Look where ice fishing is going

[Stinkybaits]

I would sure hope they float like some of those house boats they tie up to piers. Pretty cool though would basically be a ice cottage for the weekends. I wander if it has a base heater so when it's froze in It can be easily thawed then moved. Wouldn't be for me but they are pretty neat.

[bmiller423]

I would sure hope they float like some of those house boats they tie up to piers. Pretty cool though would basically be a ice cottage for the weekends. I wander if it has a base heater so when it's froze in It can be easily thawed then moved. Wouldn't be for me but they are pretty neat.

Have to be careful when you leave it for extended period of time.  Usually it's better to put a couple of short pieces of 2x4 down and set the house on those so it doesn't freeze to the ice.  The average here is about 2-3 feet of ice depending upon snow cover.

[Rebelss]

Well, they definitely have become more spacious and comfortable since the '50's!   
(This was actually taken in 1948 on Lake Minnetonka) Notice the "cane" rod.....

[Stinkybaits]

I am not sure exactly where ice fishing is going but all indications point towards it becoming a "rich man's sport" !!

With the invent of these large commercial made shanty's and over priced equipment, I think it will limit some families from fishing days and that to me means some kids will grow up not knowing and learning about the sport and the resource.

I enjoy the different looking shantys on the ice and the creativeness of fishermen with everything from cardboard shantys to homemade augers, rods & Tip-ups etc.

And then there is scammers like this fellow....I like to think no one would buy from him at his prices but when you look at the amount of his feedback he sells alot of equipment:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Ranger-R351T-Telescopic-Landing-Net-3-to-6-Foot-Handle-20-Inch-Hoop-NEW-Free-Shi/361075121773?_trksid=p2045573.c100033.m2042&_trkparms=aid%3D111001%26algo%3DREC.SEED%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D24901%26meid%3D7b88331e0aa349dd9af19577fbc21768%26pid%3D100033%26prg%3D10502%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D4%26sd%3D361075121773

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Eskimo-69812-Power-Ice-Auger-Carrying-Bag-NEW-Free-Shipping/191365977007?_trksid=p2045573.c100033.m2042&_trkparms=aid%3D111001%26algo%3DREC.SEED%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D24901%26meid%3Dba8271e7ce6c4fbebce8de67e6753e77%26pid%3D100033%26prg%3D10502%26rk%3D2%26rkt%3D4%26sd%3D361075121773

That's the beauty of living in America. You can sell stuff on ebay for whatever price. Nobody forces anyone to click on the button. Someone wants to make a killer ice shanty aka castle good for them! They probably employ great people that build them adding great jobs to their community. What a fun job that would be tricking out shanties. Ice fishing is enjoyable by anyone that wants to partake. Old school works fine you don't need electronics ATVs or whatever people choose to spend their hard earned money on. Keep an open mind. Heck shanties with big screens and gaming systems gives the kids a break and dad or mom or both can keep on fishing. Basically it's another form of a weekend lake place only alot more affordable compared to the price of a cottage. Less up keep too! Come to think of it... it's a heck of an idea I want one! Do they finance? Lol

[ice dawg]

If I spent that kind of money on one my wife would make sure I was living in it.

That's why mine is called the dawg house.

[bmiller423]

That's the beauty of living in America. You can sell stuff on ebay for whatever price. Nobody forces anyone to click on the button. Someone wants to make a killer ice shanty aka castle good for them! They probably employ great people that build them adding great jobs to their community. What a fun job that would be tricking out shanties. Ice fishing is enjoyable by anyone that wants to partake. Old school works fine you don't need electronics ATVs or whatever people choose to spend their hard earned money on. Keep an open mind. Heck shanties with big screens and gaming systems gives the kids a break and dad or mom or both can keep on fishing. Basically it's another form of a weekend lake place only alot more affordable compared to the price of a cottage. Less up keep too! Come to think of it... it's a heck of an idea I want one! Do they finance? Lol

 

[kasilofchrisn]

Ice fishing can still be done cheap and people will do so for years. Garage sales still provide cheap gear. And I see homemade stuff all the time as well.(think smitty sled)
Just last year I gave away a free hand auger I had acquired to someone wanting to get his kid out. After taking them fishing with me I offered a free auger with a set of new blades and he graciously accepted. I didn't need it and had gotten it free with an Iceshanty I purchased off of craigslist.
One of my wife's friends is a single mom of two boys. We made sure and get them out icefishing last year and plan to do so again this ice season.
As long as others take these kinds of initiatives the icefishing tradition will continue.
Some gear gets more expensive and some people make more and more of it on their own or buy used stuff.

