Otter Lodge vs resort

[247icefishing]

Looking at trying to decide between the Otter lodge and resort. I'm leaning toward the lodge because I think it will fit in my truck better. Is the resort too big for practical use of taking in and out of a truck? If anyone has one I'd love the actual measurements put together and folded down on both houses (especially the height). Thanks in advance for the info/feedback.

[timbo147]

I have the Resort and really wish that I had something a little smaller when I am by myself. It's nice to have all of that room but it takes more to heat it and just difficult to get in and out of the truck alone. When it's packed up it's 23" high,47"wide and 85" long.

[247icefishing]

Thanks for the info I appreciate the measurements especially! Good luck fishing

[Bulldoggr]

I have the lodge, I had it for a couple of years before I did my Mods to it. It is a little heavy with the mods. but I can get it on my Snowmobile trailer pretty easy.

Plus with the ATV it makes for a very Comfortabl and very Portable unit. I have a 1 ton truck with a full size box. There is a tool box in the box that takes up the first 2 feet and the Lodge still fits in there with the tail gate closed.

I do like putting it on my trailer with the ATV though, especially this winter for getting around on the Ice.

Link for the Mods on My Otter Lodge.

[Northlander]

Unless your going to fish 3 people a lot get the Lodge. It fits in a standard box tightly, a short box would need the tailgate down. The resort will only fit in a long bed or a standard with the talegate down.

The lodge is loadable for 1 guy if you dont have a ton of stuff in it. The reort is pretty much a 2 man job.

You can see all the measurements at www.otter.com

[247icefishing]

Thanks Northlander, I will fish mainly 2 people with the occasional 3rd being my son soon. I checked the dimensions out just wanted to get a sense from owners on whether or not if really folded up to be what it says on the HSOforum. Thanks again for the input.

[Big-Al]

I have the resort and I fish alone at least half the time. I absolutely love it. It is a bit of a task to load in the truck by myself but it mostly technique instead of strength. When I first got it I almost gave up on loading it myself but now it is no big deal. I do always wear creepers on my boots so there is no slipping when I lift. I can't imagine fishing two people in anything too much smaller. I guess I like a little room.

[Tom7227]

A friend gave me one a Lodge and I tried it for a season. It had a bench seat in it and it was tough to get it into the truck by myself. It was heavy and awkward. I ended up giving it back because there just wasn't a decent way for me to get it around. It also was too big for two people and hard to keep warm. I bought a 2 man Clam and it works well for me.

[Eastwind]

We all have a different view of what the right fish house is for us. I have had the Otter lodge (larger two man house) for 8 to ten years. It just fits in the back of my 98 Tahoe with the back seats folded down. I always fish in a group of us, using snowmobiles to get to the fish. My house will be used by myself or myself and one other person. I chose the lodge because I can stand up in it without my head touching the ceiling. Having it to do over again I would have gotten the cabin,the smaller two man house. The ability to stand without my head touching the ceiling has become less important than the house being no larger or heavier than it needs to be. The Lodge loads easily,with one person, on to a snowmobile trailer but is a bear to slide up in to a truck bed, if you're alone. Plus if you tow it behind a sled or 4 wheeler, a lighter weight can be everything if there is slush. We've had slush issues on the ice four out of the past five years during our late January trip to Lake of the Woods, Canada.

I love the Otter lodge when it id set up and I'm fishing but wish I bought the smaller cabin for when I need to handle it. Have fun buying your new portable, whichever one you decide on. BTW if you are going to tow it, get the Hyfax runners, they are worth every penny despite the generous mark up that Otter puts on it.

[portageman]

They are both cats a**

[outdoorsmin]

I have the lodge and wouldn't have another house for one or two people. Wish the thermo skin was a little cheaper

[dan z]

have a cabin and it fishes two with room to spare. I have had three guys on the bench seat and that wasnt to fun but we could still fish. if the bench went to total length of the sled there would be no issue with three guys, it is kinda hard to load with one guy but, I can do it. when someone offers help I take it.

[Jim Almquist]

I have had my Otter Lodge since 2000 and have never regretted buying it. I always fish in it by myself and like having all the extra room. I think it helps get me more walleye/crappie bites on my deadstick when its only 5' away. This way I can jig it every now and then and I feel my jigging helps to attract them in.

My next one will be a Otter thermal.

[JIM C]

I have Otter Pro Cottages and a Lodge. The Lodge is really an ideal 2-Man fish house. It's easy to pull by hand and handle for two guys, and as the other guys said you can fit it into the back of a truck more easily than an Otter Resort.

But if you pull with a machine and have a trailer to haul it, an insulated Resort would be about the ultimate large flip-style fish house. It's my next Otter, can you really ever have too many?

Jim Carroll NPAA #13

[otterman91105]

I also have the otter resort. It's a very nice house, big, but like others have said if you are out by yourself it's a task to load by yourself. Very roomy for fishing.

[Toba]

I recently went from a clam yukon to a thermal lodge. The extra room is great for wife me and my son. Plus no wind and it seems to be plenty warm, but I have not been out in sub 0 temps yet.

[coombia21]

I have a lodge and my buddy has a resort. My lodge fits in my 6.5ft box and I can lock it under my tonneau cover. My buddy has the resort and he has to put the front of the house up on the tailgate of his 6.5ft box. Also with the resort, if you want more than 2 guys in there I feel that you need to have someone sitting on a bucket on the ice.

[247icefishing]

I have a lodge and my buddy has a resort. My lodge fits in my 6.5ft box and I can lock it under my tonneau cover. My buddy has the resort and he has to put the front of the house up on the tailgate of his 6.5ft box. Also with the resort, if you want more than 2 guys in there I feel that you need to have someone sitting on a bucket on the ice.

Would you say that your Lodge packed up height wise would fit under a tonneau fover that only has 21 inches of clearance?

[Northlander]

Not with the seats set up, maybe with the seats laid down in the tub. Thats what my buddies with tonneau covers do. I got sick of the hassle of a taonneau cover and got a topper so I can just slide the house in and lock everything up nicely. I dont regret getting the topper at all. I find it much more secure and easier than a tonneau cover.

[247icefishing]

Not with the seats set up, maybe with the seats laid down in the tub. Thats what my buddies with tonneau covers do. I got sick of the hassle of a taonneau cover and got a topper so I can just slide the house in and lock everything up nicely. I dont regret getting the topper at all. I find it much more secure and easier than a tonneau cover.

Good to know Northlander, I have an avalanche so it has locking panels, so I will likely have to take the seats out each time if I want to slide it under and keep the weather off.

[coombia21]

I have a 2007 silverado and my lodge all packed up fits under my access roll up cover, and my house has hyfax on it.