Portable VS Permanent

[dojigger]

I own a 5x7 Portable and a 8x12 permanent house. I love my portable for early ice, light and easy to move around. Permanent is very nice with alot of room, but I have to wait for at least a good 8-10 inches of ice before I can put it out. What do you all think is better---Getting out early with the portables or waiting for the thicker ice.

[kslipsinker]

I have two portables, and really enjoy the ability to move quickly. Way too many hassles with moving and storage of a perm shack. Not to mention all of the vandals breaking into shacks and stealing.

[Dan_L]

8-10 inches is a while to wait for the perm. 6-8 is sufficent if you have a 4 wheeler. or you know somebody with one. i have both the portable is perfect when your bored with the lake your on for a day

[Tahoe2349]

dodigger:

You have the best of both worlds it sounds like.

I only have a "permanent" which I love due to the type it is, but sacrifice the first month waiting for good ice...

My old man has a 4 X 6 aluminum with runners on the back wall that you just pull across the ice and tip it up on end.

It has two half bench seats in it and a heater which makes it a "mini-premanent". Great early ice set up, (300 lbs) but he does not part with it very easily until he pulls his full size out.

Boils down to personal preference I guess and fishing styles !!

[TooBusy]

I am trying to accomplish both with one house this year. I built a hard side house that is easy to pull behind a snowmobile or a 4 wheeler. I can move it and get set up quicker than most portables yet it still has the comforts of a larger permanent. Besides that, I live in the extreme northern part of the state and the difference beween 4 inches and 8 inches of ice is usually just a couple of days.

[Tahoe2349]

Being in the southern half here that 4 - 8" in two days is not a fair shake for us down here.. lol

The combo house of early ice and permanent is sweet.

My Dads was $1,200 and has a hitch arm on it as well for pulling and the inside is custom just like a nice permanent. Just small one man set up though as explained 4 x 6 but its entirely aluminum. Has a Rv door with window,

and a side window as well with two catch/cover holes & small vented heater, and two 12V Rv lites. The half benches turn into a nice little bed.

Runners are like 4" so up to like 6" of snow you literally can pull this thing by hand without any effort.

On Ice I get behind it and give it a push and she travels about 30 yards before it needs another..lol

[Eric Wettschreck]

I agree with the post that says you have the best of both worlds. I have a perm and a portable shack. I love em both. Early and late in the season I'm in the portable. Mid season when the ice is thick I'm in the perm. I love em both.

[Dan Thiem]

I own a wheeled permanent that I can pull with a 2wd atv. But I would like to see at least 8" of ices before I will take it out. Never know, we could get a warm up and then have to scramble to get it back off.

But as far as a portable.......I love my "Poor Mans Portable"

I use big cardboard boxes from work. Big ones! Then I'll open them up and make a half circle, kind of like a square horse shoe with the box end flaps flipped over. Like a little roof. I gotta be careful not to make it so that it requires a shelter permit. I think that would be anything with three or more sides and a roof.

Anyways during early ice all a guy really needs is a good wind break.You would be suprised how much warmer it is in my poor mans portable than it is with out it.Just with a sunflower heater.

Then when I'm done fishing I just fold it up accordian style and carry it back out.

I got on t.v. on Eye Witness News at the Forest Lake Contest using one. Wow big deal. I know.

[packattack]

Well I have a odd one. I have a very small permanent that I use most of the year, not a luxury liner but it gets the job done. The dimensions are 3' x 4' x about 5' tall. One bench seat accross the back. I can place a lantern under the seat and that is all the heat that I need since the whole thing has hardboard insulation on the inside. I screwed 2x4 runners on the back side, so that when I want to moved I just tip the whole thing over and away we go. I can fit the whole thing between the finder wells on my truck. Just put a strap over the top and go. I think the whole thing weighs less then 100 lbs.

[Ely Lake Expert]

I think that portables are for serious fishing and permanents are for serious beer drinking.

[Poutmaster]

ELE makes a good point. I have both, but find most of my serious fishing is done out of the portable. The other one is nice for kids and a few buddies but when it is just me against the fish, I'm in one of my 3 portables.

[PikeTipper]

I have both, the permanent is a base camp and evening card games but the portables are for when we are really fishing.

[psegriz]

ELE

You speak the truth but I have done some serious fishin out of my sleeper also. The other thing is what do people consider serious fishing?