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Man Overboard!! - Lundman - 02-27-2007
On Sunday took the son-in-law to Deer Creek ice fishing. I should have checked my horoscope before heading out. We arrived and only two other group of fisherman in sight – it was snowing lightly and no wind – we headed out on the ice and went out a few hundred yards to try our luck.
1st thing that wasn’t good was the battery on my depth finder was dead. Then next I noticed I had forgot to bring my ice fishing box with all the ice flies & jigs. No worries because I had the rods rigged and you can fish without a depth finder.
The wife had gotten me a gas ice auger for Christmas and I had it out a few times without any problems so I started up auger engine. I was ready to drill some holes but as I gunned the motor I noticed the auger bit wasn't turning – looking to see what the problem was – I notice the bolt that held the auger bit to the engine shaft was missing. Hmmmm..
So I look around to see what I can use for a temporary bolt and I see one of those wire fishing rod holders. So I cut-off a piece of wire with my leatherman and drilled 3 holes. We fish for 30 mins without a nibble. So we decided to move closer to shore.
We moved to about 100 yds of the shore line and drilled 2 holes and on third hole as the auger bit broke through the ice the wire came out and the auger bit headed to the bottom -- my last chance grab was to no avail. A few words were said that can't be repeated. Well I said we might as well see if we can catch a fish and see what we can figure out how to retrieve the auger....
First I through about going and getting soon large jigs & treble hooks and try to snag it. But the more I thought about that option - there really wasn't any real way to snag the auger bit.
Second I through about an Aqua View Camera but didn't know anyone that had one and wasn't going to buy one for this mishap.
I did have my GPS along and I set a waypoint marked “Man Overboard” so if I did have to come back in the boat after ice-off and try to retrieve it I would know where it was…
Then I thought about using a magnet to retrieve the auger bit. I thought that would work if we could lower it down and make contact. Oh by the way we were in 60 feet of water.
So off we headed to Heber to Checkers - they didn't have anything except a nut & bolt mechanics magnet but suggested the Home Depot in Park City. So off we headed to Park City. The home depot had a rake type one for $14 and a 75 foot piece of cord for $3.
We headed back to Deer Creek and out onto the ice. Tied up the magnet to the cord and lowered it down. You could tell that it was making contact but not enough to pick it up off the bottom. At 60 feet deep it was a new experience trying to even feel what was going on.
So the auger bit was straight down from the hole but we needed a bigger magnet. Now the snow starts blowing pretty hard and really coming down. We load up and head back to Salt lake defeated.
As we were driving back my son-in-law says that speakers have a big magnet on them. I remembered that I had some very old Kenwood 777 with 12 inch woofers in the garage. We arrive and get the speaker and remove the woofer. The magent is about 6 inches square and 2" thick and would fit down the hole.
My son-in-law and family had to head back to St George and I had to tell the wife the whole story and get a BIG ear full.... to make a long bitching session short .... two hours later the wife & I are heading back the Deer Creek with the magnet and 4 inches of new snow covering the lake.
Naturally the wife asks all those head scratching questions....
Why did you need to go out so far on the ice to fish?
How do you know you won't fall through?
And my favorite....
You know you wouldn't be able to save me if we fall in!!!
My response was - Yes I know - that's why I brought you!!
Anyway, we get to the hole and unwind the cord and I lower the magnet into the black hole -- by the way the magnet probably weighs about 10 pounds. The wife is running the rope to keep it straight and out of the way.
As the magnet hits the bottom and I try my new jigging technique - you could feel it make contact and you could slowly raise the auger bit up about 1 to 2 feet and it would fall back to the bottom. Like the magnet was sticking onto the auger edge but not on the flat part of the screw. So after about 15 to 20 tries I get a pretty good contact and I begin to lift the auger bit up very very slowly... The 60 feet pull seems to take forever. The rope is freezing cold and dripping with ice water. I am on my knees and all wet.
Finally the auger bit comes into sight and I slowly raise it up to within two feet of the hole - I realize I have to grab the auger bit under 12" of ice and it is only going to come out one way -- the way it went in. I have to trade hands with the rope to grab it and as my luck was going --- you guessed it -- the auger bit comes loose and falls back into the black.....[unsure]
I had to take a rest break, get recomposed, and hope for a repeat. Meanwhile the wife is saying "you almost had it" -- "you could see it" -- "you know you have to reach down and grab it" and I am nodding and shaking my head....
