Portable vs. Perm.

[crappieseeker]

I am really just getting started in ice fishing. I have read many posts and seen the videos that stress mobility. Here is my question though. I would like to get my kids and maybe my wife involved, however, my thinking is that may involve a permanent house. Do you all recommend starting with a protable to stay mobile or using a perm. house? There would be 5 of us all together. How portable can you be in a large Otter?

Thank you for your input.

[Mudcat21]

I used to do the portable deal, then I got married and then little one followed. Needless to say I built a 7x14 perm shack this year and have been using it for the last week and been having a ball with the wife and kid. A lot easier to pull a few items out to the shack. I'm fishing a lot quicker with a perm.

[hovermn]

With a retractible wheeled fish house you can stay pretty mobile. Set up and take down may take a little longer, but with everything, you get quicker the more you do it. With the scissor tougue option, you never have to unhook it from your car, making it that much easier to stay mobile.

I use both portable and perm. fish houses and will say that they both have their advantages. Portables are needed for Early/late ice conditions. When it's "safe" to drive, perm. houses will give you all of your creature comforts, depending on how far into the rabit hole you go, much more so than a portable.

If it were you and your fishing buddy, a portable works great. If you'd like to get your wife involved, a portable works, but she may be more willing to go out in a perm. With a kid and the wife, a perm is the way to go. Again, a portable will get you fishing faster, but a perm. can be right on it's toes with some pratice. I know that ShawnnyB and I can drip our first lines down 5 minutes after finding a spot in the perm, or 3-4 with the portable.

[crappieseeker]

Mudcat,

Do you mind if I ask what it cost you to make you perm.?

[smmurphy]

I just bought a portiable. I was looking at the flip-overs and ended up getting an Eskimo Lodge instead - my wife said she didn't want to have to stand on the ice.

Then is was the question of wether I really wanted my wife to go along when I was fishing....

[Mudcat21]

I've got $1500 into a new shack without retractable wheels. That's the only downfall with my shack, had a limited budget to work with and I refuse to make payments on something like that. But I have never been the "Run and Gun" type when ice fishing and can't be happier with my choice. Even manage to baptise the shack last Tuesday with a 30.5" 9.5lb walleye....Gotta Love That!

[RAB2685]

I have a Team Otter portable and love it but it is by no means big enough for the family. By the time you get set-up with a decent portable and some seats, heater etc... it is real easy to drop $600-$800 not including a gas auger.

I am in the process of building a 6.5' x 16' with an additional 3.5' "V" front on it with drop down wheels and a drop down hitch with a ton of extra goodies including knotty pine interior and when all said and done I will have just shy of $5K stuck into it, but it will probably have a street value of around $7-8K if not more.

Granted I've had a ton of help from friends and my Dad, but it is time consuming to build one but really fun at the same time.

If you want my opinion to make an enjoyable experience with the family, go permamnat because if the little lady is happy then she will let the pocket book open up to allow you to get a portable set-up later on for yourself. If a permanent is not in the budget, then get as big of a portable as possible.

If you want any ideas or suggestions on building a house, I'm willing to offer up ideas.

Good Luck!

[shorefisher]

When my kids were little the perm. was the only way to go as they have room to move around and they do move around alot. The more comfort they have with a perm. = the longer they will stay out and the longer you get to fish If you do your home work you will find areas that will also give up fish most of the time from the same spot. They are also great for the times you want to go out with a large group and say watch the game or play some cards while fishing. I do most of my fishing from a portable but do love the perm.

[Ryan_V]

do it the way I do, I have both!!! and in reality, I can take down and set up my retractable wheel fish house faster than I can my fish trap!! I have a total of about 3000 in both of them. Had a guy make me a retractable wheel house very reasonably. I don't leave my perm out on the ice for obvious reasons and it's very quick to pull out and set up, either using the 4 wheeler or the pickup. as far as mobility goes, you can be very mobile in a perm with retr. wheels. from when I pull in my last line to then the house is rolling can be under a minute, about the same with the portable.