Portable shelter questions

[Thor]

All of you guys and gals with shelters and shanties are making me kinda jealous.  Problem is, I live and fish in Pennsylvania, usually on public lakes, where ATVs and snowmobiles are often prohibited. 

Are the portable shelters, when filled with equipment, reasonable to pull for one guy?  How about if there is snow on the ice?  Also, would I need to consider only one-person shelters to be pulled by hand, or is it reasonable to pull a 2-3 person shelter?

I have a five year old son that I plan to take along this year, so I'll be carrying some extra gear as it is.  I figure a shelter may make his experience on the ice a little bit more enjoyable, especially if its really cold.  But then again, if the old man can only pull the gear a few yards from the car, maybe we would be better off without it.

Pennsylvania's winter temperatures usually aren't unbearable, so I'm wondering whether the advantages of using a shelter here would be outweighed by the disadvantage of having to pull it.

Any thoughts are appreciated.

[Icenutter]

Thor, I also live in PA and agree that the winters don't get really cold, but I bought a shelter last year (Cabelas shelter) and I would never got back to never having one.  This Cabelas shelter fits on top of my Jet sled and I had no problems pulling it by hand.  This thing is made from wood and alot heavier than you standard models.  I went and got a Fish Trap Guide this year and this thing is just as big as my Cabelas shelter, but alot lighter.  My son is 9 and this will be a great shleter for both of us.  When we go perch and crappie fishing it is amazing at how many more fish we catch when we are in the shelter.  Before the shelter, we were missing all those very finicky and light bites because of the wind.  Now with a good rod we can detect the lightest bites inside the shelter that we weren't able to feel before.  You will not go wrong buying a shelter even fishing in PA.   

[oakorchardfishking]

you can definitely pull most of the shelters by hand... no need for an ATV unless your handicapped like i have become now! for years i hand-pulled my shapell 3000 along with gas auger, buckets, tip-ups, etc. etc... i did this untill 3 years ago when i damaged my back at work! then my buddy would pull it with my gear sitting ontop of his jet-sled! now im in a frantic search for an old 3 wheeler under 500 bucks, so that i can throw chains on the tires and it can pull the stuff out there... as my back has become worse. if i dont find ways to make the sport easier, i will have to give it up as well.. already quit hunting! but as to your question... yes they (most) can be pulled by hand with moderate ease!

[BJ]

I have a shappell 3000 also and its very easy to pull,even when its loaded with gear on top. And when there is a good amount of snow,I just put it on top of my jet sled and off I go. My 9 year old daughter loves it and its simple and quick to set up.

[Fish Monger]

Mine is no worse than pulling a JetSled full of gear. The weight is minimal and can be well worth the effort if the weather is lousy. Although what ever happened to braving the elements......

[bud]

i have a polar escape one man flip over and its easy as pulling your sled.  if you fish in wind or weather then its a good investment!  they make 2 man versions too!  set up and take down make this model a pleasure to own! 

[Cook078]

Hey Thor, I would definately go for the shanty...I have the 2 Man FishTrap Voyager and it pulls ok....Is is work?  Sure, but nothing unbearable!  Your 5 year old will appreciate it and, it will make his trips better and he will LOVE icefishing, instead of looking at it like a chore, that is done in the cold and wind.  Also, you will feel more bites, catch more fish, and have more fun....Absolutly worth the extra effort!!!!

Mike 

[cityfishin]

I used to have a Fish Trap Voyager and for you and your 5 yr old son, it's too big. It's not easy to pull with gear and is definately overkill. I traded that in for a Frabill Solo. It's got a modular seating system that's much more versatile than the Fish Trap. It's big enough for two (shoulder to shoulder) with an extra seat and light enough to be pulled with gear through the snow. Whatever you get will make you and your son happier. Have him bring a sleeping bag and he can pretend to camp out if he get's tired. At least you won't have to pack-it-in if the fish are biting.

[OTIS]

I have a 11 year old and a 5 year old, and we use a Clam Guide.  There is plenty of room for the three of us and our stuff.  I pull all of our gear out in the sled: auger, tackle, graph, bait, food, game boy's, etc...  My 5 year old often refuses to walk so I usually tow him out as well, and have little problem doing so.  I would have to guess the total weight including him is over 100 pounds.  We usually walk several miles each time we're out.  The biggest problem is when there is slush on the ice, then everyone walks.

[Gambler]

 I live in Pa also, I have a shappell 3000 and with all of my gear it can be a bear to pull if there is snow on the ice so I built a sled out of furring strips and put old runner sled runners on it and it pulls very easy now. The frame that I built weighs 12 pounds so it didn't add that much weight. Without the sled the shappell pulled very hard on the slush because there is so much contact area. I have also tried the ski's that are made for the shappell and they worked good except when you moved the shanty while it was still up, the back side of the ski's would dig into the snow and slush and really bog you down. Also I don't have to worry about tearing up my shanty when I pull it over rocks or pavement in the parking lot.

