Ice Fishing with a chain saw?

[mopar4u]

How hard is cutting ice/snow on a chain or the saw itself? How big of a saw would be needed to cut through a foot of ice? I have a stihl MS310 and a Husqvarna 55

Just curious, I see it on tv quite a bit lately and being from Wisconsin and not owning an ice auger, this seems intriguing.....

 

[bcorradi]

Not hard at all, either saw will work fine. Just make sure to dry the saw out after your done.

 

[indiansprings]

We cut ice all the time in the winter on frozen ponds so the livestock can have a whole to drink out of, we just use one of our worn down chains that has a sharpening or two left in it and cut away. We use run our bars in water the springtime cleaning debris out of our creek and will just dry them down and blow them off after using them in the water. Just remember your going to get wet when you do it so wear waterproof clothing or take dry clothes to change into in the winter.

 

[john59]

I had a bad experience doing this!

Quite a few years ago I used my 056 to cut a rather large square hole in the ice for ice fishing - must have cooled the oil pump too much. Seized the oil pump and had to replace damaged parts when I wanted to use the saw for wood cutting. Just a word of caution.

 

[Hedgerow]

Quite a few years ago I used my 056 to cut a rather large square hole in the ice for ice fishing - must have cooled the oil pump too much. Seized the oil pump and had to replace damaged parts when I wanted to use the saw for wood cutting. Just a word of caution.

We do it every winter to water cattle. Indian Springs is correct. Just use a crap chain. No matter how cold the oiler gets, "in theory" it shouldn't cause it to seize. Cut a hole... Go catch a perch... Eat it... Be joyful...

 

[Kenskip1]

Ice fishing.

I went ice fishing when I was living in NY.I had a great time fishing. I caught my limit! 35 pounds of ice! Ever try and fillet a block of ice? Ken!!!

 

[Hedgerow]

I went ice fishing when I was living in NY.I had a great time fishing. I caught my limit! 35 pounds of ice! Ever try and fillet a block of ice? Ken!!!

:hmm3grin2orange:That's what the 018's for... I kept cutting through the backbone with the Husky!!!:arg:

 

[barnumb]

You will need a saw with a 12" bar. Don't use an electric one. (water and electricity bad)

Any old saw will do it.

 

[Arrowhead]

Just make sure you don't hit any rockbass while cutting.... they will dull your chain.

 

[flyboy]

I posted some ice carving pics last winter. Ice seemed to cut much much easier than wood.

Careful about the fish though....I know the NH fish and game webpage says to NOT (nobody, male, non pregnant, or pregnant female) eat any bass over 12 inches because they have too much mercury from the mid-west power plants. People should only consume 1 bass per year that is under 12 inches (which is pitifully small for a bass). I personally will not eat ANY fresh water fish....ever. There are plenty of other cautions about other species as well. It is very disappointing considering how clear the water in NH is....you can see the bottom in 20 feet or more of depth.

 

[Hedgerow]

I posted some ice carving pics last winter. Ice seemed to cut much much easier than wood.

Careful about the fish though....I know the NH fish and game webpage says to NOT (nobody, male, non pregnant, or pregnant female) eat any bass over 12 inches because they have too much mercury from the mid-west power plants. People should only consume 1 bass per year that is under 12 inches (which is pitifully small for a bass). I personally will not eat ANY fresh water fish....ever. There are plenty of other cautions about other species as well. It is very disappointing considering how clear the water in NH is....you can see the bottom in 20 feet or more of depth.

I don't mind glowing at night... It helps me see where I'm going... And yes, those rock bass are a pain...

 

[eyolf]

I think the old gear drives are best for cutting ice, mostly just because the slower chaon speed flings less water around. Never use a saw to cut regular angling holes, but we enjoy spearing Northern Pike in a darkhouse here in MN through a hole 2 x 3 feet or so...a big job with an ice chisel, wet one with an auger, and child's play with a chainsaw.

Regarding fish and pollution, if I understand it right, the mercury tends to collect in the fatty tissue in older fish, that have gotten most of it by eating little fish. Solution: eat small fish. A mess of black crappies or perch is a better meal than a big black bass anyway.

Also, Mercury tends to be a more serious problem in lakes that don't change the water often...if you can fish a lake near the top of a watershed, especially one that depends on groundwater (springfed) for some of its make-up water, and one that has a fairly large outflow, there will be less mercury. Lakes that have some marshy or boggy shoreline tend to sequester a great deal less mercury in their fish too.

 

[rooster68]

ice cuts very easy,its once you start pulling up water when cutting is where power is needed, i believe your 310 is 59cc,i run a 036pro which is 62cc with a32" bar for ice , this is the longest it will pull powerwise,i run skip chains,cutters are filed back to 1/4 left, rakers are .050 low.,the teeth are filed at 35 degree angle, ive tryed the L shaped cutters for ice and they DO NOT work!hand filing a 105 drive link chain from L shaped to 35 degree round file was VERY time consuming. when im done cuttin ice i bring the saw in the fishouse hang it from rear handle to dry out using a small piece of rope. as far as getting wet,take your time when you first start cutting, pay attention to the water spray and stay out of it, i angle my saw down pretty good when cutting, keeps water from coming down on ya. i hope this helps you some.

 

[Rleonard]

IIRC you should run vegetable oil as a chain & bar lube instead of regular petroleum based bar oil.

Bob

 

[barnumb]

Our fire department uses a wild thing. They use one of our ponds for training in the winter. Bottom line.....It dont take much to cut ice as long as the bar reaches through it.

 

[sachsmo]

My old uncle Walter lived outside Petosky MI.

He used chainsaws for his Pike spearin' Shanty. He used to nail the heads on the back of the barn. Talk about a scaring a little kid!

When i lived in Oshkosh, the Sturgeon spearers' would use chainsaws to open up a nice hole, then sink a decoy and sit in the dark til one came cruizin by that was bigger than the decoy.

Smoked Stugeon is the bomb!

 

[Plan-b]

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kazw/3258460072/" title="pic 020 by K+A+Z, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3434/3258460072_12acd5f7ff.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="pic 020" /></a>

I use a pick to get the block out.

 

[ironman_gq]

I agree that cutting the ice doesnt take much but when you start pulling water you really notice the load on the saw. Seem to be like a brake on the chain with my 044. It wont stall out but will really slow down.
As for what I do with the ice block I just push it under the ice and make sure to mark the hole when Im done.