Invented by Dave Genz, the most widely respected authority on ice fishing, Clam’s Fish Trap Scout model of collapsible ice fishing house is one of the best choices for someone looking for mobility. One person can easily set up the Fish Trap Scout in five minutes. You simply pull off the strap holding the steel frame to the sled, flip the tent part over, and start fishing. If you are the kind of ice fisherman that is never satisfied with fishing just one spot in a day, and find yourself constantly searching for the best spot on the lake, you should seriously consider buying the Fish Trap Scout. It goes for $250, which is a little expensive for an ice shelter of its size, but it is of relatively high quality, so most people would consider it a fair price when compared to a lot of other things in their ice fishing gear.
The Fish Trap Scout is 80 inches long and 36 inches wide, with a center height of 58 inches. It collapses into a sled, which is 48 inches long, 36 inches wide, and 20 inches tall. Weighing in at 47 pounds, the Fish Trap Scout is one of the lightest collapsible ice fishing shelters on the market. Some bigger men prefer the Fish Trap Pro to the scout because it has a little more room.
The Fish Trap Scout has a wider skirt on the bottom of the tent than most Fish Trap ice fishing shelters, which makes it hold warmth in slightly better. This is a good feature because some people complain of cold feet when they use Fish Trap ice fishing shelters. In terms of retaining heat, the Fish Trap Scout’s small size can serve as a plus. With less room, the airspace inside the shelter warms faster than in bigger Fish Trap models.
While the small size of the Fish Trap Scout is good for keeping warm, it also prevents you from relaxing in the company of your fellow ice fishermen. If you can’t stand to sit alone for long periods of time, then this type of ice fishing shelter is not for you. However, as Dave Genz says, “you’re not fishing alone, you’re fishing independently,” and just because you are not sitting in the same shelter as your friends does not mean you are not working as a team. Groups of people who each have their own Fish Trap Scouts can fish many spots on a lake simultaneously. This strategic ice fishing method, commonly referred to as the “Trap Attack,” has proven very successful at catching a wider variety of fish species in one day.
If you are interested in an ice fishing shelter that is more mobile than the rest, the Fish Trap Scout is what you are looking for. It is much smaller and lighter than other models, and it is remarkably easy to put together and disassemble. However, if you are a more social ice fisherman, and like to spend your ice fishing expedition in the company of your friends, than a bigger, more sturdy shelter will probably be better for you.
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