone and rumi today. Ice was OK heading out this morning on the north end boat ramp. As the day went on it got worse. Holehopper went in yesterday near shore there. C-6 was sloppy garbage and edges were going super fast. Ice was considerably more rotted and thinner than Tuesday. If we get the rain overnight, I think that'll kill it. I might check 1 more time in the morning, but am 95% sure I'm done for the season. I'll post pics later. It's getting too sketchy even for me to go back out there this season. I'll post soft water reports as I get out.

[snowcone]

yeah slab edges were getting really wet when rumi and I left. didn't get much after you left so it was just a nice day fishing with friends. i'm about sure i'm done  when I have to leap across water . rumi nice meeting you and catching all those monsters   heheheh  .....slab tight lines buddy, now its the agonizing time between soft and hard water. but when the boats come out we can do this again.....I will post soft water also as it goes.....

[Rumi]

Thanks Rik, it was nice meeting you too.
Yes, a good day on the ice, and while the fish's cooperation was sub-par, we all went home having caught fish.
Congratulations again on your very nice largemouth bass! Bringing that through the hole was a nice victory!

It was nice meeting you as well Joel. I hope your afternoon appointment went well.

I accomplished quite alot today.

I made two new friends, and found that my pick of a cordless drill and auger setup works fantastic. Its going to save my shoulders, that's for sure.
Combo is a Strikemaster 7" Lazer mated with a Milwaukee 18v, dual speed drill that punched a couple dozen holes with ease on 1/2 juice of one battery.

[slabslayer]

Thanks guys!  Had a blast today. Looking forward to doing it again. 

[Hawaiian Ice]

Rumi, what kind of adapter did you get for the drill and auger?

[Rumi]

Hawaiian Ice, it is a well designed home-made piece that a good friend made for me from parts found for the most part at the hardware.

Parts List

1 - coupling nut: 1/2" x1/2" (2 drilled holes 3/32" for two spring pins)

1 - hex nut: 1/2"

1 - hex bolt: 1/2" x 8" with 1 5/8" of threading (cut hex head and excess length off)

1 - 11/16" x 6 3/4" threaded steel rod on one end to 1/2" threads 5/8" in length

(drilled hole 1/4" through rod for Lazer T-bolt to fit through, allowing as much length

as will fit into the Lazer)

2 - fender washers: 1/2"

2 - spring pins: 3/32" x 11/16"

1 - "safety disc" of needed diameter

(notice the drilled holes in the hex bolt and coupling nut to place the spring pins in to lock pieces together; Loctite might also work well in place of pinning- all rotations tighten up when drilling ice)

Pan left & right to view expanded views of photos. (bolt and rod are not bent like they look in 1st photo)  

[Rumi]

Here it is assembled minus the "safety disc", then completely assembled.

The disc is 10" in diameter and 1/8" thick steel plate.
I'm about to modify it by turning it into an X from a 1" center going out to a 1" wide outer ring.

[fishingful]

Nice guys. I drive by tonight and that ice looks shot. My ice stuff is already put away and working on geting the boat together. Till next season.

[Rumi]

Hi Jim, thanks for the report. Figured its shot after how C-1 looked as we got off the lake.

I'm just going through mine now getting it packed up. 

[slabslayer]

Same here. I'm finishing up packing mine this morning. Sad day, but soon will be open water fishing!

[snowcone]

here here on open water  same here packed up this morning.