Snowmobile vs. ATV

[Moose]

I was just wondering wich you guys prefer for ice fishing. I have a Trap Vouager and plan on pulling it or hooking up an aluminuum trailer to the machine and putting the house on it. I'm just looking for some advise.

Thanks Moose

[Ryan_V]

no question, ATV. can use it year round, vs only 2 weeks of the year for the sled!!! got rid of my sleds for an ATV and will never look back. plus, you get alot of work out of an ATV at other times of the year also!!

[chris63]

Hello, I don't mean to be a smart --s but you won't get far at all on Millelacs or LOW with a atv after the first significant snowfall.Sleds do still fill the the bill on the ice.............jmo.c63 come on ice!!!!!!!!!!!!Weather man says 28 for the low on friday.won't be long now.

[huntingislife]

I had a sled and got a wheeler. The way I saw it was I only plan on using it until I can just drive my truck on the ice anyway. So that leaves me the early part of winter to use it. There usually isn't much snow on the ice yet so an atv is much easier to handle than a sled on slick ice. Plus you can use it year round

[deepportage01]

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Hello, I don't mean to be a smart --s but you won't get far at all on Millelacs or LOW with a atv after the first significant snowfall

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Not to sure about that, there are roads all over on ML it would be hard to go a 1/2 mile and not run into a road on ML Atvs are the way to go, Tire chains do wonders for ATVs on the ice and snow, now on LOW the snowmoible might be the way to go just cuz there are hardly any roads and the snow can get prety deep,

Brad

[ChuckN]

I guess it really depends on where you fish the most. Seems like the southern half of MN hasn't had enough snow to worry about.

Last winter we had a good amount of snow in West-Central MN and there were lakes ATVs just wouldn't work. The ice was terrible last winter with deep slush, too thin for trucks most of the winter and deep snow really were hard on ATVs.

I do prefer an ATV for ice fishing, no doubt. I can haul more gear and be versatile. But I also have a snowmobile since I enjoy trail riding.

Lakes farther north like Lake of the Woods...snowmobile hands down.

[Moose]

i've been looking at a Cat Panther 440cc 2up fan cooled to carry one of my boys on the sled and the other boy on the fish house or trailer.

[HarryG]

I think an ATV would be best seeing how the winters have been the last few years. I have been in MN every winter for the last 8 years and there has not been a lot of snow. I have a sled and it is kind of tough with no snow. If I knew there would be at least some snow, a sled is the way to go. You can go through deep snow and get to spots that there is no plowed road. It is faster, less expensive and you are less likely to get stuck. But if you hunt, or use the portable for early Ice only, an ATV will be the better choice. Just consider your present way you fish and your present uses for each. Then figure what you may want to do in a few years and do your best to choose the right one. Neither one is better, just better for each person.

Good Luck!

[hanson]

I'm guessing all you guys who say ATV don't fish much "Up North".

During most of a "normal" winter, snowmobile is the only way to go on LOW, Red, and lakes up around Ely and generally up north. I remember Burntside Lake a couple winters ago, soft fluffy snow 18" deep with the bottom 6-8" of that all slush.

Yes. Most of the lakes plow roads as well but there is not getting away from them unless you have a sled. The plow banks on LOW a few years ago were so tall you couldn't even get your truck off the road to park, you had to park on the road.

[iffwalleyes]

Like mentioned depends where you are going. I got a four wheeler first. But then once I got to Jan-Apr. on lake of the woods I couldn't get to where I wanted to. So last year I got a sled and now I can get to where I want to. Around home ATV anything north of Bemidji sled.

[stmichael]

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I was just wondering wich you guys prefer for ice fishing.

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Moose asked what would we prefer for ice fishing, not hunting or any other sport. I am assuming since he only wanted information on ice fishing, this rig would only be used for ice fishing. Myself personally, I would go with a sled, unless tracks are good in the snow, in that case I would pick a 4-wheeler with tracks. Cost may be an issue.

[Mopad]

ATV hands down. I fished URL a half dozen times last winter throughout the whole season and never had a problem. I also fished some local lakes and didn't have any problems even the day after some good amounts of snow fall.

[Moose]

Wow thanks for all the input!!! I fish all over the state but mostly Millacs, Red and the Ely area. Does anyone have any concerns about a fan cooled over a liquid cooled machine. I,ve heard the liquids freeze up in low temps. Some of my fishing is in the -20 catagory. Hate to be stuck in the woods with no transportation.

[Northlander]

If you plan on using it for ice fishing a sled is the only way to go. Once we get good snow the wheelers are done unless they have tracks.

In the Ely area where slush is big a sled will get ya threw a wheeler wont get far before your stuck and pushing and cussing.

A wheeler is year round and you can plow with it so if ya need that type stuff I guess ya need a wheler and a sled.

