Which would you rather have?

[Blaze]

My thought was that I'd go with the flasher first - you can always sit in the driver's seat of the truck on the ice with the heat cranked and stay toasty, or just fish nice days.

Guess I'd have to qualify my answer by asking what kind of fish are you targeting? If you're going for crappies, I'd say flasher first to help locate suspended fish. If you're fishing walleyes, go with the shelter - you can fish structure and semi-expect them to be holding to the bottom 2 feet.

[Farley]

Shelter and a 30' Fat Max tape measure. That way you can tell if its a hard bottom\soft bottom and depth. Not to mention measuring fish and ice thickness. Does more and is a lot cheaper than a flasher.

But like Blaze said, suspended crappies would be tough without a flasher.

[The Grebe]

A flasher....I fish outside as much as possible.

[Shawnny B]

SHELTER! you cant fish out of a frozen hole! When it gets down there and its windy you just cant scoop the hole fast enought, plus your line freezes on the reel and you freeze up your eyelets, Hovermn and Myself sat out on Shagawa lake when we were in college and man did that suck, sure wished we would of had a shelter, besides its not about catching fish its the experience right? Plus you could always fish on the outside of the "towns"

Just my .02

ShawnnyB

[Gus]

I think I'd have to say shelter. I'd be willing to bet most people started fishing without a flasher. I know I caught a lot of fish before I got my first flasher. What good is a flasher if the weather keeps you off the lake?

[computerboy]

I think it depends on what, where, and how you are fishing. If you are jigging for walleyes on unfamiliar water, a flasher is an absolute must. However, in cold weather you won't last very long so I think you really need both to consistently fish that way. But if you’re heart is set on a flasher-dependent style of fishing, I would say get a flasher and limit your outings to warm weather days.

But if you’re fishing style is flexible, I would suggest getting a shelter and then cater your fishing methods and target species to a “flasher-less” style. Hit familiar water, set some tip-ups on the weed line, and then sight fish or cork for pannies in your shelter.

Have fun out there!

[SSSTaxidermy]

I think this is a total culture question. 10-15 yrs ago, heck even maybe 5 years ago, most peopel would have said shelters over flashers. But with all the electronics surronding fishing nowdays flashers are in.

[fishinaddict]

Quote:

---

Fishinaddict, how often do you get up around the twin cities, (I see your in 8th grade so can't drive) and do you ice fish alone or with friends, reason being, I have a two man tent style shelter that is really only good for one. If you had a way to get it you could have it.

---

Actually im in 10th grade now. My dad goes up there at least once a month. Could you email me some pics at [email protected]

[chris63]

Im with you,outside no shelter.If cold drill more holes if no bites drill more holes if getting fish,will not feel cold or need to drill more holes!!!!!!!!!!!c63

[caseymcq]

I would have to say a shelter would be my first choice. You could pick up one of the old Lowrance Silent-Sixty's, a Clear-Water Classic, Color-Point or an old "Green Box" dirt cheap. They will work for depth and before I had my Vex I used a Silent-Sixty. They aren't nowhere as nice as a new flasher but they will work.

[not_nuf_time]

Fishinaddict you have mail, let me know if you did or didn't get it.

[not_nuf_time]

fishinaddict can't get your e-mail through so try me at [email protected]

[DinkADunk]

after rod, reel, tackle, and auger I would go with a flasher. I have no problem staying warm outside, even in the wind, up to -10F and in the metro area it just hasn't been colder than that too often. I rarely drag the shelter with me anymore unless the wife and kids are comming and it's going to be windy. I think I've use the heater once in 4 years. If I lived in an area (like Warroad or Orr) that was a good deal colder I would probably go with the shelter first.

[The Grebe]

63...If it is bitterly cold and windy, I probably wouldn't go fishing anyways. I don't fish during foul weather in the summer either...one thing, I don't like alot of wind, for some reason, it makes me tired?

A little wind is okay, no biggie, you can't get away from it like out in the middle of Mille Lacs, but when it has the portables leaning at a 45 degree angle, I'll be at home reading a book!

But when I do go, I put on the miles hole hopping until I find something....I don't mind cutting 25 or 30 holes to find the fish, when I have to.

I'll use the Vex on the hunt and put it up, once I find what I'm looking for and if I decide to sit on the spot for awhile, I'll put it down to see what is comming through suspended.

[bassman222]

Just a scenario from today on where I stand on the question....

Was out ice fishing this afternoon, had fished for about 20 minutes catching 5 crappies. They weren't on a rampage, but were biting decent. Then my flasher crapped out on me, screwed around with the connections a bit and tried to fish for another minute and I couldn't do it. I was in a portable with a heater, but I felt naked not knowing where the fish/my bait were. I went home and called the manufacturer to get my flasher going again.

I would rather be cold and be catching fish than be warm and catching nothing.

[fishinaddict]

Quote:

---

fishinaddict can't get your e-mail through so try me at

[email protected]

---

youve got mail, must have had the address wrong

[vikingmeatwad]

Shelter by far for the winters we have here. Of course a flasher when we can drink beer in t-shirts under the sun while watching tip ups.

But still, I'm not even 30 and I can remember the many times getting on fish with the old man before vexilar was a name.