SnowDog on the Berry

[Troutster]

I fished Strawberry today using the marina shuttle. 4 adults 2 kids, $160. Ouch! Been looking at used snowmobiles and SnowDogs. I got to visit with a guy and his wife motoring around the lake on his new dog. He said it did great and he was happy with it. It looked really sweet. On the way back to the marina some of the slushy areas were deep. The snowmobile was roosting icy water all over my sled. I was wondering if any of you dog owners have experience on Stawberry with the SnowDog in the slush. Better or worse than a snowmobile?  I love the simplicity, and storability, and weight of the dog but it must be able to do the berry.

[Jayweymouth1]

I fished Strawberry today using the marina shuttle. 4 adults 2 kids, $160. Ouch! Been looking at used snowmobiles and SnowDogs. I got to visit with a guy and his wife motoring around the lake on his new dog. He said it did great and he was happy with it. It looked really sweet. On the way back to the marina some of the slushy areas were deep. The snowmobile was roosting icy water all over my sled. I was wondering if any of you dog owners have experience on Stawberry with the SnowDog in the slush. Better or worse than a snowmobile?  I love the simplicity, and storability, and weight of the dog but it must be able to do the berry.

[Kent]

Wow, I hope that I like my SnowKitty more than you like your SnowDog?  Maiden voyage this Wednesday.

[dubob]

I fished Strawberry today using the marina shuttle. 4 adults 2 kids, $160. Ouch! Been looking at used snowmobiles and SnowDogs. I got to visit with a guy and his wife motoring around the lake on his new dog. He said it did great and he was happy with it. It looked really sweet. On the way back to the marina some of the slushy areas were deep. The snowmobile was roosting icy water all over my sled. I was wondering if any of you dog owners have experience on Stawberry with the SnowDog in the slush. Better or worse than a snowmobile?  I love the simplicity, and storability, and weight of the dog but it must be able to do the berry.

For the average ice fisherman that isn't getting paid to do it, there is no such thing as one machine that will do it all.  I've had quads, snowmobiles, and now a Snowdog.  They all have their niche.  Since I'm only 2 months in to owning the Dog, my experience isn't as vast as what Jay has.  I'll run the dog for at least 2 full seasons before making a decision as to keeping it long term or not.  They do tip over easily and they will get bogged down in slush on occasion.  But so do snowmobiles and quads get booged down in slush.  Much easier to get the Dog un-bogged because of the lighter weight.  I have no clue about what the maximum snow depth is for the Dog and I hope I never find out.  It goes very good on ice, but can fishtail a little.  Probably run better after I stud the track.  Snow will slow it down a bit as I found out last week pulling a couple of well fed fishermen and 4 sleds of gear in about 6 inches of new snow on Rockport.  But it got us there and back just fine.  I have mostly done the Berry in March of the last 4 ice seasons and I don't recall any conditions we saw that wouldn't be doable with a Dog.  But by March, the snow is very well packed down and crusty for the most part with an occasion patch of slush.  Never fish it early season, so can't say what the conditions are like in Jan & Feb.  Again, there isn't one machine that will do it all.  You analyze your needs and goals and make a decision that best fits that scenario.   Good luck and tight lines to you.

[BURLEY]

This has been my only experience with slush. I was only hauling myself and gear with a tent. There is a Youtube video called "How to unstuck your Snowdog" that I read before the trip and it turned out to be very useful. I was unstuck in less than 3 minutes.

12/30/2020 report to BFT:
First time to fish Smith-Moorehouse. First real test for Snowdogs for Dubob and me. Arrived 7AM  temp +1*. Fishing was consistent for all anglers. Caught Grayling, rainbows,cuts, and some caught kokes. Ice was about 16 inches with 5-6" snow on some slush. When leaving the lake I ran into 6-8" of slush under the snow that brought my snowdog to a halt. A little stomping of snow and slush in front of it and walking to the side and the dog it climbed up and out no problem. I'm going to like this new machine.

[Troutster]

Thanks for the replies! I love this forum. Spending $3000 to $4000 dollars on a tool with just the salesman’s pitch is spooky. I should know, (I’m a salesman).  Hearing from folks who have actually spent their own money and used it enough to know what is hype and what is reality. I also prefer your advice to my wife’s. She said, “You need the exercise, just keep pulling your sled yourself” ?. Cost may end up being the deciding factor. SnowDog $3900 + $200 sled vs $2k-$3k for a pretty nice used snowmobile.  But I don’t want to be wrenching on an old sled that turns into a money pit.  Maintenance on a new dog should be minimal. If any of you get some new SnowDog insights please post. They are sold out in Orem until next year so I’m not in a rush.
Regards,
Chad

[Kent]

They are sold out in Orem until next year so I’m not in a rush.

When I was there, on Monday, they had two of them for sale.  They apparently, got sold during the week.

[Troutster]

They are sold out in Orem until next year so I’m not in a rush.

When I was there, on Monday, they had two of them for sale.  They apparently, got sold during the week.

They still had one when I called but it didn’t have reverse.

[SkunkedAgain]

Kent,
What is your kitten? Is that something different than the snowdogs? Tell ya what nothing does very well in slush, it's a pain for all machines... I do like my paddled up (2") track on the snowmobile in those conditions, but it's still a pain and I have to haul sleds single on the bad days... or at least pull stuff to a spot that is relatively set up before I try to start moving... Snowmobiles with the horsepower and traction can get through it most times, but I seen several snowmobiles abandoned on Cascade last winter that were out in the slush and couldn't get out so they left them and then they froze into the ice sheet... Stuff nightmares are made out of...

[Troutster]

I’m not sure how deep the slush was on Sat but the 4 stroke 600cc sleds they hauled us out on didn’t struggle. We would slow a little and they would just goose it and off we’d go. Filled my sled with ice water. BTW fishing was great. Caught 19 cuts in the slot and 1 cutbow. 65 fow, anywhere from 10 feet down all the way to 60’. Fished from 9:30 to 4:00. Caught half using a dodger with a tube 3 feet below.

[BURLEY]

 Maiden voyage this Wednesday.

Probably know the answer but, are you heading up to the berry?

[Kent]

Kent,
What is your kitten?  Is that something different than the snowdogs?

https://bigfishtackle.com/forum/showthre...id=1097323

I nicknamed it a SnowKitty because it is a smaller version of the SnowDogs.  Hopefully, it works well for me.

---

 Maiden voyage this Wednesday.

Probably know the answer but, are you heading up to the berry?

Likely the Berry.  First choice was Fish Lake, but forecast for wind, down there.  Welcome to tag along.

[Kent]

If you are asking about my Snowkitty, yes it is different.  It is a homemade machine and is a little smaller than a Snowdog (that is why I nicknamed it a Snowkitty).