[Reynolds]

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Wow thanks for all the input!!! I fish all over the state but mostly Millacs, Red and the Ely area. Does anyone have any concerns about a fan cooled over a liquid cooled machine. I,ve heard the liquids freeze up in low temps. Some of my fishing is in the -20 catagory. Hate to be stuck in the woods with no transportation.

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I wouldn't be to worried about the liquid freezing up in a machine. A good majority of snowmobiles are liquid cooled and that is that is not an issue. I have snowmobiled in 25F had absolutely no problems with a liquid cooled machine. If that is something that you were worried, I am sure that you could run an "arctic coolant" which is rated for extremely cold temperatures.

[MN Mike]

Liquids are fine if they freeze up, somebody isn't maintaining them very well. Personally I feel that if your not a big snowmobilier and you want a good ice fishing unit, it's hard to beat a fan. Minimal snow or hard pack snow like you see in the spring can overheat a liquid, especially if you are pulling a decent load.

I can think of more plus's using a sled than using a atv, one being, they are alot warmer to ride and I don't like crossing preasure ridges with atv's, besides ( with the excpetion of early / late ice ) if you can get to it with an atv, couldn't you drive there with a truck?

Snowmobile all the way !!!

Mike

[HarryG]

It can freeze up just like your truck can, you just have to maintain it. Also, it is my understanding that the fan cooled sleds are geared lower to accommodate towing. I have seen a few 2 ups that are fan cooled which is consistent with what I have been told. I personally have a liquid cooled, but if I were in the market for a new sled for ice fishing, I would look for a fan cooled. But you don't have to go with a fan cooled. A liquid cooled will work just fine as long as you don't over do it with the hauling.

Good Luck!

[Dave]

Sorry guys, but I'll stick with an ATV. With tires available up to 30-inch tall, ATVs will go through more than most think. From what I've experienced, with tracks on an ATV, I'd venture alongside a snowmobile anytime.

[Reynolds]

I wouldn't necessarily say that fan cooled sleds are geared lower in comparison to a liquid cooled sleds. Gearing is more associated with the type of sled it is. For instance, a utility machine such as the Arctic Cat Bearcat has lower gearing and is offered in both liquid (660 four stroke) and fan cooled(570 two stoke).

[Gus]

If I were using a snowmobile just for fishing and light trail riding I would definatly go fan cooled. For serious riding with mixed in fishing I would go with liquid. Liquid will not freeze if you maintain it. But it can overheat if you are running on very hard pack or glare ice. Liquids require snow to be thrown onto the heat exchangers from the track to keep cool. On hard pack or ice that has a much harder time of happening. Studding the track can help but it doesn't always do the trick especially on glare ice. Fans don't need that snow to cool themselves. The downside of them is generally you get less power and speed out of a fan motor. Generaly speaking I believe this is because a liquid cooled motor is able to be kept at more of a constant temperature therefore performace can be bumped up. A fan will vary more in the temperature it runs largely because the outside temperature varyies also. Because of this manufactures can't push the motor too hard and must generally accept somewhat of a lower output to help compensate for the varrying temperatures that they will reach based on a much larger set of outside temperature conditions. Now I'm not saying that you will be underpowered at all just that generally speaking a fan cooled motor does not quite get the performace that a liquid cooled motor does. I have two sleds, one liquid and one fan, and both are 500cc. The liquid has much more power but the fan has enough power just the same. I still like the fan for fishing. Fans are also usually less expensive to buy.

[Reynolds]

Well said Gus

[Moose]

Great post Gus!!!, Most of the use would be for fishing the rest would be riding on lakes very little trail riding to rough and no point to it . Can't catch fish on the trail . Is the 2up machine with the longer track worth the extra weight and how about fuel injection vs carberated.

[Paul Waldowski]

Moose,

My .02. Longer track is worth its extra weight in gold when you are towing a portable in deep snow, but it really shines late in the season when you start to hit slush pockets.

As for EFI vs Carb - I have a EFI Cat and it never fails to start on the second pull and then purrs like....well a kitty I also have a carbed sled. It also runs like a champ, but it can be a hard starter at times especially when it has n't been run for a while.

[Mark Gangl]

if i was looking just for ice fishing i'd go sled. more particularly AC Bearcat or the tundra-skandic line of ski-doo. theese sleds have longer and wider tracks which both help alot, studs add alod of control and stability on glare ice, and reverse is a good feature to shoot for. As for the winters latly the only place my wheeler got stuck was in the backwoods swamps, but you sure freeze your butt of on a cold day and i have wonders about if we get a real winter with that hard crust, snow and slush......might make it to the fishing spot but i like to be dry when i get there as well

[Gus]

Definatley go with a 2up. I'd also look into electric start and reverse. Both of those are not necessary but you will probably wish you had them if you don't get them. I'd also stud the track as it will help you in stopping and pulling on the ice. EFI is nice but not necessary. Personally I'd look at the EFI as a bonus if the sled you are looking at has it but not worry about it if it doesn't. I'm a polaris guy but in my opinion Artic Cat definatley has the best EFI on the market.