Portable "newbie" rcommendations !!

[Tahoe2349]

The weather situation has me looking in to a back up plan of getting a "portable" so I can Ice Fish.

Being in the southern half of the state its my feeling there will be no Driving on lakes with hard shells and full size trucks until at least the second week of January !!

And thats a stretch in itself maybe if we dont go "Frozen Tundra" here without snow in a real hurry!!

I need something fast & easy and real economical to fish two people. Must fit in to the the back of a SUV (Tahoe) and be something I can pull easily by hand.

I'm not versed on "portables" in any fashon so any recommendations of style, make and $$$$ would be greatly appreciated. Budget is rather limited as this is just a quick fix till good ice and to use all the new equipment I've purchased for this year which I refuse to let sit waiting on good ice for the permanent to go out !!

[folke2000]

I'm sure that you will find many different opinions on which is best. My suggestion is buy the best that you can afford. Personally, I have an otter lodge and love it. I don't pull it much by hand, but the tub is indestructable, and the canvas is very durable. That being said, there are many different manufacturers out there, and there are a lot of them on display at various sporting good stores. Sit in them and try to visualize where you would put your newly aquired equipment and I'm sure you will find just the right one. Good luck in finding just the right house.

[RK]

Hiya,

My $.02 - check out a Frabill XLT Twin. Fishes two no problem, yet light enough - plus I like it well enough - that I still take it a lot of the time even when I'm going alone. Tent material Frabill uses is superior, I think anyhow, and has long skirts so you can bank them up and not lose heat. This year's Twins are taller - the same height as the Triplex, so you can stand up all the way in them (at least I can, and I'm not quite 6'.

Fits pretty easy in a Tahoe (that's what I haul mine around in.) With the back seat folded down it fits fine, and with one side of the back seat folded down you can still fit it in at an angle and have room for a 3rd passenger.

If you're looking for something a little more economical for use early and late in the season, might want to check out the Frabill Ice Cruisers. The 200 fishes 2, and it's a fair bit cheaper than the XLT, though admitedly not as many features.

Cheers,

RK

[andy j]

Tahoe,

If you are going to pull it on the ice by hand don't go with a otter, they are really nice quality but also very heavy, I would Go with a Fishtrap Guide,($349) 2 man flip, it is probably the lightest quality 2 man flip out there, perfect for pulling by hand. The frabils are decent also but the new seats in the Fishtraps are much better then the Frabils. Good luck AJ

[Deitz Dittrich]

The flip over fish houses really are the real deal expecially for portablility. I believe Otter is one of FishingMinnesota.com sponsors, and makes a great portable fish house. http://fishingminnesota.com/sponsorlinks.html

http://www.otter.com/

I myself also have the Frabil XLTwin as well and really do like it..As stated I like the fact that it has a black tarp which is really nice for absorbing heat.. it also dosnt absorb water and doesnt get stiff in cold weather. I am 6'3" and can stand up in my XLTwin as well.. for me that also is important... and I really like the seats!

[LEECH21]

I second the Fishtrap Guide. It is very light for pulling across the lake....you want to be sore at the end of the day from catching too many fish, not from getting out to your spot.

[Tahoe2349]

I appreciate the replies here guys!!

The flip over style looks like the ticket for me.

I was not aware of all the things involved with a portable with seats, sleds, covers, hyfax etc.

Wasn't real in tune with the price of these things either.

Had a $1,000 budget for this years goodies and I've dumped over $700 of it in rods & reels so I'm not looking good here. Maybe "used" might be a option..

I need some Tylenol to deal with this and the weather !!

[cubbies11]

If you are looking to keep it cheap, check out the Eskimo line by Ardisam. Great prices and personally I really like mine.

Cubbies

[Mike_D]

I just spend the past month looking at portables in your same situation. bottom line, there are several quality affordable portables out there - XL twin, FT guide and yukon, eskimo - I went to the ice show and ended up with a nordic house made by polor sport.

