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IceShanty Main => General Ice Fishing Chit Chat => Topic started by: djy8362 on Jul 15, 2019, 05:55 PM

Title: New ice fisherman and first post!
Post by: djy8362 on Jul 15, 2019, 05:55 PM
Hi guys. So I went ice fishing one time 8 years ago. Chopped through ice with a hatchet and sat on a bucket. Had no plans just spur of the moment decided to go 30ft from shore windchill of -20. Slayed a bunch of bluegill. Had a blast for hours! Weirdly haven't went since but this year I'm going all in as I will have a ton of time to go and a buddy to go with. I'll be going litterally every day the ice is safe enough to be on.
I've been looking at getting a pop up or flip shanty. I've looked at clam/otter/eskimo's. I'm mainly gonna be on my own however might have my gf's 9yr old son and a buddy from time to time go with me. So a 3 person is what I'm looking for. We're actually planning on tournaments around North western pa/northeast Ohio. I think it'd be awesome to meet a bunch of people and just have fun. Anyways I see some of the otters are heavily insulated. I'm capping my shanty $ to 1k however i wouldn't be upset if there's good deals well under that haha I'm looking for recommendations on good shantys for my situation. I'm physically active 220lbs. Reason I say that is I have epilepsy and no drivers license(but I rarely have seizures anymore). I'll regularly be dragging a half mile I live on a 250acre lake. So post up some shantys and if there's some good deals/sites links are appreciated. So far clam jason Mitchell's thermal x looks like my favorite but at the top of the budget. THANKS IN ADVANCE!
Title: Re: New ice fisherman and first post!
Post by: Reinert on Jul 15, 2019, 06:52 PM
First off welcome to Iceshanty! Lots of great stuff here and definitely check out the best ice deals thread if you're looking for a shack
Title: Re: New ice fisherman and first post!
Post by: Deal Ninja on Jul 15, 2019, 07:02 PM
Welcome to Ice Shanty.  Please take some time to read extensively here before you commit to spending a boatload of money on anything.

DN
Title: Re: New ice fisherman and first post!
Post by: ActiveTrapChecker on Jul 15, 2019, 09:51 PM
Hi guys. So I went ice fishing one time 8 years ago. Chopped through ice with a hatchet and sat on a bucket. Had no plans just spur of the moment decided to go 30ft from shore windchill of -20. Slayed a bunch of bluegill. Had a blast for hours! Weirdly haven't went since but this year I'm going all in as I will have a ton of time to go and a buddy to go with. I'll be going litterally every day the ice is safe enough to be on.
I've been looking at getting a pop up or flip shanty. I've looked at clam/otter/eskimo's. I'm mainly gonna be on my own however might have my gf's 9yr old son and a buddy from time to time go with me. So a 3 person is what I'm looking for. We're actually planning on tournaments around North western pa/northeast Ohio. I think it'd be awesome to meet a bunch of people and just have fun. Anyways I see some of the otters are heavily insulated. I'm capping my shanty $ to 1k however i wouldn't be upset if there's good deals well under that haha I'm looking for recommendations on good shantys for my situation. I'm physically active 220lbs. Reason I say that is I have epilepsy and no drivers license(but I rarely have seizures anymore). I'll regularly be dragging a half mile I live on a 250acre lake. So post up some shantys and if there's some good deals/sites links are appreciated. So far clam jason Mitchell's thermal x looks like my favorite but at the top of the budget. THANKS IN ADVANCE!

Welcome aboard! I would suggest using the search feature and read up on the Smitty Sled. Can be inexpensive to build and it allows you to pull lots of gear with relative ease.

I love my Eskimo Quikfish 3i. Plenty insulated and enough rough to keep 3 warm. Jigging inside I prefer 2 only. But I fish tip ups more than jigs.

Best of luck!
Title: Re: New ice fisherman and first post!
Post by: djy8362 on Jul 15, 2019, 11:16 PM
Thanks. I'll definitely look into it!
Title: Re: New ice fisherman and first post!
Post by: perch chacer on Jul 17, 2019, 12:48 PM
If you are a set-up camp type of fisherman then weight may not be a problem.  Thermals are heavier then non-thermals.  The new cushion seat models are also heavier then the older bench seats or hard plastic chair models.  My point is that you should take the time to check the weight before you buy a shanty.  But if your a gun and shoot type of fishermen like me, I like to move quit a bit until I find the fish not let the fish find me.  In that case weight is a very important feature if you hand drag your shanty.  No matter what shanty you buy you should also buy or make a Smitty sled for when the snow is deep.  Good luck.
Title: Re: New ice fisherman and first post!
Post by: OldSailor on Jul 17, 2019, 06:32 PM
djy8362 you need to include your location so any members in your area can give you local info and possibly meet up with you!! Welcome aboard!!!!
Title: Re: New ice fisherman and first post!
Post by: djy8362 on Jul 18, 2019, 12:24 AM
I live in the north west corner of Pennsylvania. Edinboro PA to be exact. Thanks!
Title: Re: New ice fisherman and first post!
Post by: Peccavi18 on Jul 18, 2019, 02:09 AM
Welcome to the board! I'm pretty local to ya, live in Pittsburgh but have a camp by Meadville and fish all over up north. Quite a few active members on this board from NW PA. Lots of good tents out there but maybe a good float suit would be a better investment to start out, PA has weird weather with lots of warm spells that make thin ice. I personally have a Striker Predator ice suit and Muck artic sport boots. Should the ice break under me the suit will keep me afloat and make it easier to exit the water. I pull a flipover and do use it but alot of the time the suit and boots are more than enough to keep me warm without a tent in all but the worst winds or weather.
I would access your fishing style before going with a pop up or flipover. I started with a pop up cuz it was cheaper but didn't like the long set up and take down, it definitely had alot more room and was lighter, but I move alot so a small flipover works better for me. The guy I sold the pop-up to is a tip up guy and he loves setting up the tent and just adjusting his spread to keep the flags flying. A sled can be had cheap if you go pop up, I have a spare I'll be selling once I dig it out of storage.
 Look for skis now to make a smitty sled it makes moving on the ice so much easier. Deals on boots are better in the summer. I use ice cleats on my boots after a Home Alone style fall a few yrs ago. Also ice picks! They are spikes you can use to pull yourself out with should the ice break. I consider them a must with our thinner ice.
 Field and stream in Erie has a nice setup of ice gear in the winter, Fish USA carries gear also but not much on the showroom floor. Any questions ask.
Title: Re: New ice fisherman and first post!
Post by: iceman260 on Jul 18, 2019, 06:22 AM
Welcome aboard, lot of good info and friendly fisherman here.
Title: Re: New ice fisherman and first post!
Post by: havejigwilltravel on Jul 18, 2019, 06:37 AM
welcome aboard.
Title: Re: New ice fisherman and first post!
Post by: Deal Ninja on Jul 18, 2019, 06:46 AM
A link to the local NW PA Hardwater Tournament Series:  https://wpahardwater.com/

