When it comes to ice fishing gear and the modern ice angler, perhaps nothing has allowed for longer time out chasing fish through the hard water than ice fishing shelters. From the pull behind portables to the high end wheel houses and permanent ice houses you have quite an array to select from. This site has tried to do a fair amount of ice fishing shelter reviews over the past couple years, but it is pretty hard to keep up with the never ending supplies of new and improved ice fishing houses on the market today. That said, here is a look at what is available today for shelter from the bitter cold while you are on the ice:
Portable ice fishing shelters:
Eskimo is one brand of portable ice shelter.
Dave Genz started this revolution in ice fishing and it has been nonstop ever since. Dave has his name attached to the Clam series line of portable ice fishing huts, and his personal favorite way to go is with everyone and their own personal 1 person fish house. This has been referred to as a “trap attack” as everyone had their own portable house and they would go out in droves to chase fish. This was most often ice fishing panfish with Dave in the forms of bluegill or crappie, but the concept applies to just about any type of fishing where you are moving about and hole hopping. Of course when it comes to getting the best out of this type of fishing you need to have a reliable ice fishing auger (in many cases an electric ice auger or a gas ice auger is the method of choice) and a smattering of different ice fishing rods readymade with different presentations.
In addition to the Clam series of huts, there are a few other prominent brands of portables. Eskimo has a large line that is well thought of. The distinct red color of these shelters sets them apart from the crowd and the ability to keep the cold out does wonders to keep you on the ice. Another prominent brand is the Otter, which boasts a large following of satisfied owners. The Otter Lodge ice fishing shelter is one that many an ice fisherman has used with great success.
Permanent Ice Fishing Shelters:
Ice Castle is a name that is synomymous with quality in the permanent ice fishing shelter world.
When it comes to ice fishing in the lap of luxury, the permanent ice house is the way to go. In fact, if you are one to take in a bit of mille lacs ice fishing, you will see some houses that are nicer than some people’s homes on land! With a permanent ice house you get the comfort and superior warmth, but may give up a bit of mobility. This is somewhat lessened with the top end wheel houses that are common these days. The most popular wheel house is likely the ice castle fish house. You can get these in various sizes, but truth be told you are going to pay for it. These things are expensive, but they do make a day on the ice seem almost like sitting in your living room. This is not for the old school ice fisherman, more like the high end outdoorsman that values comfort over frugality.
In addition to the wheel ice fishing houses you have the house like shelters that are common across much of the ice belt. When it comes to fishing in these houses it is quite nice, but usually moving them from spot to spot can be a pain. The upside of course is once you are set down on your spot, you pretty much have that spot reserved for as long as you would like. One thing to consider with these permanent houses is that using a gas auger can really stink up the inside of your house you are planning on fishing all day long. Using an electric auger can greatly reduce this and still get done what you need.