Ice Fishing Hole Size

[thenaturalwoodsman]

Seems like the ice fishing hole sizes are very large so far this year, did the regs change for size on this I cant find anything on it? I always thought 10" was max for sport fishing? Lots of square holes out there from chainsaws!

[ghostguy6]

Never seen a maximum size listed in the regs, however you have to insure that no one can fall through the hole according to the criminal code or you could be held liable.

[nast70]

Could be from using a net?

[pinelakeperch]

Originally Posted by nast70

Could be from using a net?

Normally the large holes are used for sight fishing. Aaron Wiebe has popularized the method from his YouTube videos. Fun way to fish, but it leaves a mess.

[HuyFishin]

Haven’t heard of a max size ice fishing hole in Alberta before


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[Talking moose]

There is no size limit on holes. Lots of people open large holes for sight fishing. Hopefully they mark off these holes so nobody falls into one. Least of all a child.
People that go through that much effort to sight fish are almost always hardcore fishers. They will mark it with flagging tape or tree branches.

[AlbertanGP]

Yup, Aaron Wiebe. They don't call them social media influencers for nothing.

I've seen a few of these holes already this year. All have been marked with branches laid over or around them that would be lost if it snowed 6" overnight. Hopefully the cold weather will put them out of business around here soon. It's supposed to be hard to cut with a Nils saw beyond 10" or so, and pushing the floating piece under the rest of the ice gets progressively harder too as it becomes thicker.

[thenaturalwoodsman]

Thanks for the info fellas, to be honest I haven't ice fished for several years but we have been getting after it this year because the boys have no hockey so we have a lot of spare time and we been noticing these large holes, And I had always believed there was a size limit.

[Duramaximos]

They should be illegal!

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[35 whelen]

Originally Posted by AlbertanGP

Yup, Aaron Wiebe. They don't call them social media influencers for nothing.



I've seen a few of these holes already this year. All have been marked with branches laid over or around them that would be lost if it snowed 6" overnight. Hopefully the cold weather will put them out of business around here soon. It's supposed to be hard to cut with a Nils saw beyond 10" or so, and pushing the floating piece under the rest of the ice gets progressively harder too as it becomes thicker.

I just watched the video where Aaron used his auger and his saw and cut out about a 40 inch piece thick.

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[Skoaltender]

If you’re cutting massive holes in the ice for good sakes mark it off when you are done.
Two or three years ago at gull someone’s kid no older than 10 fell in one and broke his leg while playing. Luckily he didn’t go in.

[AlbertanGP]

Originally Posted by Duramaximos

They should be illegal!

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I think they are technically. But it seems someone has to get hurt before it becomes an issue. I've wondered recently if F&W came out on the ice and saw you fishing out of one, what their response would be. I'm going to ask them when I see them if I remember. I don't have an issue with it if people take the time to mark it properly when they are done. The problem is no one seems to be doing that currently.

[Hunter4ever12]

10” hole can do the same damage to a leg or ankle,I don’t see the problem with sight fishing but it most definitely needs to be marked off properly and if it isn’t then F&W or whoever can be notified.

[AlbertanGP]

Originally Posted by 35 whelen

I just watched the video where Aaron used his auger and his saw and cut out about a 40 inch piece thick.

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I'm not sure how you'd cut 40" of ice with a 41-42" saw blade. But knowing Aaron, he'd find a way to make it happen.

[raw outdoors]

Best way is to remove the ice out of the cut section in manageable pieces/ save them and when your done slide them back in like a puzzle and mark it with willows. This way it freezes much faster then leaving the entire hole open.

[Sundancefisher]

In the day someone was making square holes with a chainsaw at Lac Ste Anne.

I worked half a day helping to get a truck out of the holes who hit them just wrong.

Any hole bigger than 8 inch is a waste unless shallow a d sight fishing so a 10 is better.

