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To that end , Vladyka recommends bringing a friend for the first voyage of the season , regardless of the time of year . In addition , a flotation device , such as a life jacket , is potentially lifesaving . Vladyka wears his Clam Ice Armor , which is lightweight with significant flotation properties . “ It ’ s very maneuverable ,” says Vladyka . “ It ’ s not heavier than normal gear , and it doesn ’ t have any extra bulk .” He also emphasizes the importance of spud bars , which are chisel-tipped tools that allow ice fishers to properly assess the thickness and integrity of the ice . “ If you hit down on the ice with a spud bar and it goes through after one hit , the ice is definitely not safe . If you hit down and it just barely goes through , that ’ s questionable . If you can hit the ice twice with a spud bar and it doesn ’ t go through , you can usually pass through that area safely .” When moving forward on the ice , it ’ s wise to continue hitting down with the spud bar as you proceed . By doing so , you will know if it ’ s safe enough to continue . Vladka adds that flotation gear is also essential in the later part of the season . “ Even if the ice is thick where it would normally hold you throughout the season , the warmer weather and the sun deteriorates the ice . It turns the ice into what is known as ‘ honeycombed ice ,’ which can be very unsafe .”
Once a group of ice fishers arrives at their chosen spot , they drill a hole through the ice with a tool known as an ice auger . Although there are manual , electric , and gas-powered ice augers sold by a variety of high-quality brands , such as StrikeMaster , Eskimo , and Jiffy , Vladyka is partial to the Clam Drill Plate , which he attaches to his K-Drill ice auger . Vladyka elaborates : “ When I first started fishing in the 1980s , many people were using a lot of gas-powered augers . Later on , electric augers became more common . The problem with electric augers is that the batteries can be very heavy , but the Clam Drill Plate solves that problem . It ’ s powered by a standard cordless drill with lithium-ion batteries . The drill gets mounted onto the drill plate with a K-Drill attached on the
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