Tow Hitch for Fish Trap

[Shake'em]

I am curious as to what everyone uses for a hitch on their portables when pulling with an ATV or Snowmobile. I have a Fish Trap Voyager, and I am planning on purchasing this hitch from clam corp.

The question I have is: What does everyone use on the "coupler" end of the hitch to attach to ATV and or Snowmobile. I don't think anyone makes this accessory, so I would like to make something that is either universal for both ATV and Sled, or one for each.

I am planning on going to LOW at the end of March with 8-10 people, and we will be fishing out of portables. Not knowing how much snow there will be, I would like to be prepared to tow portable with either ATV or sled.

I also posted this in LOW forum...

Thanks,
Shake'em

[This message has been edited by Rick (edited 01-16-2004).]

[bturck]

My son welded one for me for about $6.00. It is a 4 ft piece of 1" tube metal. On the fish house end he drilled a hole that attaches to a U shaped piece which i bolted to the house with a backer plate. The hitch pin is the same style for a standard trailer hitch on a vehicle. He used a 2" round metal ring welded to the ATV end, its slips right over the 1 7/8 inch ball on the ATV. Really slick, easy on easy off, for $6. I too have the voyeaguer and it works great. Bill

[Guest]

Shake-em, I made up a snap hitch for my wheeler and it folds back out of the way when not in use. Works great on windy days. Send me an E-mail if interested! [email protected]

[PerchJerker]

I made my own towbars for my FishTrap. Not very expensive and they work fine for the few times each year I use my wheeler to pull the Trap.

For the bars I used EMT electrical conduit. I flattened the ends of the conduit in a vice, and drilled a hole in each end.

On the ends that attach to the Trap I threaded carbiner clips through the holes, and attach the carbiners to eyebolts that I put through the Trap. Only takes a second to attach or remove them from the Trap.

On the end that attaches to the atv I used a long bolt and some washers, and bolted a snap hook between the two bars. I left the nut loose enough that the snap hook can pivot a little between the bars. The snap hook attaches to a clevis pin on the back of the atv.

It only cost a few bucks and only took a few minutes to make, and when it's not being used it takes up about as much space as a 4 foot section of 2"x4". The only real drawback is the snap hook and clevis pin doesn't form a rigid hitch, so on glare ice the sled can fishtail instead of following behind the wheeler, which isn't a problem as long as you come to a gradual stop. If there's snow on the ice the sled tracks just fine.

[fishermn]

Personnaly, I use a wire lock pin. Its basically just a pin with a wire binder that flips over the end and holds the pin in place. The link below show one on the far right hand side. It works well and connects/disconnects very quickly. http://www.pivotpins.com/locking-pin.htm

[S.D. Ice Angular]

Shake'em!!
I have a hitch for my Voyager also and pondered this problem: I do not own an ATV (4-Wheeler) but many of my fishing partners do. BUT Some have 2" Balls on their hitch and some don't. I wanted a cheap easy way I could hook up to either with out asking them to modify their hitch. If interested I could send you some pictures.

------------------
Hook Em Good!!!!!!!

S.D. Ice Angular;
NRA, DU, NWTF,
Varmint Hunter
& NAHC Life Member

[northernnels]

shake em! I used conduit for my vouaguer I shaped some steel into a u shape bolted that to my trap
then i use the guick pins to attach them to the u shpae couplers ,then i took a flat peice of steel and drilled a 3/4 whole in on end an a 3/8 in the other end the big hole went under the hitch ball on the wheeler and the towbar for the trap to the small 3/8 hole it follows good and doesnt fish tail nels

[Shake'em]

Thanks for all the information...

Shake'em

[Shake'em]

S.D. Ice Angular-

Pictures of the hitch for your voyager would be very nice, thanks. Please send to [email protected]

Thanks,
Shake'em

[Shake'em]

northernnels-

The way you describe attaching the hitch to a 4-wheeler... does this force you to take the ball off every time you would like to unattach the towbar from the wheeler? You mentioned, "...the big hole went under the hitch ball on the wheeler..."