The Age Old Question....ATV or Snow Mobile

[icejunky]

In the next yeart or so I will be in position to buy something to help me get around on the ice a bit better, I not sure if i would be better off lookign at snow mobiles or ATV's...what do you think?

[tarbot]

ATV....  You can use it year round.

[Lobes]

With the ATV I can leave the plow on and in a few seconds have the area cleared and riders go in the sled behind me with the Shappell behind it.
Plus as mentioned above, it gets year around use.

                                                 
NBG

[fish_boy]

it all depends on the areas that you fish. If you're going into a bunch of back lakes where you will encounter more snow you'd be better suited to a sled. But on the other hand if you're fishing more areas like the Bay of Quite then I'd stick with the ATV. And as mentioned above it can be used year round. I got my ATV last fall (bought it used from a guy that I work with) and used it lots last season. It sure beats walking.

[cmspence]

just for ice fishing the snowmobile is the best buy one used for about 1500-2000 you can pull just about anything

i use my raptor 660r which is a sports bike works pretty good aslong as you got some mph behind you when you hit the snow drifts.

my friend has a 4 wheel drive quad which works really well with snow chains

if i could only have one i would pick a quad you can ride all year round

[Skipper]

If you can only afford 1 machine, a 4x4 will get way more use. I think a long track liquid cooled touring sled is the tops for Icefishing though. It is all about how many toys you can afford. If I had both machines side by side in the garage, Id bet the touring sled would see more action.

[IrishIce99]

in heavy snow, nothing beats a snowmobile, even if you have a plow for your atv

[Hollywood703]

My Arctic Cat 4x4 has 12" ground clearance standard.....If there is more snow than that on the ice, im not going to be on the ice anyway.....I have had it in a wet 8" snow and no issues......And i use it in the summer for pond fishing as well as hunting.

[Haywood]

I have had a few days where my wheeler couldn't get me on the lake, but have yet to have a day where the long track couldn't do it.  Of course with the pansy winters we have had, Ice fishing is all my sled has been good for. 

[sarniajeff]

Wondered the same thing for years.
Went with the sled and never looked back.
Been out with ATV's and they were pushin more than drivin when it came to any amounts of snow!!!
I believe you can pick up a decent used sled for a lot less than you can buy an ATV.
Yes, you can use a Quad more throughout the year but if your looking for ice transportation with no worry of snow depths, the Sled is my choice.
The wife enjoyed the first led so much we purchased a second one last year.
Of course she took the faster of the two!!!!!!!
There are those who warn of melted sliders on the Sleds if there isn't enough snow. This isn't a problem if you periodically squirt some cheap dish soap on them for lubrication if snow is limited.
I also studded my tracks (optional) for increased traction.
I don't regret my choice!!!

[michianafisherman]

We only get about 12 inch's of ice in my area. I use a 125 ATV that only weighs 200 lbs. I put a couple of boxes of hex screws in the tires and use it all season. If there happens to be allot of snow I have to stay on the path going out to the spot I may not want to fish. but at least I get there.
I pull two shanty's plus the friends ( three people) ride on sleds and I have another sled with my batteries and tip-ups. My 125 puts out about 8 hp and all I did was adjust the automatic clutch so it doesn't slip when pulling.

[FISHFORPIKE]

I use a quad.  Sometimes I wish I had a sled (and I will one day).  You know, when you get 8" of white stuff on top of a ice crust with 4" of water and slush under that to the "real" ice?  Well you might want chains on your quad (I put them on NOW).  We seem to get those conditions around here every year - they may only last a week or two, but that's a week or two of going fishing somewhere other than first choice.

[sled-in]

For me its a snowmobile, but you know where you fish and what conditions are like out there, I don't think anyone can tell you what you need. But do look at the reasons people have made the choices they did.

I ride a '93 Indy trail deluxe, its long track, two-up, 440 fan. I didn't want reverse or electric start for weight reasons. Its old, so I don't care about scratches, and it cost me $1700 CDN a couple years ago. I just finished putting on a deep lug track.

I married into a remote cabin 5 miles from the nearest road, we have to break our own trail in through swamps with deep snow and bush. I needed something that can handle that kind of ride

[ALASKANSS]

both for me.

[cSpike]

One advantage a sled has over the atv is traversing pressure ridges. Sleds don't put as much force on the ice when moving so they skim over the weak pressure ridges where as ATV will tend to break thru.

Spike

[pike4some]

Honda Rubicon for me I am able to multi task with it throught the seasons.

[SkeeterJeff]

What, no option for my boots?  The ice seldom gets thick enough in our neck of the woods to put a machine on. 

Jeff

[holehopper]

A snowmobile is tough to beat on the ice.  If you are going to use a machine purely for ice fishing, I'd go with the snowmobile.  You can cover more ground, go through more snow, etc.  If you are going to need to trailer it to get where you fish, definitely make sure you get a machine with reverse.  Two up machines are great for ice fishing. 

[luv2fish2]

07 can-am 800 4x4 with tracks (studded) ,i remove tracks in spring it will go any where i need to go i can use for huntin and fishin not real inexspensive  though 7500.00 atv 3200.00 tracks

[sageur]

The side buy side atv are awsome they go through more snow than the reg 4 wheelers and they have a payload box to cary your equipment and you can enclose the cab for those nasty cold and windy days. Put tracks on them and you are unstoppable. Like it has been said before its a year round machine.

[Sledgod]

I have both but I would have to say the snowmobile for Ice fishing...because if the fishing isn't going so great you can always take a burn on the lake/trails with the sled and have a blast but if theres any kind of snow the wheeler just isn't that fun on the lake... just my opinion.

[who me lost?]

Skidoo Grand Touring 550 long track for me, got tired of carrying the Yamaha YFM 350 2wd thru the snowbanks.
I clearly need a bigger garage though!

[duck doctor]

sled all the way!

[FISHFORPIKE]

Watch the poll! 

[7 plus larry]

Its got to be the sled 2ups are the way to go.No snow its walking time,i guess i need to buy a wheeler.

[phippini]

Sold the sled and used the money to finance the purchase of tracks on the ATV.  Hard to stop on any terrain I have experienced yet.

[Haywood]

do this on an ATV

[macker13]

If you can only afford 1 machine, a 4x4 will get way more use. I think a long track liquid cooled touring sled is the tops for Icefishing though. It is all about how many toys you can afford. If I had both machines side by side in the garage, Id bet the touring sled would see more action.

Ditto!!! I am fortunate to have both.  I've got a 2-up touring AC 4 stroke sled and love it.  I also have an Outlander Max 2-up.  Both are great for hauling a partner (i.e. son or daughter).  The 4x4 is more versitle.  I use it yr round, but when there's snow, the sled is guaranteed to get me there.  The 4x4 is great when you've got slush to get through.

[J FISH]

In northern lower mich. its best to have both. you never know what ma nature will bring.

[brokenline]

i drove my buddies grizley and gets stuck to easy for me... im a sled guy i only have a ag 340 and it can pull my perm aroud and make it up 55 degree inclines in powder.... i just plain ol hate gettin stuck...