Over night on the ice?

[slchillbilly]

I am looking at buying an ice shelter for next year. I want one for overnight trips on the ice. One big enough for 2 people. Any suggestions?
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[Brighamfish]

I have an Eskimo 949 Fatfish. I think it is big enough to set a couple cots up in and stay comfortably overnight. I've been wanting to do it for a few years now but all my buddies think I'm crazy. Lol! I figure it couldn't be any worse than a Klondike trip with the scouts right?
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[RockyRaab]

The stores have all ice stuff on closeout now. You picked the right time to buy.
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[RonPaulFan]

My plan, too! I got busy, then I blinked and now the ice is mostly gone, so it will have to wait for next season for me, too. But, I haven't ruled out going way north even after our season has ended.

I have the Cabela's large and tall five sided tent. Though there are other big ice fishing tents, more than four sides makes it less drag and more stable in strong gusting winds. The six sided tents also are good that way, but I like the window configuration in mine since I can see all 360 degrees and I also like that it's black and can be as dark inside as I choose even in bright sunlight.

It's plenty big for cots. I'm also thinking of using those gravity chair recliners which can double as an ice fishing chair and then lean back into a reclining position for sleep. I was half tempted to get a fancy swivel hunting chair for ice fishing, but those take up a lot of space and I have a swivel bucket which is great for gear anyway, hardly takes up any space and would leave plenty of space for cots or recliners.

The fish have conspired to bite before I wake up to fish, so by being already there, I'd only have to wake up at their breakfast time and fish! This is also my strategy for combining camping with shore fishing.

Then there's the ice power squadron. Some of those snowmobiles have everything! Heated hand grips, beer holder ... 100 MPH plus top speed and everything a driver would want for high speed night driving on a wide open frozen lake except for a warning system that they are about to crash through your tent that they can't see faster than their reaction speed.

I'll help them out. I have some high efficiency very bright reflective vinyl material that I can stake out surrounding my tent for them to see it at a greater distance on a clear night at a hundred miles per hour except for those who speed in fog and in white out conditions.
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[SkunkedAgain]

What's your budget say? Otter makes some really nice flips big enough for two to camp out, but they are expensive... The insulated shelters will help reduce the condensation on you, so you won't have to take too many wild steps to stay dry inside the tent...like sub layers inside to catch the drips and direct them around you. Got a friend that has many years of experience doing such things.. He's the Ice Shanty Utah moderator, but he seems to have the winter ice camping down... If you want to learn how to do it talk to Matt or Muskyon46... They have lots of good tricks to stay dry and have fun... Lots to consider like ventilation, ice melting under your feet due to heaters inside... will you still fish while in the tents??? What if a big wind rolls in during the night, will your tent stay in place... sucks to be chasing your gear in your skibbies in the dark... Anyway Matt can save you a lot of hard learned lessons... If you want to contact him direct PM me and I'll get you his phone number... Later J
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[RonPaulFan]

[quote SkunkedAgain]... What if a big wind rolls in during the night, will your tent stay in place... sucks to be chasing your gear in your skibbies in the dark... ... Later J[/quote]

On that, sudden unexpected strong wind is an important consideration recently addressed in a post started by K2muskie in BFT here:

http://www.bigfishtackle.com/cgi-bin/gfo...g;#1028799
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[Jedidiah]

The first time I fished the Fish Lake tournament it was windy. It popped one of my buckles and I had to stand on my tent while repairing the buckle and screwing the anchor back in, then went in and asked on the radio if anyone knew if the weather was going to change and someone responded, "If you're trying to predict the weather up here you're either an old fool or newcomer." The next year we showed up with bigger anchors new straps and put 8 anchors in and though the weather was crazy, we were the last people on the ice and had no idea that the wind had completely removed several dozen tents from the ice until the DWR came out to tell us we needed to leave because they were stopping plowing the road. 9 out of 10 times weather won't be a factor but I think if I was sleeping on the ice I'd double anchor, shovel a healthy bank up around the skirt, and certainly never use the stock straps that come with the tent.
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[slchillbilly]

Thanks for all the info. It sure helps. It's always easy to buy something you aren't satisfied with when you don't do your research and ask.
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[RonPaulFan]

Great post! Huge contrast between your story and the stories of all the others with tents and gear blown across the ice! It's a great illustration of the virtues of preparedness.

I can imagine it's easy to justify using minimal anchoring particularly since you're anxious to start fishing and after all -- it's a tent and you might decide to move it to a better location soon after trying the present location.

I suppose many might have figured they could add more anchors, IF it gets windy.

It reminds me of my childhood growing up on family boating. We would do ocean crossings in high seas too rough for others to consider it and think nothing of it as it was routine. Sure the boat was made more seaworthy with many modifications, but it wasn't the boat. We would have done the same with any of a great many of boats that stayed inland. It was the preparedness nature of the family and learning by gaining more confidence each time with hardships just becoming another adventure.

An insurance company says "It's never too late to buy insurance, until it is." Preparedness is that way.

We've had posts on why do you fish? All the uasual reasons apply for me, but some big ones are preparedness related. Fishing is preparedness. It facilitates eating! Fishing is also related to use of many other forms of preparedness such as the camping, transportation, equipment, boats, logistics, skills - learning and getting better.

Besides, for our various outdoor fun sports, there are some good excuses to be prepared should you need them: Safety is a big one!

be prepared, be very prepared
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[RonPaulFan]

I was looking into heaters and favoring the types that are external to the tent with no use of oxygen from inside and no adding moisture carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide to your breathing air -- just heat.
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[SkunkedAgain]

Hey Ron good tips there. I didn't know about the external heaters. Do they work well in the cold? Seems like propane doesn't flow well in cold temperatures. Know it sometimes takes blankets to insulate tanks or keep them in the tent so they stay warmer. I like your preparedness angle it is good to be prepared. Later J
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[slchillbilly]

Hey Ron, I haven't heard of external heaters. What brand names sell them?
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[a_bow_nut]

http://zodi.com/tent-heaters/x-40-hot-vent-tent-heater
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[slchillbilly]

Thank you sir!!!
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