DN
Title: Re: New ice fisherman and first post!
Post by: Mancaveburnett on Jul 18, 2019, 10:44 AM
As a now experienced ice fisherman who went and bought a shanty first thing. My advice is go light I had grand visions and bought a heavy 2 man. If I could have a do over I would buy a single and stay light, heck you could even buy 2 singles for when someone wants to go with you and set them up side by side. If I am not using a machine I just bring a bucket and jet sled. I have a smittysled and yes it makes a big difference but I would still go light if I could do it all over again.
One other thing of advice if you don't have a flasher, buy a flasher before the shanty.
Title: Re: New ice fisherman and first post!
Post by: djy8362 on Jul 18, 2019, 10:56 AM
A link to the local NW PA Hardwater Tournament Series:  https://wpahardwater.com/

DN

I saw that! My buddy sent me that when I first started talking abiut ice fishing. That's when I wrote about doing a tournament. I'm excited for that. Looks like alot of people. Will definitely be a fun experience plus in a people person so it'll be cool to meet other people in the ice fishing community.
Title: Re: New ice fisherman and first post!
Post by: djy8362 on Jul 18, 2019, 11:09 AM
I saw that! My buddy sent me that when I first started talking abiut ice fishing. That's when I wrote about doing a tournament. I'm excited for that. Looks like alot of people. Will definitely be a fun experience plus in a people person so it'll be cool to meet other people in the ice fishing community.

Yeah a smitty sled for sure and maybe a good single might be a good route to go. I don't have a driver's license cause I have epilepsy. But I can't live the rest of my life with a helmet on and I love to fish. I have to walk to my location which I'm lucky cause I live buy a 275acre lake in town with a 20ft damn. So Ive gotta put wheels on it somehow idk if metal rails on an old riding sled would hold up however I'm finding them for less that 50 a piece so maybe if I just get one it'll last a season or 2. Or without a riding sled put these raiding shop wheels under the rear of the shanty sled. But then I'd have to drag the sled through snow once I get to the ice. Not positive the route I'll go.
(https://i.postimg.cc/Wdx0dPSQ/Screenshot-20190718-120013-Amazon-Shopping.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/Wdx0dPSQ)
Title: Re: New ice fisherman and first post!
Post by: Chris338378 on Jul 18, 2019, 05:46 PM
Welcome to the site, glad to have you here with us.  If you're looking for a pop-up shelter I recommend the Eskimo FatFish 949i.  It's a four man shelter but the extra room is very nice to have and the insulation is top notch.  I have one of them for the past four years and like it a lot when I have some friends going with me.  Eskimo makes some nice shelters, their prices are really nice, and I would highly recommend you check them out.  As the other guys have said building a smitty sled will help you be more mobile and make dragging your gear around a lot easier. 
Title: Re: New ice fisherman and first post!
Post by: Tom1983 on Jul 20, 2019, 07:10 PM
Welcome to Ice Shanty.  Please take some time to read extensively here before you commit to spending a boatload of money on anything.

DN

This is excellent advice!
Title: Re: New ice fisherman and first post!
Post by: esox_xtm on Jul 23, 2019, 08:59 AM
Welcome to djy8362 AND Tom 1983! There is a ton of great info here! That along with all the different viewpoints and experiences for a whole passel of folks from all across the ice fishing geography. The well run forum is a boatload of fun and camaraderie. If you enjoy your time here as much as I have you'll be regular visitors.

PREDICTION: These two just joined an ice fishing site in July! My bet is they'll both be hardcore players  ;)2

If both of you would visit your profiles and add your locations everyone can see your general location. It's helps folks understand your questions and comments in a geographical context. Besides it's fun to see where everyone is from  ;D

Click on "Profile", then "Modify Profile" to enter your location that will appear near your screen name on every post you make. It can be general (like mine - SE Wisconsin - Lake Country) or more specific if you're comfortable with that. You'll likely find ice compadres just down the road from you that hang out here.
Title: Re: New ice fisherman and first post!
Post by: djy8362 on Jul 23, 2019, 12:22 PM
Thanks for the tip. Just updated my location!
Title: Re: New ice fisherman and first post!
Post by: esox_xtm on Jul 23, 2019, 01:55 PM
Thanks for the tip. Just updated my location!

 :thumbsup: :clap:
Title: Re: New ice fisherman and first post!
Post by: Oldbear on Jul 30, 2019, 08:22 PM
     Welcome.  You've found the right place for all your ice info you need to know.