Otherwise 6 inch works 90% of the time. An 8 inch 99% of the time. Once I caught a massive pike. Needed two more holes drilled tight to get it out. Released it and then stuck sticks in the mound by the hole.

Fun day.

[58thecat]

Originally Posted by raw outdoors

Best way is to remove the ice out of the cut section in manageable pieces/ save them and when your done slide them back in like a puzzle and mark it with willows. This way it freezes much faster then leaving the entire hole open.

Yup went fishing with a crazy Newfie...chainsaw everything big...blocks of ice pulled out...fish then put them back and mark them...I like my style now...strikemaster auger....so simple.

[Reeves1]

Hole gets much larger in the summer.....

[35 whelen]

Originally Posted by AlbertanGP

I'm not sure how you'd cut 40" of ice with a 41-42" saw blade. But knowing Aaron, he'd find a way to make it happen.

Drilled out top half with auger then saw ,

[AlbertanGP]

Ahhhh. I haven't seen that video. I watch most of those guys' videos but haven't subbed to any of them...TELUS won't let me sign in to YouTube...so I'm sure I still miss lots

And yeah, like I said, leave it to Aaron to figure out a way to make it happen. He comes up with some interesting ideas for sure.

[35 whelen]

Yeah it was a pretty big hole one a sled would easily fall through

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[scesfiremedic]

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saska...tion-1.3402498

[Dom4]

I think people need to be careful about these large holes however I do agree that if you are going through all of this trouble to sight fish you will more then likely mark that hole. However that is an assumption and I would hope that would happen. The part that I do not understand is I have not ever wanted more than an 8 inch hole for sight fishing but if that is what makes someone have more fun and they do it safely that is what really counts.

[fish99]

years ago a guy would cut a 6 foot by foot and 1/2 in his hut to bow fish. just out from the marina . no problem unless he moved his hut.

[Jack'n]

Originally Posted by Dom4

I think people need to be careful about these large holes however I do agree that if you are going through all of this trouble to sight fish you will more then likely mark that hole. However that is an assumption and I would hope that would happen. The part that I do not understand is I have not ever wanted more than an 8 inch hole for sight fishing but if that is what makes someone have more fun and they do it safely that is what really counts.

x2

[58thecat]

Ice holes made to put nets in pizz me off too...the netters move locations and yup 4'x4' hole x2 left open and unmarked....a little bit of freeze and a skiff of insulating snow could spell disaster....

Last year I called them in but I think this year I will call them in and go to shore to get a few branches/limbs to mark them too....guess we gotta do the thinking for those types too along with the garbage pick up should be a busy ice fishing season....wish we had a crap load of F&W officers patrolling...one day of ticketed infractions would pay their salaries for a year just they are too few over a relatively large area for the most part....

[swifthunter]

Sight fishing is a blast for trout or other fish in 6' or less. I drill 4 holes together so you can get a good view down there. If i was deeper I wouldnt need as big of a hole but I just make sure that I mark it well when im done and the holes usually freeze up fast as long as it doesnt snow or stay above 0. The last thing we need is more laws telling us what we cant do because of a few dumb dumbs

[does it ALL outdoors]

Originally Posted by Dom4

I think people need to be careful about these large holes however I do agree that if you are going through all of this trouble to sight fish you will more then likely mark that hole. However that is an assumption and I would hope that would happen. The part that I do not understand is I have not ever wanted more than an 8 inch hole for sight fishing but if that is what makes someone have more fun and they do it safely that is what really counts.

X3.

My 10" hole works great for sight fishing, any more would just be a waste, for me anyways.

Cutting a huge block out like that sounds like a LOT of work.

[HowSwedeItIs]

10” auger let’s you put the transducer down the same hole you’re fishing in

[Lambo]

10” hole should be max. Anything big enough for a person or truck tire to drop into is dangerous. Fishing Geeks had a YouTube video where they cut a 36”x36” hole, when they were done, they covered it with bush. I commented that I thought they were negligent and unsubscribed from their channel.