Ice Shanty or use me Christmas $ for something elase?

[Ralphus]

Pretty easy from the post to gather what I'm getting at.  Can someone tell me how an Ice Shanty would make my ice fishing experience that much better?  I assume they're almost essential.  Are they warm?  Can you use little heaters? Do you go crazy sitting in one spot for hours?  Are the expensive ones worth the extra $$?Anything would be helpful.
thanks as always
-Ralphus

[slider]

wellllllllllllllllllll lllllll it all depends on you and how u feel about being out in the wind
Myself i like mine i have a clam 5600 its at the upper end and yes u can have a heater in them 
If you use mostly tipups make sure u get one with windows it makes it a lot nicer than opening it up a lot
But if u r into jigging their great u get a portable one they open up easily and if u want some even act as just a wind break u open them up partially

[scansy]

I think it depends where you are fishing.  Here in PA, I rarely see them being used and I never use one.  It just doesn't get that cold.

I also believe you need to move when ice fishing until you find the fish.  (Same with soft water too, but that's for another web site.)  If you go out and set up a shanty, you may be less inclined to move from a hole.  I know I would.  If you do get a shanty, you might not want to set it up until you find the fish.

[tomg]

It don't get COLD IN PA! Shoot, It gets windy and can drop the wind chill to minus 70 deg, like the time I was at High point Lake in Somerset. So they are great for blocking the wind. Get one with windows.

[Skeeter41]

I don't fish without one, no matter what the temps are.  Why be a little bit cold, when you can put a heater in one and fish in a sweatshirt.

I have a clam 5600 when I fish with 2 people, but when I have that, I don't do alot of moving,  too big and heavy to be dragging around the lake.   When I am by myself I have a fish trap scout.  I love that although it is a little on the small size.  My friend has the fish trap pro.  It is worth the money.  Light and roomy.

Spend the money and get one, you will be glad you did.

[tomg]

Listen to Skeeter. 

[jitterbug]

I have spent a lot of days when the temperature is in the single digits with a 25 mile an hour wind.  To me that's cold.  I think it is a valuable asset, depending on how you fish and what you fish for, it could be indespenable.  Jigging for finnicky panfish it is very difficult to detect a stirke outside on a windy day.  I have a fishtrap pro and it sets up in seconds.  I also have a propane heater which I may or not turn on depending on how cold it is.  Just my opinion.

[scansy]

OK, I have never used one - maybe I'm missing the boat.  Doesn't it take time to set up?  Do you have to anchor it?  If it's too much trouble, it would keep me from moving and I think I would catch less fish.  I don't catch too many to begin with so I don't want to catch less!

[jitterbug]

OK, I have never used one - maybe I'm missing the boat.  Doesn't it take time to set up?  Do you have to anchor it?  If it's too much trouble, it would keep me from moving and I think I would catch less fish.  I don't catch too many to begin with so I don't want to catch less!

I can set my shelter up in about 1 minute.  When I want to move I get out and pull it to the next hole, no setup time.  I can fish without a coat on.  the heater keeps it nice and toasty inside.  The holes don't freeze.  The rod eyes don't freeze.  Your line doesn't blow around makeing it difficult to see a strike.  Used with some tyoe of electronics.  Your catch will go way up and you will be comfortable doing it.  We have come a long way with icefishing from 40+ years ago when I started.

[nepa old man]

Get a flip over, you won't regret it & easy to move if lookin for fish.

[Fat Boy]

Nice post Jitterbug...ditto.

If it were me I'd by a flasher first before buying the shanty if catching more fish is your goal.  But, if you want to be comfortable catching more fish, get the shanty too!  I have a Fish Trap Pro and I love it.  Here's another BIG advantage.  You can be on a hot bite with lot's of folks fishing around you and nobody will know it!  One more thing, if you like sight fishing in shallow water, being in a shanty can help you see down the hole much better.

[R.V. ICEMAN]

ralphy, i bought a clam 2000 last year, it works great.  bought a coleman wild cat heater for it, can sit in there with a sweatshirt on.  its great if you take a kid with you and your wife.  hell, i'm thinking about banging the ole lady in it this year.

[scansy]

Nice post Jitterbug...ditto.

If it were me I'd by a flasher first before buying the shanty if catching more fish is your goal.  But, if you want to be comfortable catching more fish, get the shanty too!  I have a Fish Trap Pro and I love it.  Here's another BIG advantage.  You can be on a hot bite with lot's of folks fishing around you and nobody will know it!  One more thing, if you like sight fishing in shallow water, being in a shanty can help you see down the hole much better.

I put a flasher on my Christmas list this year..... again.  But my wife seems to always ignore my list and buys me tools - usually ones that would help with the highest priority on the Honey Do list.

[Fat Boy]

I put a flasher on my Christmas list this year..... again.  But my wife seems to always ignore my list and buys me tools - usually ones that would help with the highest priority on the Honey Do list.

ROFLMAO   Well scansy, you could ask for the receipts and return them for cash, then get your flasher!

[R.V. ICEMAN]

FAT BOY,
              which is more useful, vex or camera?  if you could only have 1

[Fat Boy]

FAT BOY,
              which is more useful, vex or camera?  if you could only have 1

Without a doubt, get a flasher (either the Vex or Marcum).  I think that camera can supplement, but the Vex flasher is the most important fish finding tool.  The way I see it is that you gotta find fish before you can take their picture!  Get the camera next Xmas...   You won't be sorry.