[52isntbigenough]

I've often thought about what brought on the explosion of new ice anglers. I come up with two big reasons. 1) Ice fishing got comfortable with the advancement in warm clothing, from boots to suits. 2) The internet. The www has made fishing easier. From finding spots to getting lake maps.

Overall, ice fishing over the years has gotten easier and due to this not being a "Lumberjack" sport anymore, more people are doing it. Hats off to the folks spending a lot or a little to enjoy ice fishing.

[bmiller423]

Ice fishing can still be done cheap and people will do so for years. Garage sales still provide cheap gear. And I see homemade stuff all the time as well.(think smitty sled)
Just last year I gave away a free hand auger I had acquired to someone wanting to get his kid out. After taking them fishing with me I offered a free auger with a set of new blades and he graciously accepted. I didn't need it and had gotten it free with an Iceshanty I purchased off of craigslist.
One of my wife's friends is a single mom of two boys. We made sure and get them out icefishing last year and plan to do so again this ice season.
As long as others take these kinds of initiatives the icefishing tradition will continue.
Some gear gets more expensive and some people make more and more of it on their own or buy used stuff.

Well said.  At the end of the day that's what we should be doing. 

[hockeynut12]

Everyone in my family & extended family loves ice fishing. We bring new people with us every year. Everyone starts the same - sitting on a bucket freezing & wet fishing out of hole made with an axe or pick, etc... and borrowed equipment But they love it. The next year they have new clothes, then the year after better equipment and more of it including augers, then pop-up shelters, then they want to sleep over night which leads to building something or buying an ice castle if they can afford it. Nothing beats ice fishing. I love getting out there and always have no matter what I can afford.

[kasilofchrisn]

I've often thought about what brought on the explosion of new ice anglers. I come up with two big reasons. 1) Ice fishing got comfortable with the advancement in warm clothing, from boots to suits. 2) The internet. The www has made fishing easier. From finding spots to getting lake maps.

Overall, ice fishing over the years has gotten easier and due to this not being a "Lumberjack" sport anymore, more people are doing it. Hats off to the folks spending a lot or a little to enjoy ice fishing.

Very true.
Along with the clothes these new portable shanties help a lot. My wife loves to ice fish. But she doesn't like the bitterly cold or windy days. On those days she goes knowing we have a warm portable shanty to fish out of. Most people can afford them maybe with a little saving but its doable.
Also the electronics often mean catching more fish. Catching fish sure helps keep people coming back.

[masoneddie]

I guess ice fishing is no different than anything else IceWanderer. There will always be something new or upgraded, bigger, better, more expensive, more comfortable, state of the art, etc. etc.. This is a  HUGE  business nowadays where the wheel gets re-invented every year....

Its pretty amazing just how far things have come since the 70's when I started out....you guys who have been at it for many years more than I, must be astonished over today's technology on ice!  It's truly incredible  how advanced it's become!
But these simple facts still remain the same......We caught lots of fish without todays technology back then...and you didnt need to break the bank to icefish.... and you still don't have to. Fish within your means.

Buy what you can afford! Upgrade....If you wish, as you can afford to. If you're financially comfortable and you can afford the best, there's nothing wrong with that!     In fact,  I envy you guys...you give me goals to reach .....occasionally!! 

Like several others have stated, you can find great equipment for an affordable price....it takes some time, some cash, and a little bit of leg work.....but the rewards can be huge.
Whatever your circumstances may be, I hope you all have a great season! Dont forget to pass down some of your wisdom to the newbies.......Tight lines! 

[Osage]

I don't know of any sport,hobby or business endeavor that does not end up catering to the rich through time.I myself being subjected to a fixed income,do not envy those who can afford the best.I do know this,the more a person has to work for something,the more it is worth.I buy what I can afford,and feebly try to build what I cannot,Untill I find the end of the rainbow,I will mine the pages on Iceshanty,searching for all the good  gadgets that can be made at home,all the while saving what I can in hopes of making that big buy one day!

