Once the ice was punched and sawn to create the perfect sized opening for spearfishing, it was a constant struggle to keep the opening clear.

Thin skins of ice constantly developed, obscuring the fishermen's view and causing both spears and lures to accumulate heavy weights of ice. The decoys required delicate movements to replicate the natural actions of the smaller fish intended to lure Pike and Muskellunge and the ice deposits kept the decoys from behaving in the naturalistic ways the carvers intended.

Lake Michigan, 1930, Sault Ste. Marie Area, length 10 inches, coat hanger wire

Between catches, the fishermen would careful dip the small pieces of ice from the holes with a huge variety of ingenious skimmers.

The skimmers shown here were created between 1890 and 1930, the "Renaissance" of Ice Fishing and demonstrate the beauty and ingenuity of the form.

Keuka Lake, 1900, New York State. Length 15 inches.
Hickory handle and woven wire with brass ferrule

Ice Skimmer, date unknown, Length 12 inches.
Bent and soldered steel wire

Lake Michigan, 1930, Mt. Clemens Area.
Pierced tin on braided steel wire handle, length 12 inches

Early Michigan Cooking Utensil, probably used as an Ice Skimmer.
Date unknown, possibly 1880's
Length 16 inches, Wrought Iron and Brass

Skimmer, Northern Michigan. Date unknown, probably 1930.
Length 9 inches, Painted Balsa Handle, Brass Frame, Steel Mesh

Skimmer, Gould City, Michigan, Eastern Upper Peninsula.
Date unknown, probably 1910.
Attributed to Lawrence A. Miller or Clarence "Ike" Eisenbach
Length 10 inches, Bent Steel Wire frame with attached Steel Mesh