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Ice Fishing Tips -Check your local regulations! => Ice Shack Tips => Topic started by: jvmate on Nov 29, 2002, 10:32 AM

Title: No-stick shack
Post by: jvmate on Nov 29, 2002, 10:32 AM

Any sugestions for a floor that won't hard freez into the ice. I am in da UP and our weather is flaky as all heck. A common thing to happen is a thaw and then a hard freeze the next day. This results in the floor sinking into the ice and then frezzing over. Very hard to remove a frozen in shack in the spring. Ya know what I mean?

Any tried and true plans to avoid this?

Title: Re: No-stick shack
Post by: mnfisherguy1983 on Nov 29, 2002, 10:58 AM

set the shack up on some 4x4 beams, so then only the beams sink into the ice

Title: Re: No-stick shack
Post by: wisconsinboy on Dec 03, 2002, 09:13 AM

we use 2x4's in each of the corners of our shack and then just chisel them out at the end of the year.

Title: Re: No-stick shack
Post by: ctimfish on Dec 15, 2002, 11:26 AM

Don't know how big your shack is but this works on mine(4'x6').  I set the shack on 8-10 foot 2x6s under the short sides and keep a bucket of 12" 2x4s inside to place under the ends of the 2x6s as needed.  I also screwed 8 foot 1x4 30"s up on the long sides to lift corners making it relatively easy to lever the shack and block it up. If (more like when) the 2x6 freezes in, I just block the corners on using the 2x6s as base. Many use the blocks on the lake I fish.  Since I live on the lake I usually gather all the blocks that many leave imbedded in the ice.  I haven't had to cut a block in 9 years!  I'm in NW lower MI and our ice is always topped with slush and snow.  Good luck.

Title: Re: No-stick shack
Post by: jvmate on Dec 15, 2002, 02:53 PM

DNR or anyone else say anything about leaving the frozen in blocks there for spring thaw?

Title: Re: No-stick shack
Post by: Maverick on Dec 18, 2002, 05:03 PM

I didn't have much luck with 4 x 4's one year. We had the same problem, but by the time we got out to the shack, it was in a foot of water.  It was impossible to jack up. We just hooked up the 4 x 4 truck tothe shack and presto ,out it came, minus two 4 x 4 skids.
Hell I can live with that, at least I got the shack  out.

:D

Title: Re: No-stick shack
Post by: HARDWATERANGLER on Dec 20, 2002, 05:19 PM

HEY

I dont' know the size of your house but I have an 8by8 on wood runners that I put on very
small chunks of 2*4 and pop up frequently with my high lift jack.
Hope it works for you

Title: Re: No-stick shack
Post by: ICE_SHACK_KING on Jan 13, 2003, 05:41 PM

WE HAVE FOUR 8 BY 16 FOOT SHACKS THAT ARE ON 2 BY 8 BY 20 FOOT RUNNERS AND UNDER THESE RUNNERS WE PUT 4 BY 4 OR 6 BY 6 BLOCKS UNDER THE CORNERS AND HAVENT HAD ANY TROUBLE MOVING THEM OFF OF THEIR SPOT YET.  OH AND YES THE DNR DOES NOT LIKE THE BLOCKS LEFT BEHIND AND WILL ISSUE A FINE IF THEY KNOW WHICH SHACK WAS PREVIOUSLY THERE.  WELL, THATS IN WI ANYWAY AND OUR WARDENS ARE REAL ALL AROUND JERKS.  :'(

Title: Re: No-stick shack
Post by: twodoggs on Jan 13, 2003, 07:00 PM

If you build a shack I would only use two Runners on the outside where you can chisle them out.  It is also a good idea to check on your shack through out the winter.  If the water is comming up move the shack.  In Minnesota they (DNR) mark the skids so they know who they belong to.  We used to have 2by4s 2' on center and had a bear of a time poping them lose.  When we rebuilt it we went to 4by4s on the outside with 2by 4s  across the top like a grid.  then you can chisle it out if you are not able to get to it right away if there is alot of snow or a thaw.

Title: Re: No-stick shack
Post by: Flash_King on Jan 15, 2003, 11:38 AM

mnfisherguy 1983- so your the guy that left those 4x4's in the lake that tore apart my lower unit in the spring LOL

Title: Re: No-stick shack
Post by: Flash_King on Jan 15, 2003, 11:41 AM

Best solution if possible! and not leaving anything in the ice is to try and move it (even 6-8ft) each time **have a honey hole-move in circle**

Title: Re: No-stick shack
Post by: Barleydog on Jan 15, 2003, 03:31 PM

JVMate,
Hey I used to put a shanty on Big Shag.  I put 4X4's under it and pulled it out in the spring.  Took a cordless drill along and drilled two holes through the timbers.  Then we hooked two ropes through the timbers and attached two cheesy plastic 25lb. wieghts onto them.  When the ice broke, they sank!  I really don't think the timbers needed the wieght because of the water logging they got.  We usually pulled the shack off  at the last minute, so all was well.  Great Perch and Monster Bluegill fishing there in the spring right around the shanty area.  Used to get 2 dozen crappie minnows from the old guy selling  bait in Gwinn, off of river rd.  Fished with them in 20 ft. of water along with brown and orange fuzzy grubs.  Lots o' fun! :D  -Barleydog  

Title: Re: No-stick shack
Post by: Glassman on Jan 16, 2003, 07:55 AM

If you paint the lower half of the shack white it doesnt reflct as much of the sunlight to the ice, be careful on the sunny side of the shack put your door on the shaded side