Pond Boss Forums GENERAL QUESTIONS Water chemistry Ice Question

Does anyone know what causes those blown out looking things in the ice? Kinda looks like a big rocks been busted through the ice then re-froze over..?

I think the start out as air bubbles and get larger from melting?

I have heard the muskrats can make air holes too but I'd have to defer to the experts here for that.

Muskrats do make these types of structure. Trappers will cut a hole in one and set a trap on the ledge for the muskrats when they come out for a breath of air. This is a very productive way to trap them.

Ken, IIRC those are called "pushups" and usually are made at the shore by the 'rats and incorporate some overhanging vegetation.

I've seen them "breathing" by using the air bubbles that are trapped under the ice when foraging for food in a larger lake. Ice so clear that it looked like glass and was only 3" thick. It was really weird walking on it, I could see the bottom in 8' of water. Forget about fishing in those conditions - the fish would see you and wouldn't bite.

I've never seen them make a hole in the ice out in the middle of nowhere.

BGK, in that area is there a lot of decaying organic matter in a clump? Can you take a picture?

This country has a lot of marsh but I have only seen the pushups a few years but they are all over the areas here. There are tons of otters and beavers here but very few muskrats. Except when fish are nesting, if they can see you, you are usually not going to need your fillet knife.

It's not from otters or muskrats also its out in 8-10 of water 50' from bank.. Ill take some pics sometime

Here they can be out in deep water also. We don't have frozen water except maybe one out of three, that is why they are scarce here. The pushups that are here is a semi-dome around 18 ins. in diameter. You may have something else.