A wheeler or sled for getting around?

[Powerstroke]

Now that I'm getting pretty serious about ice fishing its time for me to start thinking about getting some secondary transportation for on the ice.

The advantages for me are that I can get out further during early ice and that I can travel farther when car travel isn't the best or safest.

I'm looking for pro's and con's without starting an argument about why you think your's is better. I actually know nothing about sleds or ATV's and have never ridden either. I know I would like to get something to get me around this season without breaking the bank.

What do you think? How have you been getting around without a truck and walking is not a viable option. I have no problem hoofing it, but when the walk is more than a mile I have to draw the line, especially when dragging a shack.

[arcticcat400]

if it were me i would go the atv route because you can use it all year round even if you dont need to now you might want to in the future and also im not sure if you have a permanent shack or not but a fourwheeler comes in handy for moving that around i have a fourwheeler and a snowmobile and while snowmobiles are fun to ride 9 out of 10 times i will use the wheeler in my opinion a fourwheeler is more of a tool while a sled is more of a toy

[Ryan_V]

agree witn ac400. a wheeler is a VERY, VERY useful tool to have around. a sled is fun, but I believe a wheeler is better. as far as fishing, lately with the lack of snow, it's better to scoot around on a 4 wheeler on the lakes than a sled anyway. as stated...sleds are a blast, but are VERY limited in use, especially in recent years.

[Kyle Sandberg]

I would agree after talking to a lot of people four wheelers are the way to go. If money is of a concern, sleds are way cheaper.

[Lip_Ripper Guy]

I would go the 4 wheeler route as the others have mentioned. They are way more useful. If you are looking for a great machine on a budget, look at a late 90's Honda 300 or 400 4x4. For ice fishing/utility use, they cannot be beat by anything.

[Cliff Wagenbach]

I have both and vote for the ATV. It hauls much more gear easier,is more comfortable to ride, more versitile as it can be used in the summer, and will go almost anywhere unless the snow gets to deep. If the snow or slush gets to deep the snowmobile is much better.

Cliff

[S.D. Ice Angular]

Go With A "Wheeler"!!!!!!!!!!

You won't regret it...

[Jorgie]

The trend of less snowy winters is likely to continue, so I'd say a wheeler.

[The Grebe]

All of the above posts and more...ATV hands down..have owned both and in my opinion, unless you are running a trapline in the far north, ones pretty much a toy and the others pretty much a tool that can be used as a toy!!

[MN Mike]

I have used both modes of transportation ice fishing and I feel both have their place. I like wheelers when snow is minimal or non-existent which unfortunately is getting to be a more common thing these days.

I like using sleds of course when snow gets deeper and when a person is fishing bigger lakes where cracks and pressure ridges are an issue, I will go to sleds every time. I don’t like crossing stuff like that with wheelers ( trust me, I’ve had issues ), sleds can go over that stuff with little effort. Slush is another obstacle that can greet you out of the blue, sleds handle that pretty well too, another one is pockets of deep snow on the bigger lakes, you can run from glare ice to 18 inches of snow in short order.

Snowmobiles can handle marginal snow conditions pretty well, I’ve always said that if I was going to use a sled for only ice fishing and maybe a little horsing around, I’d have a fan cooled sled and install a couple extra boogie wheels and you’ll pretty much handle anything ice season can throw at you. If you go liquid cooled, you run the risk of overheating during early season if there is little or no snow and also in late season when you get the thawing in the day time and the freezing at night, that creates a heck of a crust that offers little or no cooling ( ice scratchers help but not all the time ), on that same note, wheelers fall or spin thru that crust and that isn’t a happy situation either.

You can get into a fan cooled sled pretty reasonable these days, if you look for a mid ‘90’s you should be able to find something for under $1000, if your handy, you can trick that buggy out with racks and carriers and have one very portable fishing setup.

We fish Lake of the Woods all the time in the winter and we use the wheelers to put the house out in the early season, then it is sled from there on out if we can’t drive to the house. If a person was fishing the local lakes around home, most of the time, wheelers would do fine.

Just some of my observations over the years, guess you have to ask yourself what type of lakes you’ll be fishing and how portable you want to be.

Good luck.

Mike

[walterking]

As stated a wheeler is nice when there are no cracks and minimal snow but if you get 20 miles out on lotw or mille lacs and theres a crack on your way in that wasnt there on your way out your going to wish you went with a sled i vote for sled.

[MuleShack]

get the wheeler.

you can always get tracks for the wheeler and then you can go anywhere. of course you would need to win the lottery to afford them

[MN Mike]

2 more reason's I like the using snowmobiles, they will start in winter, my 4 wheeler gets a little cranky when it is really cold, although there are some good cold starting wheelers out there, mine isn't one of them.

I will guarantee you a snowmobile is a warmer ride cutting across the lake in the dead of winter.

Just some more food for thought.

Mike

[Shack]

Powerstroke,

I would get a nice new/used ATV for a steal of a price and an older nice sled! At different times of the year, one or the other out ways each other! Put the sled outside with a tarp over it.

That or walk and pull.