The house itself is under 400 and seemed to have a much stronger sled than the eskimo, frabill, and FT and had heaver canvas than most - the durablity factor won out for me.

good luck

[Blaine]

How does the Frabill XLLTwin pull by hand in say... 6" of snow? More often than not, I'd be pulling solo

[fishermn]

I have a fishtrap guide that I pull around by hand a lot and it is a very nice shelter all around. Its wide enough that you can load it up pretty good, and it will still float nicely even over soft snow, and even with a full load, you hardly notice the weight. I also pull it with a 4-wheeler and a snowmobile, and it works great there as well.

[Ole #1]

Go to fleet farm, they have a few nice houses you can get for around $150.

Frabil makes a good economical ice house, but check out fleet farm.

Ole

[Deitz Dittrich]

Blaine-it does depend on what kind of snow it is and how much you have your house weighted down. None of them pull very easy in a lot of snow. But I often end up pulling mine.. It can be work some time. But well worth it in my opinion!

[hanson]

Tahoe-

I hear you on the Tylenol thing! I've got a snowmobile problem that is about ready to drive me to tears right now! Its going to cut into this years & next years ice fishing budgets.

[danny berg]

Menards has one for 127, a light weight 2 man. I beleive they are called Ice Bandits..

[Blaine]

After looking at everything I could online, I decided on a Frabill XLTwin and ordered it today. Places out here in CT don't have a clue when it comes to shelters so there was no place to see them for myself. We'll see if I made the right choice in 4 days

[Tahoe2349]

Hanson:

There is always something that seems to screw up the plan.

Last year I was "minutes" away from buying a four wheeler to get on the ice, the next day people were driving out. lol

I only fish in a permanent so my two months are critical and the weather and other issues can really make it trying at times.

What to do, or to do nothing as they say !!

This "portable" idea and walking every where is about my only option to assure I get some ice time.

Or pulling mine up north a few times more but that grabs the back pocket also...

What to do, or to do nothing as they say

[slick814]

Check out the Clam 2000. It'll fish 2 in semi close quarters, plenty of room for 1. For the $$(About $200), it does the job. It's easy enough to set up, and stores nice. Also comes in at a nice light 45 lbs...

[Tahoe2349]

Thanks for all the info and suggestions..I'm looking over all of them and going to look at a couple in the next few days!!

Open water in south metro and further south so even the "portable" option will not get me on ice without traveling north!!

It's looking more like I'll be planning a few more Red Lake area runs than normal as soon as "permanent house ice" developes...

[JJB]

With my portable weight has never been a problem. I use a plastic pallet(28 lbs) and mounted a set of my old down hill skies to the bottom. used some 2by4s to space the skies

and it pulls like a dream.We usually can stack all our gear on it and take turns pulling.Best part it stays above the snow so you can go through a foot of snow with 100-150 lbs of gear and not have to plow a path

[hanson]

Tahoe-

Good luck on your search for a 'portable' house. Its definitely a good investment. When you go up to Red, bring the little portable with you. You can still use your big house to fish out of and spend the night in, but maybe spend a half hour here or there cruising out around with the portable. It will pay off for you.

My sleeper will be on Red this winter so it looks like I might be able to connect with a bunch of other FMers out on the ice in the URL Triangle.

[gophish]

my two pennies on this one...i did the same thing you did last year before i came to college and knew that i would have all sorts of time to fish. I went with the eskimo quickflip II. no complaints at all. pulls just fine, fits in the back of my blazer and i have extra room for large tupperwear containters in there as well. ahve to fold the seats down though but you may not as much with that tahoe.

and i found mine on sale and cheap. the bench seats are comortable and allow me to store stuff on top that i dont think i could with molded seats. additionally, its stays very warm and if i were an inch shorter than 6'2" with boots on i'd be able to stand up with out bending my head.

good luck with your quest.

gophish