Popup vs. Flip over need help!

[Ryderr]

I went fishing this past weekend on a small lake, I thought I could pull my frabill guardian no problem without snowmobiles. I was wrong! Normally I can, but there was almost 2ft of snow on top of the ice, and I just couldnt pull it. I ended up fishing the same spot all day because I was just too tired to move it.

Since then I am considering getting a popup or a flip over for the days like that or early ice. I will be fishing that lake a lot and there is always a foot or more of snow on top of the ice. Its usually just myself and my fiancee who fishes together, but sometimes we have a third guy with us, but he mostly fishes outside the shanty any way.

We are considering a popup but not sure which one to get. Plus we know they are a pain with wind as one of my buddies we have fished with has one and he has a hard time putting it up in the wind, which we tend to get a lot of. But we need to have an otter sled anyway for gear. We are on a budget, but we were considering getting two one man flip overs or one pop up. Sometimes I am buy myself and I would hate to have to set up a popup shanty if its just me, so in those cases it would be better to have a flip over.

So I guess I am asking what do you all think? We were thinking the basic model flip overs like the Frabill Recon or Clam Trapper or Trapper II or at least a 3 man pop up. 

[tman5377]

I have an otter quickfish 2 hub, I picked it up at a yard sale this summer, and I like it.
It comes with straps on the bag so it works like a backpack.

I normaly use my homemade sled that I load everything on glides over any show I've run into and its nice on glare ice because I can use it like a walker.

If I were to buy a new portable and i didn't have a sled I would probably go with a flip style, if you like fishing together.

If you like the single style I have a friend who swears by the packshack, like a camp chair with a flip.

I don't know if that helps.

Good luck

[AtlBraves12]

If you have an otter sled to haul a pop up shelter in anyways, I would recommenda pop up. I had a flip over shelter (eskimo profish 350) the last 3 years but there just wasn't enough room for my dad brother and I. I first had the clam command post thermal,  but it fell apart so I exchanged it for the eskimo quickfish 6 and I like it alot so far. It's made better than the clam and it is very roomy for 3 people. I haven't been out in extreme winds over 30mph, but I have been out in about  15-18mph sustained winds with gusts to 20-22 and once it is up and anchored in it's suprisingly sturdy in the wind. I actally like it better in the wind compared to my flipover. The tarp wasn't the tightest in my flipover even with all the support bars in and if there was a 20mph wind it flapped all day and would become very annoying. The one recommendation I have for positioning a popup in the wind is put the side with least resistance facing into the wind. Tie a support to that end, secure it to an anchor, and screw the ice anchor into the ice. You may also want to screw in a couple more anchors into the ice through the grommets, but I haven't used all the ice anchors in an outing yet. Good luck with your decision.

[oldbuck]

I have the Eskimo Quickfish 3 popup and I really like it. If you anchor down the corners before you pop it up you wont have a problem with wind. I put mine up alone last year with 40 mph gusts and fished all day. I use an Otter sled with all the rest of my gear and it pulls quite easily even with a foot of snow. Im 6' 3" and I can stand up in it, weighs 23 pounds. Check it out.

[fishing grampa]

Yep, just what oldbuck said.... I like my quikfish3 pop up, light weight, easy to put up, and roomy.

Now listen to your elders, oldbuck & the fishing grampa......hehe

[tbfisherman]

Do a Search under this Heading.....My Homemade $15 Sled!
This Sled will get your Shelter up above the snow and it will be very easy to tow it out onto the Ice.
Lots of people have done this even with Flip Over Shelters and Thanks is Due to Smitty....Called the Smitty Sled now.

Bob

[Ryderr]

I have seen the $15 sled post before. What about for moving? I like to jump holes a lot and in the UP there are some days you just cant go without your shanty. Are the popups hard to move and relocate? I know cabin shelters are. Been there, done that! 

[Ryderr]

Can you link one man clams still?

[oldbuck]

If the wind isnt blowing hard I can go inside my Quickfish 3 and move it 50 yards or so when its setup. If you want to move a long way you can take it down and have it in the bag in a couple of minutes, or you can take it down it folds up by itself put it in your sled out of the bag and go. You will be surprised just how easy it goes up and comes down. 

[walleye tattoo]

What Old Buck said.

[iceman11]

i;d go popup eventhough i've never been inside one.  i just know how hard it is to pull my frabil predator through even the lightest of snow

[Ryderr]

I ended up getting a clam trapper. I am very happy with it, it only ways 38lbs and we fished two people in one of them, even if it was uncomforatble. It can be done. I know what your saying with the predator, we almost got that one. With a snowmobile I wouldnt want anything smaller than the guardian, but when you are pulling it by hand, you tend to deal with a smaller space much better.