time for a new portable.

[Abndoc]

Anyone have any recommendations? Mostly for myself and wife, or myself and 2 boys. But we are a family of 6. 10, 8, and twins that are 3. What's the best out there for that size?

[gonehunting]

Find a used Fish Trap (Clam) X4. Can usually find for around $500-$600. All kinds of room. 4 seats plus room to throw a couple buckets to sit on.

[blackdog1101]

Sounds like you need a nice one-man portable.

Seriously though, I'd look into something along the lines of the Eskimo Fatfish portables. Light weight, quick and easy to set up, and very spacious. And about $225. No affiliation, jut hoping to help.

[Tom Batiuk]

It all depends on the type of fishing you would like to do? Are you hand pulling a sleigh or using a sled or ATV? If your a hole hopper then a flip over is the way to go for quick moves. If its a family affair where you wait for the bite in a known location then a hub style shelter could be the way to go for room. I go different ways depending on what I am doing. If i'm alone I just take my Clam one man Pro. If its me and my two boys I'll use my Clam X2 Thermal. This leaves me fishing outside but I like to hole hop around anyway and the boys get the warm house. Next winter my twins will be old enough to come along and I was planning on adding a JM5000 thermal pop up hub to the mix to fit the whole family in. Regardless to bring the family is lots of work! Make your trips comfortable and then everyone will catch more and have fun. Thats the name of the game!!

Good luck and good fishing!

Tom

[Eric_Kruger]

either one of the eskimo pop ups or a perm....If your moving alot the eskimo's are nice cause they take a minute or two to set up. you can anchor them to the ice and have a ton of room.

[dangnear]

This should hold your family

[palisade1kid]

Flip overs have their place but to get one big enough your looking at close to a grand. I would suggest a Jason Mitchell 5000. I have one and it seats 4 nicely and a bit snug with 6...talking adults here....At Cabe;as they are like 460 something but list around 600$....still way under a grand...heck room enough to pick up a FL8 ....packs easy and does not require a truck or trailer.

[tsande00]

I use both a flip over and a 8'x8' insulated hub shelter. Both work well and serve their purpose. If I'm taking the kids out or spending the night I use the hub. The build in sled of the flip overs is nice if you are walking out.

[amateurfishing]

I just picked up the clam 6 pack (at the Blaine show)hoping to get the kids out this year. $270 flat, retailer even paid the sales tax for me, ive had it up twice, fits 4-6 easy peasy, weighs about 35 lbs and comes in giant sport type bag with length of bag zipper, easy to take out and put away by self. hoping for lots of good times in mine this year. also 5 sided, built in cargo nets, & I can stand upright in middle (6 0)

[Chad Holst]

I have a older, but still very good Clam suit case flat four man. (fits in a SUV with room to stack buckets, augers, chairs on top of it, or the back seat of a car. It will fit in a car trunk that has a fold down back seat) It is the smallest suit case house that truelly is a four man house) The floor folds out to a 6 x 4 ish sized area, then you havve the tent portion extended over the ice on either side. Great for the kids if they tend to play all over the floor, as the floor is covered but the hole area is all open for 1-2-3 hole set ups on each side. AND its for sale. Make an offer, its collecting dust.

Why am i getting rid of it?

Because i have moved to all pop ups now. too light and slick to go back to a sled /case house. I'm 6'4"ish and i wish i had gotten the bigger pop up from the 6 pack, but for the money the six pack is great. Be prepared to put your own zipper cords on, as the plastic ones that come on the house break the first time you use them. a shoe string works just fine.

We fish 3 guys, a large heater and 6 holes, all facing the same way so we are not back to back. its PLENTY large. if your sitting on smaller chairs or buckets, you could fish 5-6 people with 1 hole a piece. they really do have alot of room.

[JohnMickish]

I recommend either the Jason Mitchell 5000 or the Clam Big Foot 4000 and here is why.

Insulated, helps keep you and the wife/kids warmer with less propane. Keeping the youngsters and Mrs warm goes a long way in staying on the ice longer

The hub houses set up and tear down real fast and easy, a huge plus with kids around.

Lots of room. Lots and lots of room to move around in and have your stuff inside. Keeps everyone from getting antsy, which helps you stay on the ice longer.

I use a Big Foot 4000 and I built a lightweight floor for it. This keeps things dry and safe inside, which again keeps everyone happy.

Neither of the two houses are terribly expensive, but if your on a budget the Clam Vista or the Six Pack will save you a little money.

I want to say great job in getting the family involved! Keep them warm and allow them to move around a little and you will make great memories every time you go out.

[tweeder]

eskimo fatfish 9416 end of story.

I have two young boys and two nephews that have a dead beat dad so I take them out often. we all fit in this no problem, each kid gets their own area, tons of room. and if my fishing buddy and I just want to go out we have all the space in the world for multiple holes, for the flashers, cameras, put a little camping table in there etc etc

Best thing is I can/do set it up by my self, it packs up to a tidy package. I could not be more impressed with it.

forgot to add it has two doors (i have heard some of the hubs just have one) so its easy to get the little ones in and out, the windows also Velcro off which turns out to be a nicer feature that I didn't think was important when buying. I fish leech a lot with it, and haven't had any issues with wind blowing it in. I lay it out right and anchor one hub down before I open it all the way and the wind actually helps set it up.

[CaptainMusky]

IMO, getting something like an Otter Lodge would be great for you and your two boys. I do it all the time. It will be comfortable for you and your wife as well.

In the future when you decide to take everyone with, buy a hub shelter and keep the Lodge.

The flip over shelter will have room to carry all of your gear, plus throw in the Hub shelter. Just going with a Hub leaves you with storage issues where you need a sled of some sort anyway.