New addition to gear.

[SomethingFishy*]

I picked up my new fish house yesterday and got it assembled last night, have not fished yet but I think I will be happy with my purchase. After lots of consideration and looking at different models I picked up the Otter Lodge, with seats and travel cover. I also picked up the hyfax kit, the hyfax took longer to put on than assembling the house. But once setup it looks like it will be really spacious to fish out of.

Does anybody have experience hand dragging these onto the lake? Do they pull pretty easy or should I expect quite a workout over my old Frabill XLTwin?

Thanks, Josh

[Steve Foss]

Two things limit walking/towing a portable — weight and the slant of the front of the tub. I have a Trap II, which has a fairly vertical front to the tub. That makes it hard to pull if there's more than a few inches of snow, and especially if I'm carrying my XL3000 10-inch auger and my camera gear and my flasher and heater and other gear in the Trap.

Luckily, Otters are designed for towing, and they have a much more gradual front taper to the tub. That leaves less floor space for seating but makes for better towing. The Frabills I have seen have steep fronts to their tubs, like the Trap, so you may find you'll be getting a break with the Otter.

The hyfax is primarily a protection for the bottom of the tub. The more you tow it over rough ground (across roads, on graveled public accesses, over rough or choppy ice), the more you want that protection. My Trap is nine years old, and the only reason to tub's still in good shape after all that time (my tub is thinner and less strong than the ones Otter puts out) is because I've babied it and protected it.

Now, I don't mean that's the only reason to use Hyfax. It is slicker than some tub surfaces, but if you're in snow, the slant of the tub's front and the weight bearing down on the portable is what matters. And if you're not on loose snow, but are on hard packed snow or bare ice, you don't need a no-stick aid like Hyfax. But, taken on balance, Hyfax is good!

No way to know for sure about towability until you get out there and crack a sweat!!

[Capt. H (Ret.)]

I also purchased a new Otter Lodge this season. I live in northern Iowa and we received snow early this season which has prevented the ice from getting thick enough to drive a truck on. The first time I walked out and pulled my new "house" I nearly died!!! It was tough pulling in 4"-6" of snow. I pulled out about .3 of a mile which doesn't seem far until you do it. I will tell you one thing, you won't need more than 2 sweat shirts and a stocking cap on most days!!

Since then the snow has pretty much melted and the pulling has gotten a lot easier on the bare ice. People will tell you to "lighten up" but if you are like me you like everything including the kitchen sink!! The other problem I have had is that getting the Lodge in my Tahoe by myself was challenging due to the weight. I just built some ramps and it slides right up and in with out too much problem if you take the gas auger and the bucket of minnows (or fish!) out of it before you load it.

If you noticed in the instruction manual it says to apply some WD-40 to the slide rails on the frame as you put it together. I didn't do that because I read some posts that warned against doing this because it is messy and didn't work well. It worked well in my basement but not well in the real world. I applied the WD-40 after struggling for several trips and it works great!! Do what the instructions say and APPLY the WD-40!!!!

I did a lot of research on my house before I bought it and I am real happy with it. I am sure you will like yours once you get everything figured out to your likeing.

[H20fowlr]

You will love your new Otter. Pulling any of the sleds in 3"+ of snow is not easy. I use my snowmobile or 4 wheeler if the ice is thick enough. The only way to make it easier is to reduce the drag. you can lighten the load, reduce the friction of the tub, or get the tub up in the air(like adding ski's underneath). I also follow other tracks as much as possible.

As far as heavy to get in a Tahoe, I have a Tahoe and find it quite easy. I'm only 150#'s and I get mine in by myself. I have added plywood compartments, a cartpeted floor, 3 sealed 12v 8ah batteres, Big Buddy Heater, 11lp propane tank, 3 1lb tanks, my rods, tackle, LX-5, Otter E-cono Seat, and other gear. By no means is it light. But I bring the sled to the back facing 90degrees from the way I am going to put it in. I lift the from the front, turn it and put it on the bumper(far enough to clear the lip when I lift the back) I then go to the back and lift it up and push it in. It's almost more difficult when there are two of us.

[SomethingFishy*]

Took the house on the maiden voyage last night and it pulls suprisingly well, without to much effort.