Quad or Sled???

[Hardwater Problem]

I am an avid ice fisher in Nebraska, and all of the lakes i've fished here are small to medium sized and a guy doesn't need much more than what he can carry or drag on.   I have a homemade pop up shanty, and hand drag that out only when needed.  (Supercold days)  The lakes I intend to fish in Minnesota are much larger and I don't have any interest in dragging anything.  My question is this...  Other than the obvious ability to use the quad all year long, is there a distinct advantage to the snow machine vs. the quads.  If so is it enough to warrant the extra expense and maintenance of the snow mobile?  Do you have to chain your quad tires or do they pull ok w/o chains?  I hope this isn't a completely stupid series of questions, if so I can take the ribbing.  I am a little anxious about ice fishing in Minnesota, I feel I have been playing on a farm team here, and going to the show!!!  Cant wait!!!  Thanks.

[amortec]

Its going to depend on the year, lately I would say a wheeler  is the way to go But ... when the heavy snows start then you are done ... then its time for the snowmobile! And yes I have both,after the ice gets over afoot then we use the the old Toyota 4Runner, that's my wheeler with heat

[dcso3009]

I run a wheeler all winter on the ice.  Chains make a world of difference.  Some of my fishing partners do have snowmobiles, but we have not been forced to use them at all.  I usually put all the stuff and people on my trailer, hook that to the wheeler and pull them.  I do run a bigger machine- 800 sportsman.

[Skipper]

It can be different from year to year, but we always get a few big storms that dump enough snow to halt the mightiest wheeler. Some years you are fine 90% of the time with a wheeler, but some years they just won't cut it. I have a Sportsman 500 H.O., and it chugs through quite a bit of snow, but it does have its limits. With a wheeler, you are going to have to stay home sometimes.

Two things to concider...

*A quad is very versatile and useful year round.

*Used snowmobiles can be picked up dirt cheap.

I just bought a used Polaris sled, so now I have both!

[Hardwater Problem]

Thanks for the input guys, what is the smallest sled that I will be happy with?  I know it's a loaded question, but what is about the average sized sled nowadays.  I do not need a racer, but I will need enough to pull a shack out.  Thanks...  Matt.  Nice shanty Amortec!!!  The only thing missing is a helo pad.  You should be very proud!!!

[Skipper]

Just about anything will work for snowmobiles, start looking and see whats out there.

440 or 500 cc should give you plenty of power. A 2-up is nice for bringing a friend along. Liquid cooled is a plus, but fans work just fine too. Stay away from sleds built in the early to mid 80s, they had crappy engines. Polaris 500 Indy's are all over like fly poo and they make a good ice fishing sled for cheap. Stay away from the triple cylinders and big bore go fast sleds if you can, they get awfully heavy and they are often severely beaten.

Look at the skis and the belly pan, if these are bent and busted the sled has most likely been ridden hard.

[Hardwater Problem]

Just about anything will work for snowmobiles, start looking and see whats out there.

440 or 500 cc should give you plenty of power. A 2-up is nice for bringing a friend along. Liquid cooled is a plus, but fans work just fine too. Stay away from sleds built in the early to mid 80s, they had crappy engines. Polaris 500 Indy's are all over like fly poo and they make a good ice fishing sled for cheap. Stay away from the triple cylinders and big bore go fast sleds if you can, they get awfully heavy and they are often severely beaten.

Look at the skis and the belly pan, if these are bent and busted the sled has most likely been ridden hard.

This may be a dumb question, but liquid cooled are an advantage???

[amortec]

Polaris Indys, they are out there, like a barn fly on a warm fall afternoon, check out "Craig's list".   I have a 550 fan two up with reverse, its really is Grandma's sled. The other one that I like is a Yamaha Phazer with the long track, they came with 500 cc fans. The Phazer is lighter then the Indy, not so many Yamaha's around, but both.... are great old sleds. Like skipper says stay away from the triples cylinders, anything with big power is usually been rode hard and put away wet!

[amortec]

This may be a dumb question, but liquid cooled are an advantage???

  Yes when temps are above 30* and your working the sled hard.

[Hardwater Problem]

  Yes when temps are above 30* and your working the sled hard.

Understood, and is there an equal and opposite disadvantage to it being below 30 and only using it to drag around a shack...  can they freeze up???  If so, would an air cooled be better for that application?

[dcso3009]

IMO the ultimate ice fishing sled would be a Skidoo Tundra.  The older ones where under 300cc and the new ones are 300's but they are geared for towing.  What an amazing little machine!

[Skipper]

Understood, and is there an equal and opposite disadvantage to it being below 30 and only using it to drag around a shack...  can they freeze up???  If so, would an air cooled be better for that application?

Nope, they use antifreeze just like a car. They cool more evenly and efficently, and they can retain a little more heat when it is brutally cold. I have aways taken liquid cooled sleds over fans, but dont pass on a fan if you can get a good deal.

[Hardwater Problem]

Good stuff...   I am now on the market.

[splakeshaker]

I have a 93 indy sport. It has the 440. No frills but plenty of towing power. Never even a remote problem as far as towing power. I've had 2 people and a load of gear on it without issues.

[Hard Ice]

Someone over looked this... If you are going to be riding  in any amount of slush the track will freeze up the best chance of this happening is when your all alone and theres nobody around to help you get it unstuck ! This i do know because i have been there .. Sents then i have gone with a 4x4 wheeler in the 5 years that i have had it iv never been stuck or have had a frozzen track !

[splakeshaker]

Good point. You do have to keep that in mind. Be careful where you park your sled and it's good to run them every so often to avoid freezing up if you are in some slushy areas. One good practice that I use is that I'll run a track out to my intended spot(s) without my gear. Come back, and load up. This will allow the slush a chance to freeze up a bit and you will also know where the worse pockets of slush are. It takes a bit longer but you can save yourself some HUGE problems as well. I've been there too. But I agree, slush is your enemy!! As with most things, common sense and awareness will keep you out of trouble, for the most part.

[Skipper]

Hard ice is right. You can get a frozen chunk up by your driveshaft, or even freeze your track to your suspendion. The best policy is to stay out of the slush pockets with a snowmobile.

This is always the problem, it is best to have an ATV and a snowmobile. Who the heck can afford it though?