Ice Breakers

[Dave]

We're getting to that time of year again - what do you use to break the ice?

 

[Whisker]

I’ve got a small dumb bell bought from Aldi with a length of chain looped through and tied to a rope. Not used it for a couple of years but might need it tomorrow...

 

[chefster]

I have a length of chain , with a U bolt, can change head sizes from sledgehammer to lump hammer , that is attached to 20 m of rope, I’ve had it 20 odd years, my dad made that for me when he was alive...I can throw the lump hammer across to the far side at Tunnel, upto 16m .

 

[ATTICUS FINCH]

Someone else's,as I lost mine when the chain snapped. It was a great bit of kit, ten feet of chain , which obviously wasn't a big enough gauge, which was attached to a clutch from my old SD 1Rover. It would go through quite thick ice and the chain would saw thru the ice .
And yes there was a rope bon the other end of the chain.

 

[ukzero1]

Just got back from the lakes and there's 2 of the regulars fishing. They both have a big hammer head tied to a length of rope to break the ice.

 

[Jonathan Sutcliffe-Bland]

"I’m not a photographer, but I can picture me and you together."

 

[Wise Owl]

I think Gemma Collins would get through the thickest of ice ok

 

[Arch]

A 14lb lump of steel with a length of chain on it, tied to a long length of thick rope. I can only get it 10yds it's that heavy. Not used it for years and I've had it bounce on the Bridgewater canal once the ice was that thick.

The best one I've ever seen was a house brick with thin blue rope tied into one of the holes. It broke on the first throw. LOL. He then asked if he could borrow mine. "Yes I said, as long as you carry it back to the car"

 

[Wise Owl]

I remember watching @Hatman chris at lindholme you couldn’t have done it neater with a chain saw. My peg was ice free and I thought I’d have a better chance seen as I hadn’t disturbed the water, Hatman Won the match if I remember I was a pound off my section.

 

[chefster]

I remember watching @Hatman chris at lindholme you couldn’t have done it neater with a chain saw. My peg was ice free and I thought I’d have a better chance seen as I hadn’t disturbed the water, Hatman Won the match if I remember I was a pound off my section.

At Tunnel on the winter league,all the MAP team used to get Aiden Mansfield to do their ice breaking, he might only be 5ft tall, but his arms are massive he can throw ice breakers 20m plus , and doesn’t break a sweat

 

[templegater]

Need em today here theres a lid on the lake

 

[Silverfisher]

I don’t go fishing in the ice solves that problem! Well I have done it a couple times but was already some holes opened up.

Benefit of living in the south is you don’t get frozen fisheries very often at least not proper lids.

 

[SpenBeck]

I have a floating ice breaker. It won't break thick ice, but it's just fine on ice up to 5 - 6mm. Basically it's a 2' long by 2" x 2" piece of wood with some iron angle brackets screwed on. It smashes through the ice up to 20 meters out and clears a path through without disturbing the bottom. I've seen anglers using 'car break discs' and when they drag it in the water colours up and they never have a bite!
Trouble is when fishing a match, the guys on the next pegs want to borrow it. What happens if they beat me?????

 

[stephenk]

...do you come here often ?

 

[Jonathan Sutcliffe-Bland]

About 10 years ago I made an icebreaker out of an heavy curtain weight and a rope. Michelle dropped me off at the cut on the way to the boxing day sales. Weather wise it was dry but cold at -6c. I started to break the ice, sort of. I managed a 6"x6" hole and the rope snapped. Being stuck for the next 4 hours until Michelle returned I set my pole up. Dangling my worm hook bait through the hole. Managing a gudgeon before an American tourist visiting the world famous five rise locks walks past tapping me on the back. "That's dedication son, dedication" before carrying on with his day...

 

[mickthechippy]

cat ice, its a 7lb block hammer head with a length of 1/2 inch link chain fitted to 8mm poly gas rope

the biggest tip I can offer when breaking ice is wear a good pair of gloves, because it will rip your hands to pieces without you noticing

 

[Neil ofthe nene]

Milk bottle if not too thick. Leave some air in so it floats and that way it breaks all the ice when pulled back towards you.

Thick ice and its any lump of iron.

 

[tipitinmick]

I remember watching @Hatman chris at lindholme you couldn’t have done it neater with a chain saw. My peg was ice free and I thought I’d have a better chance seen as I hadn’t disturbed the water, Hatman Won the match if I remember I was a pound off my section.

We fished a match on strip at Lindholme and Neil broke every peg out with his 360. That was a sight. And believe it or not all 18 anglers caught. Good on you Neil.

 

[Bulldog]

We're getting to that time of year again - what do you use to break the ice?

Ello Luv..............Get your coat you've pulled

 

[tipitinmick]

I have an old motorcycle tyre on a piece of that blue nylon rope. You may think it’s not heavy enough but, surprisingly it’s never let me down. When you drag the tyre back the ice collects on the inside and you basically clean the ice out at the same time.

Just had my two dogs on our local canal ( New Junction ) and that’s iced over now. Roll on summer.