So after a couple minute break -- back down the wet rope the 10 pound magnet goes... and sure enough the magnet make contact but the auger bit but it won't pick up -- like it's hung on a rock or something...
After at least 30 to 40 tries I finally make contact and begin the slow retrieve. After 50 or so one foot lifts on the cord it comes into sight again -- Big & RED --oohhhhhh
[size 3][font "Times New Roman"]I make the grab and get hold of it this time - with my elbow under the ice - not a warm experience. I slowly work my hand around the auger bit to the top and very very slowly move the end of the auger bit to the ice opening. I grab it with my other hand and un-screw it out the hole. Success!!!! [/font][/size]
[font "Times New Roman"][size 3]The wife tells me what a luck shit I am and I am a Happy Camper !!! [/size][/font]
[size 3][font "Times New Roman"]The Ice Fishing Gods have taught me a good lesson today….. [/font][/size]
[font "Times New Roman"][size 3]I was thinking about not saying a word about the whole adventure but that’s no fun.[/size][/font]
[font "Times New Roman"][size 3]By the way I’ll be ice fishing next weekend with a large piece of duct tape holding that auger bolt in place!!![/size][/font]
[font "Times New Roman"][size 3]Please use my learning experience to check your auger and expand your bag of tricks!![/size][/font]
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Re: [Lundman] Man Overboard!! - BEARCLAW - 02-27-2007
That was a good story. Bad start but great ending[
].. Glad you got it back.[signature]
Re: [BEARCLAW] Man Overboard!! - fairwayphilly - 02-27-2007
Spark plug, plug wrench, extra bolt and allen wrench are always in my ice gear. Those are the only tools I bring, but I always bring them. On the other hand I have about a half dozen digging bars donated to the bottom of various lakes from my days before I had a hand auger.
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Re: [Lundman] Man Overboard!! - RILEYFISH - 02-27-2007
[
] Dude, Glad things worked out for you. To bad that your day went that way but it worked out. Good on ya[signature]
Re: [Lundman] Man Overboard!! - Saberfish - 02-28-2007
Lundman,
Great story, I applaud you on your creativity, labor and luck.
I shudder to think of what your wife would have suffered if you hadn't recovered the auger.
It's not polite to laugh at anothers misfortune, but frankly, I LMAO.
Very funny
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Re: [Lundman] Man Overboard!! - bwhitty - 02-28-2007
thanks for sharing that!!! i think i would have given up. way to go
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Re: [Lundman] Man Overboard!! - fsh4fun05 - 02-28-2007
At first I was wondering if we were related, but than you recovered the auger. Good on ya bro.
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Re: [Lundman] Man Overboard!! - Kent - 02-28-2007
Craig, funny story and glad it had a happy ending. You never did say whether or not you caught any fish in that last hole?[
] BTW -- Harbor Freight stocks some heavy-duty magnets.
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Re: [Lundman] Man Overboard!! - Out4aFloat - 02-28-2007
And I get upset when my pliers go down the hole. Glad you got it back. You have more patience then me.
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Re: [Out4aFloat] Man Overboard!! - Kent - 03-01-2007
Last time I went ice fishing I dropped a tool I have to hold cans of food while I am heating them on my little stove. It landed a few inches from my ice hole, and I was amazed that it didn't land in the hole. I reached down to pick it up with my gloved hand and promptly knocked it down the ice hole
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Re: [Lundman] Man Overboard!! - BearLakeMack - 03-01-2007
[font "Comic Sans MS"][black][size 3]Great story. I have had the bolt, you lost, come loose and noticed it before it came out. To keep it from coming loose, I applied locktite to the threads and haven't had a problem since. Also I carry a couple extra bolts and the allen wrench that fits in a lure box in my ice sled.[/size][/black][/font]
[font "Comic Sans MS"][black][size 3][/size][/black][/font]
[font "Comic Sans MS"][black][size 3]I've also seen the bolts on auger blades come loose and saw a guy loose a blade on his auger. A little locktite goes a long way![/size][/black][/font]
[font "Comic Sans MS"][black][size 3][/size][/black][/font]
[font "Comic Sans MS"][black][size 3]Guess I better get a big magnet and piece of rope to add to the other 100 lbs of stuff I bring...[/size][/black][/font]
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Re: [Lundman] Man Overboard!! - macscabin - 03-13-2007
I have had days like that. As I read I kept thinking I should finally get that magnet that they sell at Harbor Freight. Next trip I will.
I lost a two-way radio at Pikemans perchathon but I couldnt think of a way to get to it. A magnet wouldnt work.
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