Snowmobile or ATV for Ice Fishing

[MinnGuy]

If you could only have an ATV or snowmobile for the entire ice fishing season, what would you have? And why? Wheelers are nice year round, but I've heard deep snow can make them useless.

[DeeJ]

For me: I've got enough to do in the spring and summer to stay plenty busy. I don't see myself trail riding much on the wheeler. But if you hunt, you would definitely get another season out of the wheeler in the fall at minimum. You could also use it to plow, haul, garden, etc... they're handy machines vs. being able to use the sled only when snow and ice are around.

I've been having the same dilemma since I can probably only afford one before next year... leaning toward the sled since they seem to a be a hair cheaper. Hopefully wheeler in 2011.

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[Rippinlip]

Lots of different responses on there way I am sure, myself I will vote for the wheeler.

I have only had this year where a snowmobile would have been a better option.

I also like the way I can set up my wheeler to hold everything, plus days like today where the temps get kinda high for ice fishing, I would rather drive through some standing water with a wheeler over a sled.

[deadeye]

It depends on where you fish.

If your up north then a snowmobile is a must. There are occasions where a atv will be all you need but on lakes that don't have plowed roads a snowmobile will be a better option. There are many places that you can go with a snowmobile that a atv simply cant get to as well. You got a whole network of trails that cross lakes that would otherwise be inaccessible.

In the southern part of the state where we don't get that much snow a ATV will be fine 99% of the time. There is the occasion where there is more snow a ATV can handle but for the most part it will do fine.

If you plan on wanting a atv for hunting and other stuff then definitely go that route. Another option is that you can always put tracks on a atv if you run into snow too deep.

[BoxMN]

If you have room, you always get both A decent sled for fishing can cost as cheap as $500-$1000 and work just fine. I got a old one that I traded an old canoe for, and it works great. Main drawback for me (3 sleds) is once you don't have snow anymore, sleds are a pita to move around. An ATV you just fire up and move it I don't have a ATV as I would not use it for anything but fishing, so sleds work great as I drive them out my garage with shack hooked up.

Good luck!

[coombia21]

IF it were me I would get the ATV first. Because I use my wheeler year round from working to trail riding to hunting and then to ice fishing and plowing. I have both a sled and a atv I rarely use the sled for ice fishing because i cant put anything on the sled like I can for the wheeler and I only got stuck once this year on the wheeler and I was riding over deep drifts on red lake. So my vote would be atv first.

[LightningBG]

I'd go with a sled because they can be so much cheaper. And if you want to go all season long, there ya go.

This is assuming you dont have any other use for a wheeler.

[pulleye16]

If you strickly want an answer for whats better only during ice fishing, an ATV or snowmobile...SNOWMOIBILE (only if you aren't pulling a perm). A snowmobile is 10 times safer on the ice and does handle sluch and snow better. Everything besides a perm can also be pulled with a sled and you can usually haul two people on a sled safer then an ATV, plus you can move faster around the lake.

However, like just about everyone else, an ATV would be a more practicle decision if you had to only buy one for obvious reasons. What I did was purchase a brand new ATV for everything, hunting, camping, fishing, working, and fun. Then I went out a bought an older, cheap snowmobile just for ice fishing. you can find cheap sleds for $300-1000...wait off on buy a winch for your ATV and buy a cheap sled.

[Fredd]

atv for me. use it year round and with the snow cycles around the central part of the state over the last few years, have not had to have a sled to get on the ice (snow has not usually been too deep).

[PerchJerker]

I have a wheeler that I use for ice fishing and a bunch of other things. When it works for ice fishing it works GREAT ---- but snow will make it useless in a hurry. If I was getting a machine primarily for ice fishing it would be a snowmobile for sure.

Or, open up the checkbook and get tracks for your atv, then it would work no matter what the snow conditions are like.

[fishwacker1]

I second the notion to get tracks for ATV! You work so hard, have fun with your money.

[Ed Carlson]

I recommend you look at a new ATV/UTV traction system called J-Wheelz. Developed by some guys in SD.

A very nifty, effective, and low cost answer to traction and flotation concerns on the ice/snow/slop, and mud. Check out the video on it once.

A very smart system, in many ways.

[Mcfin]

Deadeye is deadright. Just about what I was going to say. If you are fishing on lakes that are used by many people, get an ATV. 99 percent of the time, my ATV works great.

[Wheelerboy]

I use a wheeler to pull portable house and depending on where in the state I fish I put on tire chains.

[Steve Foss]

If you could only have an ATV or snowmobile for the entire ice fishing season, what would you have? And why? Wheelers are nice year round, but I've heard deep snow can make them useless.

It simply depends on where you are, as long as budget is not an issue.

If you are in snowy country, the sled makes the most sense. If not, the ATV all the way.

Ed, those wheels look like the total answer! Shame it costs so much extra to make an ATV practical in deeper snow. But at least those ATV options are available for those who can afford them. No options I know of to make a sled practical on dry land or when late ice has water on top.

If budget is the 600 lb gorilla in the room, it's a LOT easier to find a great used snowmobile with lots of life left in it for way less than a used 4x4 ATV. I mean, $1,000 buys you a ton of used sled for ice fishing purposes. Try finding a solid 4x4 ATV for that.

BTW, being in snow country, I have the sled. But my real question is . . . why can't I just have both?

[stumper]

I have both and the wheeler hasnt left the yard since December 31. Basically usless this yr with all the snow. Ant other yr it was fine. The sled is WAY smoother when getting around the lake.

[Ed Carlson]

Originally Posted By: MinnGuy

If you could only have an ATV or snowmobile for the entire ice fishing season, what would you have? And why? Wheelers are nice year round, but I've heard deep snow can make them useless.

It simply depends on where you are, as long as budget is not an issue.

If you are in snowy country, the sled makes the most sense. If not, the ATV all the way.

Ed, those wheels look like the total answer! Shame it costs so much extra to make an ATV practical in deeper snow. But at least those ATV options are available for those who can afford them. No options I know of to make a sled practical on dry land or when late ice has water on top.

If budget is the 600 lb gorilla in the room, it's a LOT easier to find a great used snowmobile with lots of life left in it for way less than a used 4x4 ATV. I mean, $1,000 buys you a ton of used sled for ice fishing purposes. Try finding a solid 4x4 ATV for that.

BTW, being in snow country, I have the sled. But my real question is . . . why can't I just have both?

The J-Wheelz are $590 for the whole kit complete. Not bad at all.

Can take them off as needed in 10 minutes. They do not effect top speed as the extra support does not hit the ground tell it is needed, and then speed is not the issue, traction and buoyancy is. Find the vedeo on them and watch it, they are a slick system.

[Esox_Magnum]

Choice was pretty easy for me, not much use for a quad here since you can only ride them in approved parks or travel out of state to ride. Can't see having a $5k toy just sit in the garage for a hand full of uses a year. Most times after the first of the year I can drive my truck anywhere I need to be, but I do have a sled for the times like this year of deep snow and now when it's turning to slush and for early ice when I don't want to walk a mile. Plus a sleds fun to go for an afternoon ride with the guys. I have about 500 miles on my sled this years already, I had my last quad 4 years and put 700 on it, mostly out west elk hunting.

[stumper]

Id like to try a set of the J wheels for myself although I have heard of Tranny problems on machines using them.

[opsirc]

went with a wheeler, but I use it all year. pick up a used machine for dirt cheap wneh the wheeler can not get out.