Ice Shanties/Shelters

[imnofish]

How many on here ice fish?  Do you use a shelter?  What's your preferred style: Tent, home made portable, home made hard sided shack, commercially made portable? 

[bigG]

Car, for me.

I often have really good luck on the ice. Wish I had more to invest in it.

[imnofish]

I have a couple of portables, but they are getting old and worn.  I'm thinking of building my own before next winter.  Anyone had any experience with that?

[bigG]

My buddy in town just built his own. Turned out really nice. Should give him , and his kids, many years of ice fishin' fun.

[imnofish]

I've drawn up a detailed plan for a folding portable that will accommodate up to 4 (big) adults, can be towed by my ATV, and will fit in my 6'x8' trailer, along with my ATV, auger, etc.  Hoping to keep the cost under $150 and the weight reasonably low.  Most potential fishing partners are well over 6 ft. tall, so I have to deal with that issue without turning it into a big ice sailing vessel.  I don't have a heated workshop, so it will have to be done next summer, though.  I think I'm even more jacked about building it than fishing out of it.  Lots of parameters to deal with, but I love the mental challenges of the inherent puzzle.   

[Handles II]

If you can find sheets of corrugated plastic (like cardboard, often used in shipping containers) you can make a bang up home-made shelter that is very light weight and portable. My old assistant coach made one, used plywood and 2x4's for the floor and runners. Everything else could fold in on itself and a few aluminum poles to support it when it was up. Pretty slick, wish I had some plans to share, perhaps you guys on pintrest could find one. 

[imnofish]

Handles, that sounds like a great idea.  First time I've even heard of that material. 

Well, my need to build a bigger portable seems to have vaporized into thin air.  My son-in-law has a big shack on wheels and he is giving me a key to it this year.  He said I should bring my other fishing partners, too.  The guy usually has it parked on great crappie spots on the lake where they live, so it will only be about a 20 minute drive for me.  If I want to explore other waters, I have a two man flipover shack and my nephew is getting a 3 man flipover shack for Christmas.  Looks like I just saved 150 bucks.   

[Handles II]

Good job Fish, that sounds like a better deal.
Have fun.

[Dale Einerson]

It would seem the Son-in-law is not the only keeper this Winter Imno!

[bigG]

Suck up dat nectar while you can!

[littleguy301]

I do want to have a shack that is big enough to transport my 4-wheeler (when I get one ) and then when I get to the lake I can unload my 4-wheeler and then pull my shack out on the lake with all of my stuff in it. Plus having that trailor would help in storing my ice fishing stuff so I can make more room in my garage

I figure on 6X10 would be a good shack for me with room to spare for just my son and me. If it is to nice to many people would want to use it

[imnofish]

I see that South Lake RV in Rice Lake is now selling ice houses that might fit your needs, LG.  Might be worth a look.