[Agronomist_at_IA]

That's cool a guy could catch a crappie mid crappy. Then put him in the Tank. I wonder how that would work if you had a fish on but had to wipe 😊

[WARRIOR_ON_ICE]

Too much comfort on the ice and it ruins the experience for me. Ice fishing is and should be a test of your body and mind against the elements. Not saying you should risk freezing to death, but to me going out there with hand augers, old tipups and just minimal shelter is half the point of the sport. Soaking up the outdoor experience, whether the fish are biting or not, and not dragging out technology to make things " EASY " is the reason I do this sport.  I also prefer solitude over big crowds, an escape instead of a party. I have the same mentality in the summer - it is easy enough to go buy produce at the store, but I grow my own. It is easy enough to buy jam at the store, but I harvest 60 quarts of wineberries and make 21 pints of jam to last the year. Try finding jam in a store that tastes that good !

If you catch a pile of fish out of a hole because you can see them on your flasher, I am happy you enjoy doing that, but I enjoy the mystery of what might be down there and then finding out only when I get bites. I would rather catch 10 fish using " primitive " methods than 100 fish using modern techniques. I worry that average fishermen are able to catch piles of fish now, raping the fish populations and sending fisheries into decline. This happened when net technology was improved in the 1960's commercial ocean fishing - if vast oceans can be overfished, PLEASE - even a huge freshwater lake can be in short amount of time.

[twincities86]

What can you say though, us minnesota boys do it bigger and better then anywhere else. Why else would all the major brand fishing companies move there headquarters here.

[corny13]

I think this thread should be transferred to. "The Grumpy Old Man Shanty" !
 

[hardwater diehard]

Basically an  Ice Camp as opposed to Deer Camp set up ...hunters spend some cabbage on property ,cabins etc ..plus I think some must use these "Ice Palaces " as their off season "Man Caves" . Kudos to both the manufacturers and the fisherman who made the purchase.

[OldSailor]

As others on the thread have said, you buy what you can afford to enjoy the sport! I started out with an old spoon auger and a canvas shelter with a plywood floor that had 2 square openings for the holes, heated by an old kerosene heater that made your eyes burn! My depth finder was a bell sinker with an alligator clip crimped on it! My ice scoop was a ladle drilled full of holes! (Mom never did figure where it got off to!!) My ice boots were 4 buckle overshoes over a bunch of wool socks! Went home with partially frozen feet many a time! My point to all of this is that having ice fished in the '50's and '60's like that, I would give my left nut to be able to afford a wheelhouse, let alone a nice flip over, auger, depth finder, heater, etc., etc.!! You fish with what you have and can afford or you stay the hell home and stare at the TV!! I've seen appliance cartons used as fish houses!! Somebody wanted to ice fish I guess! Do the fish caught sitting on a bucket taste any different than those caught in a wheel house?? I THINK NOT!! It takes all kinds of different people to make ice fisherman, and they're well represented here on IceShanty!! So tight lines boys (and girls) and let me get down off my soapbox before I fall and hurt myself!! Come on and hurry up ice, people got the itch and only ice will scratch it!!!! 

[Monticatgeek]

this wasn't a very good story. they failed to state that not all the drop down houses are that much. you can get a nice simple 8 x 12 drop down for starting at around $10,000. this is finished inside and has 4 holes in it and can fish 3 to 4 people in it. Ice Castle has their model called the "grandpa's hideout" for right around $5,000. now granted this one is for only one or two people and this only comes with one cabinet that has a 2 burner cook top on it. it is more of a day house but there is one bench across the back that one person could sleep on if they wanted too.

[OldSailor]

My whole point is that we are a very diverse community of ice fisherman on this site, from bucket sitting dead stickers  to the guys in the big shacks. Run and gun types swiss cheesing the ice to Dad and the kids running for a flag! All across the ice belt we have one thing in common!! We are addicts!!! We fish with what we have and want/need more!! We eagerly await new products so we can drool/discuss them until we get ice and don't have as much time to do this. It's the same questions every year, the same anticipation of the forthcoming season that drives us all!! Now if I could just hit the lottery!!! 

