Pulling Otter Cottage by Hand

[profisher]

Im looking at a few shacks right now. I fish 50/50  by myself and with a friend. I like the idea of having a big 1 person, but I will be pulling completely by hand. Is this sled pullable by hand without smitty sled?

[esox_xtm]

Yep, a smitty just makes it that much easier. I'm 64 and can still tote mine loaded with stuff for two people. I do use a poor man's harness though. Much more efficient than pulling by hand. I still gotta find some skis 'cause smitty is the way to go.

I had about a 15 length of 3" nylon web/strap. Tie the ends together to make a big loop. Secure an attachment device to those ends; A snap, shackle or carabiner will all work. Add a rope piece to the tow connection points on the sled and make a loop in the center with an overhand knot. To use the harness: Connect it to the sled, step inside the loop and place the section in front of you behind your neck and under your arms. I attached a quick and dirty strap that I can use to adjust the load from directly off my neck to my chest or a little lower.

Sled is up north right now. I'll get some pics by the weekend so you can see how it goes. Very simple and very effective.

[Deal Ninja]

I'm not much of a DIY'er, so I bought Clam's towing harness.   Makes a huge difference dragging by hand, but like esox_xtm said, a Smitty Sled is the best bang for your buck.

https://www.marinegeneral.com/product/clam-sled-pulling-harness/

DN

[hardwater diehard]

Otters are heavy and drag like a dead horse... you could build your own or buy a kit

https://www.iceshanty.com/ice_fishing/index.php?topic=347553.msg3700973#msg3700973

[winterbuddy]

Otters are typically comparable to dead horses, this is more of a large goat.  A cottage drags by hand pretty well unless you've got more than a few inches of softer snow.  IMO, if you pack tight and keep your load reasonable, it's not an issue ever.  Certainly not worth the addition of a smitty when you consider the added hassle of setup when moving.

[missoulafish]

he will change his mind about the smitty after slush freezes to the bottom of the shelter....

[marmooskapaul]

I'm bored cause all my ice is melting!  Sooo I would get the smallest, lightest one man flip over I could find. I've got the older Frabill Ultra lite ..weighs like 35 pounds..also got the Otter small cottage one man..nice ..but heavier and harder to pull. I take the Frabill almost all the time..it's just easier to pull and set up wind break. Lets me move around and still keep warm on cold days.

Paul

[tbern]

Otters are typically comparable to dead horses, this is more of a large goat.  A cottage drags by hand pretty well unless you've got more than a few inches of softer snow.  IMO, if you pack tight and keep your load reasonable, it's not an issue ever.  Certainly not worth the addition of a smitty when you consider the added hassle of setup when moving.

. Just curious, are you talking about the setup time of the smitty  sled?

[river_scum]

i have an old 1 man trap.  I mainly use it for the sled and maybe a wind break. rarely do I flip it over and fish inside.  its not heavy and pulls great on ice.  when you get sticky slushy feezing conditions it pulls like a log.  the smity sled nullifies that problem and is almost effortless pulling!  do yourself a favor and get the bigger shanty and make/buy a smity! 

[missoulafish]

Exactly

[Bucket Rump]

I highly recommend using a Smitty - takes but a minute to set up initially and maybe another minute to load your shanty onto it.  MUCH easier to pull when there is snow, and once you get out and setup the Smitty is a great place to rest your auger or other items (spud bar, rod case, etc.) to keep them up off the snow/ice.  If you're only going to move a short distance to a new spot you just loop the Smitty pull rope over/around the shanty sled and pull it along behind the shanty.  Longer distance moves it takes maybe a minute to load the shack back onto the Smitty.  From my experience, what minimal hassle there is with a Smitty the benefits are usually greater.