The ice fishing Montana boards are sponsored by:

Pages: [1] |   Go Down

Author Topic: ice houses  (Read 5571 times)

Offline andercee

  • Team IceShanty Addict
  • *
  • Posts: 510
ice houses
« on: Aug 26, 2008, 05:25 PM »
I know its early but I am thinking about ice houses already.

What is the largest ice house you would dare put on the ice here in MT?  So far I have seen only a few houses where you'd need to drive them out onto the ice. 

Most of us us portables I guess, but that doesn't always work out given the wind here.
Logged

Offline Walltrout

  • Team IceShanty Addict
  • *
  • Posts: 623
Re: ice houses
« Reply #1 on: Sep 02, 2008, 05:59 PM »
Best bet is to have a portable and a semi permanent one.  The portable for when the ice is thin and when exploring new ice.  The big one for your regular haunts.
Logged

"Many go fishing all their lives without knowing that it is not fish they are after." - Henry David Thoreau

"If people don't occasionally walk away from you shaking their heads, you're doing something wrong."  John Giera

Offline CrappieBuster

  • Team IceShanty Maniac
  • **
  • Posts: 1,602
Re: ice houses
« Reply #2 on: Sep 03, 2008, 12:41 AM »
First 8-9 inches the truck and the 16 foot camper go out!  Always the first one out. :o
Logged

Offline andercee

  • Team IceShanty Addict
  • *
  • Posts: 510
Re: ice houses
« Reply #3 on: Sep 03, 2008, 02:39 AM »
Maybe it's just me, or the weather last winter but the ice didn't seem that great here in Montana.  For all the time I spent ice fishing I only saw one truck drive on the ice near shore, and a few atvs/snowmobiles.
Logged

Offline havre37

  • IceShanty Rookie
  • **
  • Posts: 4
Re: ice houses
« Reply #4 on: Sep 03, 2008, 03:05 AM »
Although I am fairly new to ice fishing I thought the ice was pretty decent here in central Montana near Havre anyways.  At one point we had over nearly three feet of ice.  It was crazy and cold as hell for several weeks.  After that it got a little nicer but the ice stayed around.  We started spearing right around Novemberish or so.  I don't remember the exact date in which we pulled out but I know it was working for a few months.  It was good clear ice meaning it was hard as a rock.
 
but just my two cents.
Logged

Offline Neptune

  • Team IceShanty Maniac
  • **
  • Posts: 1,228
  • "The Kokanee Killers"
Re: ice houses
« Reply #5 on: Sep 03, 2008, 08:27 AM »
I gotta agree with Havre....here in NW Montana we had 6" of clear ice on most smaller to medium size lakes by mid December and then it only got thicker.  Most lakes got to 15-20" of ice through March.  I saw permanent ice houses on Lake 5 for at least 2 months. 

The only oddity last year was that Flathead Lake only got Ice once or twice and then big storms piled it up on the shore.  I don't know of anyone who actually fished Summers bay through the ice last year and it is usually a very popular spot....

Good Fishing :tipup:
Logged

Offline Walltrout

  • Team IceShanty Addict
  • *
  • Posts: 623
Re: ice houses
« Reply #6 on: Sep 03, 2008, 09:08 AM »
Quote from: CrappieBuster on Sep 03, 2008, 12:41 AM
First 8-9 inches the truck and the 16 foot camper go out!  Always the first one out. :o

I have a rule... never be the first or last one on the ice for the year.  I have never went in either so my rule seems to be working.  Seriously, is a fish worth risking your life and thousands of dollars worth of equipment? 
Logged

"Many go fishing all their lives without knowing that it is not fish they are after." - Henry David Thoreau

"If people don't occasionally walk away from you shaking their heads, you're doing something wrong."  John Giera

Offline Neptune

  • Team IceShanty Maniac
  • **
  • Posts: 1,228
  • "The Kokanee Killers"
Re: ice houses
« Reply #7 on: Sep 03, 2008, 03:56 PM »
Quote from: Walltrout on Sep 03, 2008, 09:08 AM
I have a rule... never be the first or last one on the ice for the year.  I have never went in either so my rule seems to be working.  Seriously, is a fish worth risking your life and thousands of dollars worth of equipment? 

I generally follow that rule also Walltrout, but last year I went to a remote lake and it had snowed about 2 feet so it wasn't obvious if anyone had been there...long story short, the people that had been there before cut a large hole for spearing and I put a whole snowshow into the lake.  Fortunately snowshoes have a lot of surface area and offer enough of a platform that a quick step forward kept me from goin' in!!

Good Fishing :tipup:
Logged

Offline perchhogslayer

  • Team IceShanty Addict
  • *
  • Posts: 517
  • waiting for the bite
Re: ice houses
« Reply #8 on: Sep 04, 2008, 03:01 PM »
Wow,
Great to see people back on the sight again after a nice "average" temperature summer.  This little cold snap sure has got me itching for ice.  ;D ;D  I've already started thinking about tackle, equipment, custom stuff, ect... 
Personally, I almost never use an ice house.  I do have a little make shift shelter if it gets windy.  I don't know where you were fishing last year, but the ice around Helena was better last year then in many of the previous years.
Logged

An Ice Fisherman is a man who spends cold days sitting on the ice doing nothing because his wife won't let him do it at home.

