Snowmobile for Ice Fishing

[holmsvc]

I am looking at purchasing a used snowmobile for ice fishing. I am not looking for anything fast or new.

I am looking for advice on an older dependable sled for pulling my otter around.

[toughguy]

I don't want to start a debate over which make or model is best. We could be here the rest of the summer. Look for 500 or 440 fan cooled sleds if you want a cheap, more reliable, older sled. Liquid cooled engines have more issues than fan cooled when they get older IMO. Most older fan cooled sleds have carburetors. Learn how to keep your carbs clean (if you don't already know how), change your plugs often and you should be good to go.

[CaptainMusky]

fan cooled machines are nice if the weather is cold and low snow conditions. but you get warm temps they they run hot.

Agreed that they tend to be more reliable though because there is less to go wrong. Put a set of ice scratchers on the skis to keep the hyfax lubed and never a worry on bare ice.

A two-up machine is nice though with longer track, better in deep snow and possibly a rack on the back to put your electronics in so they dont bounce around in the house.

[JSK76]

If you can find a sled with a longer track that would be a bonus. Standard track size is 121" if you could even get a 2up with a 136" track would be nice. It might even leave some room off the back for a milk crate to put your flasher in. The more track on the snow is going to be your friend if your running into slush, pulling a fish house deep snow etc.

[ClownColor]

I don't want to start a debate over which make or model is best. We could be here the rest of the summer. Look for 500 or 440 fan cooled sleds if you want a cheap, more reliable, older sled. Liquid cooled engines have more issues than fan cooled when they get older IMO. Most older fan cooled sleds have carburetors. Learn how to keep your carbs clean (if you don't already know how), change your plugs often and you should be good to go.

My advice also.

[leech~~]

Do a Search on it, this came up a few times last winter.

[Wanderer]

About the only thing I'd add to the above comments is the bigger the lugs on the track, the better.

I'll tell ya though, at Game Fair I checked out the nice white Artic Cat 9000 sitting there (anyone that went to Game Fair knows the one) and my wife said she realized she didn't exist for a few minutes. And I'm a Polaris guy!!

16k is a little steep though.

[CaptainMusky]

I'll tell ya though, at Game Fair I checked out the nice white Artic Cat 9000 sitting there (anyone that went to Game Fair knows the one) and my wife said she realized she didn't exist for a few minutes. And I'm a Polaris guy!!

16k is a little steep though.

just don't ride one then you will try and justify that price. I've ridden them many times and yowsers. Took days to get the smile off my face.

[leech~~]

About the only thing I'd add to the above comments is the bigger the lugs on the track, the better.

I'll tell ya though, at Game Fair I checked out the nice white Artic Cat 9000 sitting there (anyone that went to Game Fair knows the one) and my wife said she realized she didn't exist for a few minutes. And I'm a Polaris guy!!

16k is a little steep though.

Just make sure to show the wives, the "pretty ones" it helps a lot!

[WTN4ICE]

My 95 XLT 2-up does the job,plenty of power,added a rack and Ram mount for gps.

[JSK76]

Not sure how old your looking at but if looking in the mid 1990's here's a few motor sizes that seem to be proven reliable. Also if it was me and I know some might disagree I would stay away from triple cylinder sleds in general. some people will say "mines been great" but there's a reason they went away from them. And if nothing else its one less carb to clean every year.

Ski-doo 583

Ski-doo 670 (single pipe)

Polaris 500 liquid

Yamaha 600 twin

Arctic Cat 550

[toughguy]

+1 on staying away from a triple.

[CaptainMusky]

Especially 3 cylinder single piped sleds. Plagued with carb issues and the middle cylinder burning down.

Good suggestion to avoid them in general.

[walleye 4 me]

i have the same kinda setup as wtn4ice except mine is a 97 indy trail touring. pull doubles all the time. put a ram mount on the dash for my h2oc and a stiffer rear spring so my buddy and I can ride double and not bottom out (both around 275). I made a auger holder that mounts on the side but i might get the new digger auger carrier and mount it on the back. there are a couple times it would have been nice to have a studded track as well.

[walleye 4 me]

[CANOPY SAM]

Oh, on the topic of the new BearCats, if you ride one you'll quickly try to pull together the money. Once in a while you can get lucky and find a nice used one, late 2000's model, for 1/4 the price of new. I'm in the process of finding one now for my wife. wink wink, nudge nudge!!!

Anything will do the trick though, as long as you have a 2-up, long wide track, 500-750 cc's, 4-stroke is nice, but the old fashioned 2-strokes are much easier to maintain and fix when something fails. Seat warmers and hand warmers are a wonderful value add to an ice-fishing sled. Also, if you can find something with an extra tall windshield, this can make travel in a cold wind quite a bit less challenging.

Oh, and when purchasing a used sled, check to make sure the suspension is riding as high as possible, and you can jump on her pretty hard without too much play. When you're pulling a bit of weight (a house full of gear 200-300lbs), and riding alone, or with another rider, you're going to test that suspension out on the lake. You don't want it bottoming out and tearing up your track, which happens more often then one would expect with older used sleds.

[JSK76]

This is what I will be sporting this next winter. 4 stroke torque, fuel injected, 144" track 1 1/4" lug with a massive amount of storage if you pull the 2up seat off. Still fit 2, 5 gallon pails with the seat on. Still have to get it set up for fishing but will be doing that soon.

[CANOPY SAM]

Ha ha ha... not quite sure that's what's in this guy's budget! Gorgeous sled!

[JSK76]

I bought it in April for a steal!

[kerryd15]

After I bought mine I discovered reverse would be really nice.

[Dock Boy]

[Dock Boy]

Sorry tried adding a photo, but it did not work

[Rod Woten]

Oh, on the topic of the new BearCats,

while we're on the subject, here's mine. Some of the best money I've EVER spent for ice fishing!

[Nozzlejocky]

I have a '96 Skidoo Skandic that fits the bill quite nicely. Not the fastest thing on ice as top speed is 52mph (way to fast for ice travel anyway). What it lacks in speed, it makes up for in pulling power. With a fan-cooled 500 in it, and the way it's geared, she'll pull anything around. A long deep lug track also. I've also heard the Arctic Cat Bearcat is nice, but don't have any personal experience with it.

[DTro]

Decide how much you want to spend and within that price range, find something that has a 2UP seat, reverse, at least 440cc engine and a nice spot to mount a hitch.    . Studded tracks will help a lot on the ice too.     Personally I think pulling power is a bit overrated, its not like you are towing a boat here.   I think the BearCat has been a popular one among some ice fishermen because it color coordinates so well.