Portable or flasher?

[KidWalleye]

You could also get the house and a good lake map. Also stop by the bait shop on your way out and get a little advise. Or log on here for that matter. Bring something to check depth though. (tape measure, rope with weght). I am one of those guys that doesn't believe in buying "cheaper equipment". You will be buying new stuff every year. Buy the best you can afford alittle at a time. One thing I didn't ask is how are you drilling your holes? If by hand you more than likely aren't moving all that much so get the house. If you already have the gas auger the you could hole hop with the vex and stay warm. Good luck and at least you're getting out there.

Kid

[mrklean]

get both, go on craigs----list you can find a flip over for 100 or less, can get a new or used for a couple hundred, just gotta know where to look

[Jari Razskazoff]

yeah, for you I'd go the ice house, the heater, and the lake map... get a two man house so you can convince your buddy that its his responcibility to grab a vexilar...the little buddy will heat a two man plenty good, and it will make it easier to carry out your vexilar next year by giving you pre-fish drag storage...

I'd say get a shack to carry your auger, heater, rods, lakemap, bait, food, radio, lantern/lights, and when taxes come, get the vexilar for the second half of the season.

[andrew chadwick]

I would get a flasher hands down.

you can pick up a cheap flip over house for 150 or less on [YouNeedAuthorization] too.

[smeese]

Go used and get both I just pick up a like new Chappell DX 3000 for a hundred bucks

[broman]

Cardboard box and a green box lo-k-tor. Oldschool, baby.

[shizzy]

thanks for all the advice guys. I thought I had a firm grasp, but I really don't. thanks for all the advice and links. I didnt know I could get a VX-1 for that price.

Im not really sure how much Ill get out this season. I only made it out a handfull of times last season due to having to either drag a 100lb shanty around or not have a shelter at all. In the summer I fish 2-3 times a week so my feeling is if Im comfortable, ill fish all the time.

I think a VX-1 and a Hub style shelter should do me good. all for about what I was thinking either a good portable or a good Flasher was going to cost me. Sadly, ill be in Bismark ND from Wed-Sunday, so Ill be missing all the good sales this weekend.

By the way, I do have a buddy heater and a hand auger. Im still young (31) so I still have a few turns of the auger left in me.

again, thansk for the words of advice guys

[kwohl]

I believe Bismarck has a scheels. They might have a deal.

[shizzy]

Thanks! Now I have something to do while im there!

[mrklean]

they do have a scheels but it stinks, kinda like bismark, sorry i hate that town for certain reason like when i need to go to scheels at 5pm on a saturday to pick up some last minute things for a fishing trip but its closed becaue the mall closes at 5!!!! But its always worth a shot

[Beege]

No matter how big of a #1 you are get the flasher. Catching fish equals warm body. Adrenaline and excitement are a good heater.

[Sandmannd]

thanks for all the advice guys. I thought I had a firm grasp, but I really don't. thanks for all the advice and links. I didnt know I could get a VX-1 for that price.

Im not really sure how much Ill get out this season. I only made it out a handfull of times last season due to having to either drag a 100lb shanty around or not have a shelter at all. In the summer I fish 2-3 times a week so my feeling is if Im comfortable, ill fish all the time.

I think a VX-1 and a Hub style shelter should do me good. all for about what I was thinking either a good portable or a good Flasher was going to cost me. Sadly, ill be in Bismark ND from Wed-Sunday, so Ill be missing all the good sales this weekend.

By the way, I do have a buddy heater and a hand auger. Im still young (31) so I still have a few turns of the auger left in me.

again, thansk for the words of advice guys

Are you from Bismarck Shizzy? I live in St. Paul now but originally from Bismarck. I did see some ice houses, two man flips, on Craig's List yesterday for $100. Pretty dang good deals. If you want to shoot me an email at shane at [YouNeedAuthorization] dot com I can send some that I see to you on there and you can check them out.

[CrappiesNCats]

i know its not one of the options but i would go:

1.Gas Auger (your best friend)

2.Shelter

3. Flasher

in order of necessity.

if you have a hand auger and no shelter and a flasher you are going to freeze because you will sweat digging your holes. most people fish without a flasher but it makes things easier.

[Redbeard5289]

Guess it all depends on how you look at it....

If you get a flasher first, then you won't be sitting out on the ice as much since you will be able to find the fish...

If you get the portable first, then you won't know exactly where the fish are at, but you will be able to stay out there longer since you have protection from the elements...

Personally, I would get a flasher first. Getting success will only deepen the ice fishing addiction.

Ask my 4 yr old; last year he "stole" both my flasher and camera for his hole everytime we went out. Guess I'll have to talk to the misses and see if we can get him his own electronics. ha ha ha

Redbeard5289

[jwhjr]

I got a flasher last, and I wish it would have been first. It's much more enjoyable when you know you're on the fish.

[portageman]

I get cold quick also. I did the shelter first, then the flasher. You need to find a way to do both. Shelters can be found cheap. You can build your own - there was a home made one man on this site a few days ago. Or you could pick up the Nature Vision Pak Shack for around 90 bucks, and either a used flasher or a Vx-1 for 200. You could have an entire brand new set up for 300 bucks.

[slipperybob]

Portable or Flasher?

Flasher first. You can always make shift a portable with just two poles and a tarp (rope and eye screws). Your buddy may have an open seat in their portable, but they usually won't have loaner flasher.

I started with the portable, because I had buddies with flashers, but no portables. They did most of the fish finding, I just show up later with the shelter.