4 miles out could be done in an hour and think of the health aspect!

[hanson]

There is really two types of ice fishing in Minnesota- Ice Fishing "up north", and ice fishing across the rest of the state. You could almost draw that line at US HWY 2. They still get snow up north.

If you fish north of that line- snowmobile.

If you fish south of that line- ATV.

There are A LOT of real good bargain price snowmobiles on the market right now if $$ is an issue.

There is seriously nothing I love better than watching guys on URL or LOW struggle in the deep snow and slush with there ATVs. You can read the LOW forum and when everyone is telling you its sleds only, you better believe them.

[Cheeser]

I echo Mike's thoughts.

Last year I went with a sled only, and I burnt up a set of hyfax in about 20 miles with little or no snow on the lakes, overheated once.

This year, I picked up a used wheeler. With a windshield.

Shackbash, I did the walk and pull also on early ice...the problem is, the walk out seemed like 10 minutes. The walk back seemed like 3 hours!

But, I'll probably do it again - I need the exercise!

--Mark

[fishorgolf]

I think a 4 x 4 would be a good all around choice as you can use them all year around and not just for ice fishing. That said I have coming in the next few weeks a Polaris wide track sled. As much as I liek my 4 X 4 there are just as many times (or more) I would rather be on a sled. Warmer, safer............

[Snake River King]

get a atv! put hand warmers and thumb warmer on it and a windsheild and youll be golden

[eyes']

I 100% agree with Hanson on this one... A sled is a must up north and even on Mille Lacs after first ice. If all I fished was in the metro I would tell you to buy a wheeler but if you plan on LOTW, Rainy, Red and the other lakes up north go with a sled!!! I have both and after first ice the wheeler sits.

[harvey lee]

Chris makes some very valid points about the deeper snow. I have used a wheeler for a few years and it has worked fine for ice fishing in southern MN with little to no snow. Also very nice for deer hunting and summer riding. When the ice gets thicker I use the pick up. As I start to go north farther and more each year, a snowmobile is in the works.

The wheelers in the deeper snow have not impressed me very much, even with chains.

[Powerstroke]

Thanks for all the great input so far. Keep it coming. I myself was leaning towards an ATV just for all around use and the reasons stated.

I do however enjoy being an "upnorth" weekend warrior. I'm really getting into things like URL and the Ely area for ice fishing a couple times a year and I've never done LOW ever. These are things I would like to be able to do.

I would only be pulling an Otter or similar shack, not a wheelhouse. I haven't found a friend with one of those yet. I like the ideas. Keep it up.

[Big Fish Hunter247]

I like the 4 wheeler idea I fish mostly by myself in the winter time. I have yet to find any snow to get stuck in. I just have a stock wheeler other than a set of heavy duty mud tires

Big Fish Hunter247

[Pleasant]

unless you are thinking of getting into some serious snowmobiling I choose a 4 wheeler also, I have had snowmobiles in the past and now have a Yamaha Big Bear and I love it as I can use it year round... I guess if the snow got to deep I would have to spring for tracks for it.

Lynn

[trapperdirk]

I have both as well . In all truth I have two of each . .The bikes have their moments and I prefer to use them all season but when the going gets really tough the sled gets fired up . I just bought a new decked out Yamaha Big Bear but I doubt I ever buy a brand new sled and there are lots of good deals on used ones that will get you there and back which is all that matters .

If I could get away with driving the truck year round and back into the backwoods lakes I would leave the bike and sled at home but I've never seen that in this area with our snowfall .

I need and use both but if allowed only one choice then hands down I would have to give the bike the nod and yes even the sleds get buried in slush .

TD

[Surface Tension]

I use both and being from up north couldn't get by with just one. I should list my truck and foot as part of travel. I might need the wheeler on one lake and the sled on another. Or I might only be able to walk out on a particular lake. Then theres the times driving the truck on the ice is all I need. What ever the case I've got it covered.

If your from an area that gets little snow and smaller size lakes a wheeler will get you to where you want to go.

If there snow, face it, the sled is made for snow travel. Travel time on the sled is faster, starts better, its a warmer ride, and having a long track I very rarely get stuck even in slush. Part of that is knowing what the sled can and can't do.

Another benefit of the sled for me is I go on long trips. Some of those I rely on snowmobile trails to destinations.

If you fish larger lakes like I do a sled will cut that travel time way down. If that lake has deep snow cover the sled will float across it while the wheeler churns its way through the snow. Also I can hop on my sled at home and get to the area lakes faster then I could by driving the truck.

Having said that I wouldn't go out and buy a new sled if it were just to get me fishing. There are plenty of good used sleds for under $1000 that'll get the job done.

So if its a new wheeler you want do that, try it for a season. You can always get a used sled if you need to.

Tracks are an option too. IMO they're for the hard core wheeler guys that before riding a sled would put tracks on their pride & joy. They work in deep snow but cross country travel time is slow. Still they look like fun to ride and getting there should be fun. I can see how the tracked ATVs would shine in some applications. Playing around and challenging the rig would be a blast in itself.