Portable fishhouse improvements

[Captain B.R.K]

This probably should have been posted before the ice was underway of being made, and maybe I'm out of place with this one...but what types of improvements have people made to make your portable sleds more effective.
1. I'm looking at something on the floors of my portables so that the gear I have doesn't slide around.
2. Material, paint, spray-on to make my inside of my fishtrap pro a darker atmosphere

Those are only two particulars, but I'm interested in all things...fess up ICELEADERS!

[Guest]

I added a piece of carpet to the bottom of the inside of my sled. It helps with insulation and keeps stuff from sliding around. As far as darkening the inside or your portable, I would assume that there is paint or some sort of material out there that would work. There was a previous topic about this during the fall but I don't recall what it was. Sorry I couldn't help you in this category.

Good Fishin, Matt.

[Guest]

http://fishingminnesota.com/ubb/Forum30/HTML/001695.html
Here you are

[Captain B.R.K]

Thanks Bigguns. I guess that past session particular talked about how someone could rig up a system of pulling the trap or a portable house.
How about making the inside of the trap darker? Is there some type of paint out there or spray-paint that would work?
People talk about carpet in their traps, doesn't it make for a wet mess when the trap sweats and the ice that melts on the carpet? What other types of materials are out there for this?

[rod bender]

I made a sled to carry my Frabil XL Speedshak out of a used set of downhill skis. I mounted four 4"X4"X6" blocks on each ski and connected the skis with 1" conduit sunk into the blocks. The shack sets on top of the sled real nice and it pulls like a dream. When put in the truck the sled slips right over the shack with the skis hanging on the sides.

Also rigged up a dome light to connect to the VEXI battery when extra light is needed or the lantern runs out of juice.

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Rodbender

[Guest]

Carpet's essential in there. But get the indoor/outdoor kind and don't glue it down. With the low profile of indoor/outdoor carpet, you won't be fighting the stuff to get back a favorite jig that gets hooked in it. Just cut it to fit well into all of the corners and it will stay put ok....Yep, it's gonna get wet and your house won't become a home until there's about fifteen or seventeen dead minnows ground into it. Maybe a little spilled beer too. But just take it in the house (after you pull the minnows off) and let it dry out overnight. If you want to stay friends with the wife-sneak it into the basement. ...T

[MJR]

Rod Bender
How does the dome light hooked to your vex battery work? Is it sufficient light by itself and how long does the battery last?

I am going to try and become lantern free this year and am wondering what my options are for lighting my portable. I like the idea of the LED light but do they come in varieties that would light up the the whole fishouse or are they more of a direct light? Any thoughts?

[Perchpapa]

You can buy rubber undercoat spray at Wal-mart or just about anyplace that sells paint. It comes in a spraypaint can and sprays really well. I spray it in the wheelwells of my car.

Perchpapa

[WarrenA]

I have a Shappell S-3000 shack. First I took the factory carpet out cleaned the floor grooves with Lacquer Thinner then sprayed the grooves full with Good Stuff foam insulation took a filet knive after it was dry and cut flat painted the foam flat black with outside latex house paint. Then I took some 1/4" luan underlayment cut it fit painted it flat black both sides, then put the underlayment and the factory carpet back in with plastic pop rivets that I had left over from putting license plates on new cars altho aluminum pop rivets with backer washers would have worked as well. now it is solid. then I took a piece of left over short looped carpet and made a 1 piece carpet to cover the floor and used some snaps to fasten the carpet in place. Just for good measure I extended the doors down with 2 strips of duct tape each side so the wind couldn't blow through under the door, I always turn the shack with the narrow side to the wind so it doesn'tcatch so much of it. I also put rings under the shack where the factory pop riveted the hinges for the frame, pop the rivet end out of the rivet and run a piece of wire through the rivet and now you can anchor the shack down with a hook and a deck screw a 2" to 2 1/2" screw depending on snow depth is all you need use a 1/4" mechanics speed handle to turn the deck screw in fast and lightweight.