I am in the same boat, can't catch fish through the ice, I can catch fish all summer, have fished the same water hole for years, I know all the honey holes, and drill ice holes in the exact same spots with brush and cover and I can't get anything to bite, have no idea what I'm doing wrong. Like the author, I first cut holes in the ice with a chain saw, was told that was bad, mixes oils in the water, I will never catch anything, which I had removed the oil from the bar oiler to reduce that problem, but then went out and purchased a manual ice auger, the little mini fishing poles, all the proper gear, tried every kind of bait known to man, still no luck, Ive not caught ten fish total in all my efforts, and those were little miniature BG not big enough to eat. gets frustrating but I guess I am too stupid to give up.
Like they say in football,, there's always next year!