[sbfPA_Mike]

I also live in PA.  I built my own shack,  3' wide by 5' long by 5' tall with a 8" rectangle cut out one side of floor for fishing through.  I believe the shack wieghs around 45 or 50 pounds,  not bad until I put a 20# propane tank on it and the rest of the gear too.  I have 2 3" PVC pipes on the bottom for runners and they work pretty good,  real nice on bare ice.

[killitandgrillit]

I live in Michigan, but we get as much or more snow than you do in PA. I pull my 2 person clam AND a jet sled by myself out to my secret spots. The key is good boots that can give you the grip...also, pick up a harness! It works much the same as a sled dog harness, and keeps your hands free. That way you can lean into it and let gravity help you out. I'm not in outstanding shape either...this year, I put up a hard shack and got a snowmobile..but not because my old rig was not fine. I just wanted to be able to buzz out real fast after work and fish for a couple of hours....towing that rig across the lake and setting up takes me about 45 mins. On a sled, I'm there and fishing in no time!

[bud]

wow great minds think alike!  i built a permenant shanty for the same reasons.  still like to get out and explore but when you only have 2 or so hrs......

[cid]

I have a Fabrill hideout and have pulled it out over a mile without much problem. get some cleats, they help.
A warm little shack will increase you time out on the ice with the little guy big time.
You can close the windows and look down into the water if you get a darker fabric as well. Just do it  !:thumbsup:

[Fat Boy]

Thor, I fish quite a bit in PA, in fact about 90% of my icefishing is done there each year all over the state.  I've braved the most brutal conditions that PA has to offer in the winter out in the open.  Last year I bought the Fish Trap Pro simply because I'm getting too old and crabby to fight the elements any longer.  Now, I fish in comfort and can haul my Trap with my gear across any PA lake snow or no snow with just about as much ease as my old sled full of gear.  Like Icenutter says, there are advantages to using them too especially staying out of the wind.  Also, for guys that brave the elements like I did before last year, how many times did you have a hard time tying on a lure when the conditions were bad?  Inside a shanty with a lantern even with brutally cold conditions outside you can take off your gloves and tie on your lure.  I love my shanty...2nd best investment that I've ever made with regard to ice fishing.

Check out the Fish Trap Guide, it's slightly smaller than the Voyager but OK for two people especially you and your son at his age.  Icefishnfool also fishes a lot of PA waters and uses it as his solo sled and had no problems when we fished together hauling that shanty and his gear around...and believe me, we cover some water!

In summary, it's worth the investment.  Check out various brands and note their features, figure out which is right for you.  Go to some stores and if they are set up on display, sit in them and check them out to make sure that they offer what you need.  I'm not going to endorse one brand over the other.  I like the one that I have because it's right for me, but I also like some of the other models and brands out there.

[MN_transplant]

I'm in agreement with Fatboy. I came to PA this year from Minnesota and until last year I never used a shanty or fish house. Just sat out on a bucket. I picked up a used hunk of junk shanty last year and loved it. I never had much difficulty moving it across any lake in Minnesota, and we got serious amounts of snow there. I wouls suggest the runners that can be bought for most any brand shanty as they do help it glide over the snow and slush much easier. And if you get a pair of good ice cleats you will have virtually no problems moving even th heaviest load. A couple times i even put my daughter on the sled al;ong with all my gear when she got tired and pulled her as well. Which really helps keep down the frustration levels for both of us.
 And there is no explaining the happiness one feels when it is -10 outside with a windchill of -25 and you are in a light sweatshirt, the kids are warm and you have no problem tying on a new jig or removing a fish from the kids hook. ALL WITHOUT SHIVERING!!!!!
 Not to mention that your holes never freeze or slush over.
 Great investment.

[Thor]

Thanks to all of you for your input.  You have convinced me that getting a shelter is a good idea, especially with the little guy in mind (plus I have a two year old daughter who will soon be ready for the ice too).

Now, if I give all of you my phone number, could each of you please call my wife and explain to her why I need to spend several hundred dollars for the shelter?

Will it help if I tell her that "it's for the kids"?

[DIRTBALL2]

Thor-I have a Glacier III portable that only weighs about 25-30 pounds and it is very easy to pull. It's supposed to be a 3 man portable, but if 3 people were going to fish in it they had better be pretty good friends! It will actually fish 2 people very comfortably. Because it's so very light, it is imperative that it must be anchored somehow after it's set up. Since the temperatures in PA don't get anywhere near as cold as they do here in MN, you would probably be able to heat it with a Coleman lantern. One tip I'll give you. Whatever portable you end up getting, spray the bottom of the sled or runners with silicone spray. Be sure it's completely dry before you use it. Your sled will float over the snow and ice like downhill ski's that have been waxed! Good luck with your fishing. That's a beautiful state you live in.

[2 dogs]

I have a Shappell here in Wis. and aways use it as take along my 7yr old grand daughter and buddies grand as well. If they get at all cold pop tlhem inside with the heater and warm up in no time. On nasty days is a must. It is easy to pull across the ice and makes a dandy sled.