[NCLaker]

I think a VX-1 and a Hub style shelter should do me good. all for about what I was thinking either a good portable or a good Flasher was going to cost me. Sadly, ill be in Bismark ND from Wed-Sunday, so Ill be missing all the good sales this weekend.

Since you are considering the Hub style shack ... may want to look at the Eastman Cubes. I don't have any personal experience with them but have read good reviews. Saw them on reputable websites new w/ shipping for $150 for a 4 person (7.5x7.5')and includes 2 fold up seats. Combine that with your $200 VX-2, gets you all new for pretty close to your original target price.

[slipperybob]

The Eastman Ice Cubes can be found at walmart/sam's. The floor space is actually only at shy of 71 inches. I like their design, I wish they had more than just two windows, but removable velcrow windows sure is nice. I like the Clam shelter material, but if they ever come out with an insulated Hub style...that'll be the hubba bubba dubba!

LOL's...now my project of insulated the Ice Cube...a fitting name when it's really chilly cold. It will have to be removeable, otherwise I'm not sure if it will fold up.

[Big Dave2]

i know its not one of the options but i would go:

1.Gas Auger (your best friend)

2.Shelter

3. Flasher

in order of necessity.

if you have a hand auger and no shelter and a flasher you are going to freeze because you will sweat digging your holes. most people fish without a flasher but it makes things easier.

This is the order I would put it in also. Auger is the first necessity. I knew another guy about your age that wanted to take up ice fishing. He bought the shelter first and said the same thing about being young and being able to turn the hand auger. The problem is once you drill your first 2 holes in 18" of ice you will not want to drill the necessary 10 more holes it takes to find a decent spot to fish. The next thing he went out and bought was a power auger.

In my opinion if you are on a budget consider used items of all of these things. I bought a brand new auger once and had nothing but problems with it. I sold it and bought a used one for $100 and it has been perfect for 5 or more years.

I know plenty of guys who have bought used flashers and have been happy with them for many years. Those things are almost bulletproof. Even if you could find a cheap clearwater classic it will up your success rate tremendously.

A shelter can be home-made even. When I started ice fishing I used an OLD homemade portable, made from plywood and canvas. Not the easiest thing to tote around but it kept me warm and I caught some fish out of it, and had a lot of fun in it.

I think we all get too caught up in the gear instead of the sport. With this economy the way it is, it would be good for a lot of people(especially me)to take a look at ways of cutting the fat. We are all so used to going out and buying everything new that we discard the idea of used or doing things "on the cheap". Just my 1 cent worth.

[niterydr]

Originally Posted By: CrappiesNCats

i know its not one of the options but i would go:

1.Gas Auger (your best friend)

2.Shelter

3. Flasher

in order of necessity.

if you have a hand auger and no shelter and a flasher you are going to freeze because you will sweat digging your holes. most people fish without a flasher but it makes things easier.

This is the order I would put it in also. Auger is the first necessity. I knew another guy about your age that wanted to take up ice fishing. He bought the shelter first and said the same thing about being young and being able to turn the hand auger. The problem is once you drill your first 2 holes in 18" of ice you will not want to drill the necessary 10 more holes it takes to find a decent spot to fish. The next thing he went out and bought was a power auger.

In my opinion if you are on a budget consider used items of all of these things. I bought a brand new auger once and had nothing but problems with it. I sold it and bought a used one for $100 and it has been perfect for 5 or more years.

I know plenty of guys who have bought used flashers and have been happy with them for many years. Those things are almost bulletproof. Even if you could find a cheap clearwater classic it will up your success rate tremendously.

A shelter can be home-made even. When I started ice fishing I used an OLD homemade portable, made from plywood and canvas. Not the easiest thing to tote around but it kept me warm and I caught some fish out of it, and had a lot of fun in it.

I think we all get too caught up in the gear instead of the sport. With this economy the way it is, it would be good for a lot of people(especially me)to take a look at ways of cutting the fat. We are all so used to going out and buying everything new that we discard the idea of used or doing things "on the cheap". Just my 1 cent worth.

I like this post.

I am trying to outfit myself here for "city" fishing, as I am lucky enough to have family up north with permenant fish houses. I just picked up a few year old Eskimo Quickfish III for $100, now to find a cheap fish finder. I will be buying a heater with giftcards I have to either Gander, Cabela's or [PoorWordUsage]'s (need to pick which cards I want). Then to find a gas auger used to replace my hand one I use.

[deadeye]

There was some great deals on craigs---list last night for both shelters and flashers. Used gear is the way to go. It is almost always half the price or less than new. It sometimes pays to get used also because the problem spots on the gear have been fixed ovet the years. Plus it looks tough which says I have been here and done this before.

[tip_upclyma]

1. FLASHER (I won't go fishing without one)

2. Sunflower Heater (Got to have heat)

3. Portable (the flip overs are the best, and the easiest)

4. GPS with Lakemaster chip (I have an H2OC, and it is how I find spots to fish without having to drill 100 holes)

5. Gas Auger (This is very nice to have...but until the ice is over 12" thick, you can get by with a hand auger...especially if you already have 1,2, and 3)

Just my thoughts!!!

[shizzy]

sandman, My Fiance' is from Bismark, so I get to spend the weekend there. I kinda feel the same about the town. too small to be a big city, to big to be a small town. Oh well, they have a pool table and a big screen.

a power auger is for sure going to be on the list for next season.

[bgreen82]

gas auger is my next purchase, but i already have a shelter and vex, which i think are more important. gas auger will be nice, but if youre fishing in a popular spot, you can generally find already open holes or holes then can be opened easily.