[Stinkybaits]

Too much comfort on the ice and it ruins the experience for me. Ice fishing is and should be a test of your body and mind against the elements. Not saying you should risk freezing to death, but to me going out there with hand augers, old tipups and just minimal shelter is half the point of the sport. Soaking up the outdoor experience, whether the fish are biting or not, and not dragging out technology to make things " EASY " is the reason I do this sport.  I also prefer solitude over big crowds, an escape instead of a party. I have the same mentality in the summer - it is easy enough to go buy produce at the store, but I grow my own. It is easy enough to buy jam at the store, but I harvest 60 quarts of wineberries and make 21 pints of jam to last the year. Try finding jam in a store that tastes that good !

If you catch a pile of fish out of a hole because you can see them on your flasher, I am happy you enjoy doing that, but I enjoy the mystery of what might be down there and then finding out only when I get bites. I would rather catch 10 fish using " primitive " methods than 100 fish using modern techniques. I worry that average fishermen are able to catch piles of fish now, raping the fish populations and sending fisheries into decline. This happened when net technology was improved in the 1960's commercial ocean fishing - if vast oceans can be overfished, PLEASE - even a huge freshwater lake can be in short amount of time.

That canning sounds like a ton of work! Hats off to you my buddy does alot of that same thing and everything taste great. I'm having meltdown though internally from the lack of preservatives and chemicals I can't pronounce lol. As far as wiping out lakes not sure what fish your reffering to but it's pretty tough to do unless your running nets.  Most states have limits on everything now. I'm in Indiana probably the only state with unlimited panfish but that's up for vote next year. In my neck of the woods not many ice fish. People are scared of the ice and kids would rather play video games. Two seasons ago we barely had any ice had to drive to Michigan to fish lol. It happens on the southern border of ice belt.

[VTWoodchuck]

           I love ice fishing, but I think it is going to extremes.

               https://homes.yahoo.com/blogs/spaces/modern-ice-houses-offer-fishing-in-comfort-and-even-a-bit-of-style-191418625.html   

I was really going to unload on how the 1% have taken everything else and now they're taking ice fishing too but then I calmed down and thought about what I would buy if I had the money.  That 8 wheel Argo with tracks pulling a shiny new Otter Pro XT1200 Resort flip shelter and a new insulated float suit to replace my old Johnson Woolen Mills jacket and pants sure would be sweet.  Oh well, I guess my Jetsled packed full with a sheet rock bucket full of tip ups, jigging sticks, minnow bucket, a bucket seat pad and an auger will do just fine.   

[Rebelss]

It's really not much different than any other sport, you can take it as far as you want to. You can ride a nice $350 bicycle, or put $1500 or more into one, along with the carbon frame, alloy rims,
gel seat, $200 carbon fiber shoes, titanium crankset, run flat tires, etc. The person sitting in their porty is probably enjoying it just as much as the guy is in his 18 footer. Whatever works for ya. 

[bmiller423]

I was really going to unload on how the 1% have taken everything else and now they're taking ice fishing too but then I calmed down and thought about what I would buy if I had the money.  That 8 wheel Argo with tracks pulling a shiny new Otter Pro XT1200 Resort flip shelter and a new insulated float suit to replace my old Johnson Woolen Mills jacket and pants sure would be sweet.  Oh well, I guess my Jetsled packed full with a sheet rock bucket full of tip ups, jigging sticks, minnow bucket, a bucket seat pad and an auger will do just fine.

The guys that I know that have one of these aren't in the 1%.  Frustrated that because someone worked to buy one of these you get thrown in that category.  Whatever. 

[52isntbigenough]

What can you say though, us minnesota boys do it bigger and better then anywhere else. Why else would all the major brand fishing companies move there headquarters here.

This is a joke right?

[Rebelss]

As far as bigger, I'd like to see any other one that's in the UK's news.  I guess "better" is open for interpretation.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2543816/PICTURES-Worlds-biggest-ice-fishing-contest-Brainerd-Minnesota.html

[52isntbigenough]

The "bigger and better" thing I can see, but what followed is a bit of an exaggeration.

[Cousteau]

I certainly would accept the offer to fish in one if offered.