Offline wyogator

  • Team IceShanty Maniac
  • **
  • Posts: 1,409
Re: ice houses
« Reply #9 on: Oct 03, 2008, 11:53 PM »
Well, when I lived in Malta, you could have a large icehouse on Nelson.  Now, my two favorite spots; Browns and Georgetown, require daily removal, which means portable only.  I like the western side of the state better, except during ice season.
Logged

Offline cutbow_07

  • Team IceShanty Regular
  • ***
  • Posts: 288
Re: ice houses
« Reply #10 on: Oct 05, 2008, 05:05 PM »
I've always kind of wanted a permanent shack but am worried about vandalism and such.  Yeah the western part can be pretty spotty for hot fishing but with the price of gas I havent been venturing too far away.  Im definitely going to go to Georgetown this year to get some salmon to get canned and smoked.......You lived in Malta huh?  I fished Nelson last year and got skunked but everyone said it was about the slowest they'd ever seen it.
Logged

Offline icechick

  • Team IceShanty Regular
  • ***
  • Posts: 279
Re: ice houses
« Reply #11 on: Oct 06, 2008, 09:44 AM »
We have a portable clam. It works pretty well even with the wind on CF we just had to buy or make some anchors for it.

I also agree with havre37 and neptune about the ice. It was pretty good around here as well even watched a plane land and take off on CF.
Logged

Offline wyogator

  • Team IceShanty Maniac
  • **
  • Posts: 1,409
Re: ice houses
« Reply #12 on: Oct 08, 2008, 10:25 PM »
Cutbow, Nelson is an awesome place to fish.  It can be spotty at times; but you can catch large walleye, pike and perch.  I have even pulled a few crappie through the ice at Nelson.  Georgetown is good for trout and kokes.  I now have to go to Helena for walleye.  I applied for a job in Harrison a couple of years ago and checked out that reservoir for ice fishing (during the summer,) because I actually thought I would be moving there.  Needless to say, I didn't get the job.
Logged

Offline pete fish

  • IceShanty Rookie
  • **
  • Posts: 25
Re: ice houses
« Reply #13 on: Oct 08, 2008, 10:43 PM »
sometimes we have trouble drilling holes with the extention here in canada.......... :'(
Logged

Offline cutbow_07

  • Team IceShanty Regular
  • ***
  • Posts: 288
Re: ice houses
« Reply #14 on: Oct 08, 2008, 10:49 PM »
My buddies have fished nelson quite a bit and say it is usually a great fishery but we just hit it at a bad time   :(  A job in Harrison?.........Im surprised to say the least cause very people even know where harrison is  :D  Harrison lake can be phenomenal at times.  If ur ever thinkn about hittn it up PM me.  I used to fish georgetown alot but with the price of fuel it's quite discouraging.
Logged

Offline wyogator

  • Team IceShanty Maniac
  • **
  • Posts: 1,409
Re: ice houses
« Reply #15 on: Oct 10, 2008, 12:40 AM »
I applied for a shop teaching job at the high school.  Fuel prices would be the problem with me driving to Harrison now.  If I decide to hit the reservoir though, I will PM you.  When I was there, it was full of boats, skiers and PWCs.  I'll bet it is awesome in the winter though.
Logged

Offline cutbow_07

  • Team IceShanty Regular
  • ***
  • Posts: 288
Re: ice houses
« Reply #16 on: Oct 10, 2008, 09:27 AM »
Yeah the lake is overrun with people from bozo and belgrade almost all year, even icefishing now.  More and more are coming each year so that doesnt help alot but im happy to see more people getting involved in icefishing.  Woke up to 6" of fresh snow this morning and a temp of 25degrees!!!! :) :) :o :o ;D
Logged

Offline Neptune

  • Team IceShanty Maniac
  • **
  • Posts: 1,228
  • "The Kokanee Killers"
Re: ice houses
« Reply #17 on: Oct 10, 2008, 04:43 PM »
Quote from: cutbow_07 on Oct 10, 2008, 09:27 AM
Woke up to 6" of fresh snow this morning and a temp of 25degrees!!!! :) :) :o :o ;D

LUCKY!
Logged

Offline cutbow_07

  • Team IceShanty Regular
  • ***
  • Posts: 288
Re: ice houses
« Reply #18 on: Oct 10, 2008, 07:26 PM »
Snow is still falling like crazy and I cant get the pictures I took  onto my computer but am trying.  Up to about 8"+ in harrison and quite a bit more in Pony.  We are the only place getting serious snow I guess cause people 15miles away havent even seen a flake while we've been dumped on.
Logged

Offline J_Jaacks

  • Team IceShanty Regular
  • ***
  • Posts: 362
Re: ice houses
« Reply #19 on: Oct 10, 2008, 08:26 PM »
If you wouldn't mind, could you fan some of that down here?  The best that I have had was scrapping the windshield the other day.  Lake temps are still around high 50's.
Logged

Offline cutbow_07

  • Team IceShanty Regular
  • ***
  • Posts: 288
Re: ice houses
« Reply #20 on: Oct 10, 2008, 08:42 PM »
I just put up some pics of the snow here on the Montana Forum and on the General Chit Chat too.  Hope it helps Jk :)
Logged
Pages: [1] |   Go Up
 


Iceshanty | MyFishFinder | MyHuntingForum
Contact | Disclaimer | Privacypolicy | Sponsor
© 1996- Iceshanty.com
All Rights Reserved.