Riggin an ATV for ice fishing

[fishing addict]

I just picked my my first ATV today and can't wait to get it set up for ice fishing. So far I am plan on adding:
1. windshield
2. auger holder
3. chains if needed
4. trailer bar to tow my Eskimo portable

Any other suggestions.
Do you guys just throw the other stuff (heaters, rods, tip ups..) in the sled when moving or do you guys secure these items somehow.
Is a cover for the sled necessary?

[rscabin]

fishing addict I tow all my gear in my Frabill Ranger XLTwin. Ice fishing equipment, buckets, heater, lp tank, ice auger etc. I highly recomend the first thing you get before anything else is that tow bar
and a cover.

[This message has been edited by rscabin (edited 09-28-2003).]

[Northlander]

Hyfax runners to if your going tp pull it on a ATV a lot.

[fishing addict]

Hey Rscabin

do you find that you need to secure the gear with bungee cords during transport or is the travel cover enough?

[mrclean]

Fishing Addict,the travel cover is enough.I've had no problems with anything coming out.

[SPIN DRY]

Fishing Addict, I use to just put every thing in the sled and pull it, but every time I would try and cross a road or get out of some ruts the minnows or some thing else would spill. So I just built a box for the back of my Vinson and put every thing in there and pull the sled empty. I made it just wide and long enough to hold auger and 3 buckets, fits right on the back rack. Good luck

[slabberknocker]

I put a bucketrack on the back of mine. Cost was like 60 bucks and works slick not only for fishing but if your picking rocks etc., etc. Sand Burr on the site sells them.

Slab

[rscabin]

fishing addict all of my gear fits in my frabill nice and snug. My Strike Master Lazer mag Xpress fits very nicely in the back of the sled length wise. Even my minnow bucket has a spot so that it will not spill. The cover is a must to keep every thing together on the long halls across the lake and keeps all of the snow out (when there is some).
Some time I will take a pic of it with all my gear in it and send it to you if you like.

[Raven]

I use my XLTwin to haul everything too. I put my minnow buckets in a 5-gal pail and put a lid on the pail. Usually have two buckets w/minnows. Use one to haul my fish back in. I did make a sling net under the seat to hold my rods & reels. Everything else is nice and snug. Can hardly wait for hard water

[Jarrod32]

I'm gonna second what slabberknocker said. The bucketrack is sweet, especially for bait buckets. Other than that, most stuff fits in the sled. If you want higher sides, you can get a rubbermaid or similar storage tub at most any big box retailer pretty cheap.

[doubleUcubed]

Electric hand warmers on the handle bars, spot light up front for the heavy snow/thick fog events, GPS holder, shovel, winch, rope, life jacket/throwable floatation device. Sounds like a lot of stuff but if you spend a lot of time on the ice you will want all of the above and some more I'm sure, most of the stuff above will easily fit on the front of the 4-wheeler and leave the back open for the fishing gear. Geez, no wonder I forget some of my fishing gear sometimes! LOL!

[SPIN DRY]

Oh! Here is another one tire repair kit. Cost about ten bucks. But there priceless when you need one. Been there done that. Good luck.

[RJ]

I've had great luck puting the five gallon buckets into a milk crate. The square bottom makes them quite tip proof.

I do want to get the auger onto a rack of some kind on the front of the ATV. I know there's a link to one in here somewhere.

[Scenic]

I will also give a vote for the bucketrack. This unit mounts very easy in fact my 12 year old mounted ours on his machine. Another benifit to this unit is that it puts your gear behind your back rack and still allows you to put more gear ON the back rack.

Jeff

[Dave]

The Bucket Rack gets my vote, too. A nice bucket carrier since the ATV racks are left open for more gear.

[iffwalleyes]

For Mounting an ice auger to your wheeler I have always used a set of gun holders the set that are in a U shape they are about 19.99 for a set. They always have worked well for me.

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Grip it and Rip it

IFFWalleyes
I Fish For Walleyes

[Sand Burr]

Thanks for the kind words on our product!

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www.bucketrack.com
Hey nice Rack

[Freewheeler]

FishingAddict
You mentioned chains for your wheeler in an earlier post. Have you considered the use of screw in ice picks in the knobs of your tires?
Several of the ATV ice fishing rigs up here at L O W use them and swear by them [i can personally vouch for them] They have a 1/2 inch srew shank on them and the case hardened screw heads are concaved . I am on the fourth year now on the babies and they really last. I have 489 titan tires on mine and a screw in stud on each knob. It will drag a stalled P.U. around on the Ice no prob and tows a 1,100 lb perm fish house from spot to spot no problem. Cost of the reuseable studs will run you about 20 bucks. Also for a BIG BOX on the back rack for all your gear check out the Big Footlocker at WallMart. Big black one in the auto section. Add some short bungies to hook t5o the rack and your set. Just a another low cost idea so you can save your money for the real important stuff [beer and Bait]

[fishing addict]

Hey Freewheeler,

Do you put those screws in every nob on the tires? How much do you leave sticking out? I have thought about these but I wonder if it will tear up my asphalt driveway during loading and unloading. anyone in the twin cities carry these things?

[Wables]

I am looking at buying chains for my 4X4 ATV this year, both front and back. Is one brand better than another? I see that some have the chains on every 2nd link, and some have them on every 4th link, but the tighter chain spacing is quite a bit more money. Can I get by with having them on every 4th link? I am mainly concerned about glare ice, not deep snow. The ATV is a 400 Explorer. Thanks!

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Wables

[iffwalleyes]

Freewheeler do you have them in your front tires to or do you only have them on the back tires.

------------------
Grip it and Rip it

IFFWalleyes
I Fish For Walleyes

[Freewheeler]

Fishing Addict, Yes I put them on every knob and they work great. You could use any pattern or amount you'd want though. They have a concave head on them so once the shank is screwed into the rubber you can't go in any farther in , it would just strip in the solid rubber. No they don't come out on there own. I've got a couple hundred ice miles and trail miles on them and I back them out with my portable drill at the end of the season and use them again next year. No vibrations like cluncky tire chains and no body damage from any chains coming off. The snowcat dealer I bought these from said the motocycle ice racers use these in there bike tires for winter racing. At twenty bucks a machine they are the clear choice.
P.S. carefull on the spinning out on the driveway or trailer bed. Or even on someones foot!

[Freewheeler]

I've got them in the front as well. Makes a world of difference in turning. Otherwise you'd get kind of a pushing action from the back tires and you couldn't turn. Try em. If you don't like your new traction Feel free to give me heck. But I KNOW you will like the results. 63 days left till ice fishing stayovers!

[fishing addict]

Where can I buy these?

[Freewheeler]

Try Dennis Kirk Catalog . I know I've seen them in there. Or just go to a bigger Snowmobile dealer and ask someone who knows about bikes and racing ect. They'll know. [salespeople are usually clueless]