Otter Ice Lodge or Ice Cabin

[fishn michn]

I have three daughters, two are old enough to take on the ice. I will be fishing alone 75% of the time, or with a buddy. I will have the girls out from time to time. For those of you who have been down this road, do you recommend the Ice Lodge or Ice Cabin? There is only ten pounds difference in the two, so is the bigger one TOO BIG to handle solo?

Thanks in advance,

Adam G.

Traverse City, MI U.S.A

[DonBo]

The Cabin fits in my truck with tailgate closed. The Lodge does not. Was an easy choice for me.

[puckey]

DonBo stated it perfect my lodge fits perfect in the truck, I still struggle a little getting it up into the truck at the end of the day, it has to be empty with no gear inside for me to lift it high enough to get it onto the tail gate,,, but than again im a wimp

good luck

[BoxMN]

I have a Cabin and a magnum tub. Thinking about getting the canvas for the Lodge, but not yet. The Cabin will fish two big guys just fine - not tons of room, but plenty for 4 holes inside and still have room for two flashers and a heater and enough roon to get out/in. But certainly not "roomy".

We can fish even two guys and a little kid in the Cabin, with bench seat. Or one adult and two kids no prob.

Just the tub alone for the Lodge is noticably heftier than the Cabin, so I would say if you go yourself at all, or mostly, for sure the Cabin.

I also just got a Voyager, used, and I gotta say, the room is more like a Lodge which is nice, but the tub itself is of totally different quality than the Otter sleds, not even close to thickness and toughness and shape for going over snow. But it will work fine.

good luck!

btw - a Lodge/Magnum sled or a Voyager sized shack will fit perfectly into a ext cab short-bed bed for length. Won't fit into the smaller crew cab beds.

[Jim Almquist]

I have the Otter lodge and the wife has a cabin and I enjoy having all the extra room when I am by myself. If it is really cold out I will not put a tip up out but will fish 2 lines inside while walleye fishing-one jigging and the other a deadstick and never have any problems when fighting the fish have it get tangled in the other line. It is heavy but I always have it on the snowmobile trailer loaded.

[LakeoftheWoods]

I have an otter lodge, and it fits just fine in the back of a Full sized GMC pickup

[harvey lee]

The Lodge would be a great choice for your situation. My lodge will fit into the back of my pickup with no problem.

[castmaster]

I have 2 Otter Lodges, one with hte old style sled and one with the newer Otter II sled. Either one fits fine in my Chevy ext cab short box.

I wouldnt consider "downgrading" to the cabin. Its nice to have the extra room and really nice to be able to stand up inside the shack.

I'd also recommend getting one of the lightweight aluminum atv ramps for loading it alone. Makes it a lot easier than lifting the front onto the tailgate and then trying to get around back to push it up and in without the front slipping back off.