Wilcraft fishing vehicles

[blueroof]

Anyone have first hand feedback on using these units? I'm looking for positives and negatives regarding real experiences operating and fishing out of them.

I'm thinking heavily about purchasing one. I dropped over to the Maplewood location and did a test drive, they seem really solid and the safety aspect is a big seller. I will need to sell an ATV that I don't use for anything other than ice fishing to facilitate the purchase. I'm a little worried of trading a vehicle with a sweet motor, for a Briggs and Stratton large lawnmower engine. Should I be worried about an engine like that on the ice?

Thanks!

[NAMASafetyDirector]

I would reccomned looking at the new SnoBear if your serious about a mobile fishing unit. Wouldn't give mine up for anything! The people on this site would get sick of reading this post before I got done telling you everything I love about it!

[Powerstroke]

I've been in the Wilcraft several times and personally I think the negatives outweight the positives. I liked it at first, but the novelty wore off. We got high-centered easily and I wouldn't say that the motor and gearbox are industrial strength.

+ Floats

+ self-propelled tricked-out portable

- lawn mower engine (speed and power)

- low ground clearance/breakover angle

- 2wd

- tight quarters/little headroom

[Gissert]

Wilcraft looks really cool, but then I try and imagine it on LOW, with slabbed up drifts, pressure ridges, and soft snow. I just dont see it working well given it ground clearance, small tires, 2wd and low power.

I know how much trouble a regular ATV has with these conditions.

[youngie22]

I second the snobears... wicraft may only work until ice ridges form and it starts to snow

[blueroof]

Hey guys, would love to get a snobear. They don't seem practical for fishing the St. Croix, that is where I will be using it most of the time. Can those snobears float and extract themselves from open water?

Thanks for the information. Any more feedback on the wilcraft vehicles?

[harvey lee]

I have fished in the Wilcraft numerous times. I have not used one for the past 3 years but I will say this, for early ice, you cannot beat it. I was on Mille lacs and 5 miles out when others could only go out a mile or less.

One thing that is very important to operate in deeper snow is to have the front end higher than the rear and also have the rear duals and track system included and then it will go in somewhat deeper snow.

The shifter I believe was upgraded so it is now a little tougher.

It is very light and portable. If they increased the size inside, that also will have made it a better machine. It will do about 25 mph, so thats not to bad.

I do believe they also make a camo version so one could also use it for some hunting applications too. One would need to check but I do believe that they put an industrial engine in it and one could also upgrade to a higher hp.