# Need Homemade Spud Help



## Jari22 (Jul 6, 2005)

First and foremost, have gone from not "gettinig ice fishing" to "all I can really think about" after five or six good fishes (perch) on LSC last year. That said, I found a 15 lb steel bar in my garage and thought about trying to turn it into an ice spud. Question: has anyone one made their own ice spud, if so, does it work well, or am I just as well buying the $40 one at Gander. 
Thanks for the advice in advance....


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## wally-eye (Oct 27, 2004)

Why a spud and not an auger???????? Am I missing something? Spearing??


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## Jari22 (Jul 6, 2005)

Well, when I sent out last year, the person I was ice fishing with just carried a spud and broke open holes that had frozen over. it was fast and easy, and the spud was easier to fit on the sled than the auger he occasionally brought.


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## Paul Thompson (Jul 16, 2007)

By the time you find a tooth for the business end, and to have it work properly you will need a very long taper on the tooth, that would take days to grind off, unless you had a nice set of torches, and then find someone with a welder, might as well skip four pizzas and buy one ready to rock. Nothing wrong with making your own if you got the tooling and supplies laying around.


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## ficious (Aug 28, 2002)

Had my speed spud for close to 25 years, wouldn't get on the ice without it(I bring both when the ice gets thicker than 12-15") My spud is a safety tool as well as way to get a hole in the ice. I even got to bring it on my helicopter ride(1983)! Unless you have a straddle mill, they are hard to duplicate, just buy one.

My .02,

Bring on the ice!
Harry

PS - If you'd like a few pics, PM me and email address.


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## Ferris_StateHunter (Apr 24, 2006)

I would not go anywhere on the ice without mine anymore... I tell ya that thing has probably saved my life more times than I know checkin out areas i would have walked on without checking it. 

But in terms of making your own.. It would be a challenge but with the right equipement (or friends with the right equipe) and a little time and patience.. you could make a great spud.. Shoot anything that is going to make a good dent in the ice and strong enough to handle the wear and tear will work... just dont make it small


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## Robert Hoover (May 8, 2005)

a spud will be youre best friend and a must have for first and last ice it may save youre life.unless you have the tools or now someone it will be cheaper to buy one.My father made one for me about 11 years ago out of a leaf spring and a piece of pipe welded together with a t splice on top. works great.


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## Joeker51 (Jan 25, 2002)

Gotta say the ficious spud is pretty darn slick. I've seen it in action and it makes short work of ice. Can beat an auger anytime. The design is pretty unique. As a safety item I'm sure it saved his hiney a few times.


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## Jari22 (Jul 6, 2005)

Much thanks on the advice, but while we're on the topic of spuds, I have another Tremendously Newbie question. Many of you talked about the spud being a life saver. When I went out on the ice, there were a bunch of people out there too... Is the idea to spud check every step? (I do have heard of the dangers of spearing holes being very large on soft, therefore dangerous...)... Please elaborate.... Many thanks...


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## ficious (Aug 28, 2002)

You don't need to spud every step, but if something doesn't look right you can easily check. Many things can make the ice vary in thickness, as you mentioned, spearing holes, but also springs, gas pockets, current, weedbeds, weedbeds deflecting current upward, dark bottom, cattails, etc. 

My favorite is an ice sheet blowing out, refreezing, then just a dusting of snow so you can't tell the ice is thin. The ice might go from 12 inches to a 1/4 inch in one step. This won't likely happen on small lakes, but is quite common on larger bodies of water(Saginaw Bay, LSC, etc). 

Augers are excellent tools for making holes in ice.....but look down.....aren't you standing on the ice already??

Regardless of which decision you make, try to fish with an experienced friend til you feel comfortable on your own. I've carried a 50', weighted throwing rope on every trip on the ice and have never had to use it, hope I never will. I couldn't live with myself if I had to watch someone drown because I didn't have it.

Harry


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## Houghton laker (Jan 5, 2002)

In my opinion the speedy spud is worth every penny!! I have one down here and one up at Houghton....I bring it out at first ice time and towards last Ice time......as I'm walking out I'm throwing it down every other step......theres been a few times it's made me stop and go around when that end went right through the ice!!


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## Joeker51 (Jan 25, 2002)

Good point on the rope Harry. I carry one on the sled when I'm pulling the shanty out. If I'm just hole jumping for the day I carry one in my back pack. Just can't take the chance with out the spud or a rope. Never know when some one's in trouble.


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## ficious (Aug 28, 2002)

I coil the rope around my bucket and wrap plastic around it(shrink wrap). It keeps every hook you own from ending up tangled into it. Each end has a hook and 8 ounces of lead for throwing into the wind.

I use the speed spud for scraping ruts into the ice so my shanty(homemade) doesn't blow away when I'm not in it. It comes in very handy. I can smack the ice one time and tell you if it will hold me.

Please read the following post, it's not meant to scare you, just to point out how fast something can go wrong and how serious it can get. Please read Ed Michrina's thread........priceless!!!! Should me a required read for people new to the sport and yearly sticky in every ice forum.

http://www.michigan-sportsman.com/forum/showthread.php?t=33654&highlight=trolling



Harry


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## Joeker51 (Jan 25, 2002)

I agree. Maybe we can get Walleye Mike to make that thread a sticky. With membership growing and many newbies planning to hit the ice, it may just save a life from these experiences.


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## fish-on (Nov 27, 2004)

I have always made my own spuds and a few for my brothers.Pretty easy to make if ya got a welder,grinder or mill and a torch and can of oil for heat treating the edge.As for going on the ice without one...NOPE


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## walleyeman2006 (Sep 12, 2006)

piece of solid pipe....and a hatchet head....drill and tap the hatchet thread the pipe in....garage sale hatchet 3-5 bucks....pipe 0-10 bucks lol....find some one with a welder and make a spear adapter.....two in one:cwm27:


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## ficious (Aug 28, 2002)

Some of you requested a pic, this is the easiest way to show everyone. Use this style spud once and you'll never own any other style.











Care and feeding:

Enjoys frequent stoning, hates cement.

Harry


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## ficious (Aug 28, 2002)

Under care and feeding I should have said:

Enjoys long walks on the ice, sharpening stone massages, feed large quantities of ice at frequent intervals, hates driveways.

Sorry, summer cabin fever!!

Harry


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## Joeker51 (Jan 25, 2002)

Hmmmmmmmmmmmm ................. a real joker lately, eh catficious.:16suspect:lol:

Better find a block of ice Harry and wait it out.


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## Jari22 (Jul 6, 2005)

Finally got a chance to read all the great and informative responses. Many thanks for being so safety minded with the posts.


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