What about the outside lines. When it's really cold, we have to scoop out the hole every 3 to 5 minutes or the hole freezes and the fish can steal your minnow without you even knowing. I've seen styrofoam covers with a slit for the line designed to prevent the hole from freezing. I don't know how well they work - they look akward to use. Anyone else have any tricks you use?

Tony.
Your looking for a miracle remedy now. I guess those round tip-ups (forgot the name) do the job pretty good. They use to pour some anti-freeze in the holes year ago. I wouldn't try that in this day and age. Otherwise, I'm stumped.

Although I've never tried it......I've heard you can keep your outside lines open by drilling a shallow hole next to you fishing hole. In the shallow hole you drop in a coffee can with white hot charcoal. The heat from the coffee can will keep your fishin hole open. Also try piling up some of the slush on the upwind side of the hole as a small windbreak.

The round ones are nice but when they do freeze in their a pain. I leave tip-ups outside and check on them with a spotlight. When the flag goes up, keep quiet and make a break for the door. I chisel around the hole first then set the hook. I have found the cheap ones work well for this. There is nothing I have found to keep the holes open when its super cold. Dont fight mother nature work with it. Chip'em and rip'em

A coffee can boiler works the best. A coil of copper tubing inside the coffee can with the ends of the copper tubing extending into the hole. The end coming from the top of the coil should be about 1" under water and the end from the bottom of the coil about 12" under water. Fill (charge) the tubing with water, set the can next to the hole with the ends of the tubing in the hole, and put a couple of pieces of charcoal in the can. Matchlight is easier to use than the old fashion kind. A piece of green elm or white oak under the can will prevent it from sinking into the ice.The natural siphon created with the hot water rising in the tubing will draw cold water into the coil from the lower end of the tubing and return heated water to the hole. I learned this one from some old timers when I was a kid. Now I'm the old timer.

I use the round insulated tipups. The work fine for me. I have found the key to keeping them freezing in the hole is to be careful when you set it on the hole, dont let the slush get on top of it. I have yet to have trouble.

The charcoal really works but you need to fill the can about half full of sand so it will float upright. Also be careful that you don't melt your line! This setup works the best if you drill a second hole with the very edge adjoining the first hole so the water can move to the first hole. Works best if you keep the wind directly behind you.

Hey BD, what is the easiest way to charge the copper coil? Sounds difficult to do.

Catch more fish through the hole, j/k. Try cutting a piece of scrap carpet with a slit in it to slip around the tip up. Usually the pieces will fit into the bottom of a 5 gallon bucket and still cover the hole fine.

I usually pour about a half quart of antifreeze into the hole. Stays open all day.

keep it natural pee in the hole..

Detroit, If I see you dumping that down the hole in Mn, I'll put you in the hole. get real.

Hay: the fish are peeing in the lake all the time

The easiest way is to use a plastic bottle with a spout style cap. Turn the boiler upside down and fill it from the end of the tubing which returns water to the top of the hole. It's just like putting oil in the lower unit of an outboard. When the water starts coming out the other end of the tubing cap the ends of the tubing with your fingers, turn the boiler over and set it up with the ends of the tubing in the hole. Only a few pieces of charcoal are needed in the coffee can. You will need to experiment due to differences in the size of the can used, the tubing etc.