Snowmobile or 4 wheeler?

[YakHead]

I am going to buy one or the other for Ice fishing, I have heard aguments from friends on both. Which do you prefer?

[wallydiver]

Snowmobile for sure. You can go everywhere with a sled, you're pretty limited with a wheeler.

[Steve Foss]

Sled or ATV? Yes.

Oh, heck. Get the sled.

[Northlander]

Sled for sure. A ATV will only get used half the winter if we get snow. A sled can be used on little snow. Liquid cooled would be my preference.

[Jim Hudson]

Both!! Nah, go with a sled for an all around ice fishing machine.

[HarryG]

I would say go with the ATV. The best fishing is usually early in the year. For the last few years, there has not been enough snow to go out on to the ice until late Jan.(Depending where you live) I have a sled myself and it is tough early in the year when I tend to do the most fishing. Besides, you can use an ATV for other things. Good Luck!

[muskybuck]

Snowmobile for sure!!

[Bob Horn]

Get an atv with the prospector snow tracks for the season. If you can`t afford that, than get a snowmobile.

[iffwalleyes]

Depends where you plan to fish. If you are going to stay in the central or southern part of minnesota you are probably fine with a ATV for the year. If you plan to head to northern MN in Jan or Feb then you will probably need a sled. As far as getting a ATV with tracks you can get both a sled and atv for the cost of this type of machine. I know they are cool looking but when the tracks cost as much as a snowmobile it hard to justifiy buy them. I myself have just picked up a sled because my ATV limited me to much as I fish several of the northern lake in MN.

[hanson]

Snowmobile for sure!

With studs and good carbides, you can run the machine in very minimal snow conditions as well as bare ice. You just have to make sure the hyfax (slides) on the rear suspension are getting some lubrication from snow or ice. The studs help with that.

[fishinalot]

I prefer 4-wheelers. In the past 5-years we could use them most of the time all year. If we ever do get a old fashion MN winter again, then the snomobile would be the choice.

[Dennis Steele]

Strictly talking ice fishing, it would have to be a snowmobile.

A good fan cooled sled can be run over bare ice, and when the snow does come your less likely to get stuck.

[Ole #1]

I vote for the ATV.

[crappace]

Fan cooled sled is my choice. Minimal/no snow required and you are still fine when it gets too deep for the wheelers.

[Grizzly16]

I have an atv and a sled but I find that I use my atv much more than my sled. I think this is because I llike to use the rack son the atv for hauling stuff (smoother ride for the electronics and auger).

[MN Mike]

Quote:

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Fan cooled sled is my choice. Minimal/no snow required and you are still fine when it gets too deep for the wheelers.

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Exactly, if you not a speed freak and just want something for fishing and recreation, that is what I would buy. Early season minimal snow or late season hard pack, fan cooled won't let you down.

[Farley]

It depends I guess. I live in the sticks so I can drive the sled right to the lakes from my front door. If you live in the cities or somewhere you have to trailer your machine to the lake, I would actually go with the 4 wheeler for ease of loading. A 4 wheeler you can load right into the back of a full size truck by yourself (or even a mid size truck) with a set of loading ramps or even the use of a snowbank or ditch.

I guess I would decide where I'm planning on using it the most, if you are planning to fish up north a lot a snowmobile will be well worth it since like it was said before they can go anywhere. Also you can take snowmobile trips up north have some of the best scenery you can imagine, you cant do that with a ATV. But you can only run a sled for 4 month at the most out of the year, whereas an ATV will run year round.

[MinnesotaMuskie]

My house allows me to haul a wheeler and tow the house with the wheeler...that works best for me.

I think the difinitive answer is...It depends:)

How is that for taking a hard stance.

[Big Pine Walleye]

I have both and use my four wheeler way more than I do the snowmobile, because you can also use it in the spring, summer, and fall.

[Kodiak]

can you pull permenants around with a snowmobile very good? i use the atv for the ice, it has the front and rear racks...and alot more versatility. deep snow has never been a problem "down here" but up north i have no clue how deep the snow is.

[Askov]

In the past 5 years I have used my snowmobile twice. Both times on a Rainy Lake trip that required a 20 mile ride. Other than those two times, I have done all my ice fishing with my 4-wheeler. My advice--buy a 4-wheeler. This will get you to where you want to be on most occasions.

Otherwise, if your budget allows--buy both. I bought my 4-wheeler, snowmobile and trailer for less than $5000. This means they are not fancy or top of the line, but run well and do what I need them to do.

Askov

[ChuckN]

This is the way I look at it.

Early ice- ATV

Mid winter - Snowmobile, snow gets too deep for ATV

Late Ice- ATV

You can get a used ATV for a few thousand and a cheap ice fishing sled for like $500.

OR you can get an ATV and a set of Mattracks like Dave's monster machine. That would settle the debate right there....ATV.

[Gus]

Last year over new years the snow got too deep around the Ely area. I had to pull my uncles wheeler across the ice with my snowmobile because he kept getting hung up. I don't consider new years to be late ice. I would vote snowmobile if you fish in the Northern part of the state, or 4 wheeler if you fish the mid to southern part more.