# Getting reading for ice fishing.



## swmnhay (Jun 13, 2008)

Santa was good to me,I must of been a good boy!


----------



## BWfarms (Aug 3, 2015)

Are you going to pre drill or drill inside like some people I know? Plus, where are the holes?


----------



## stack em up (Mar 7, 2013)

Now I know where to go when I wanna go fish in style!

My landlord has an IceCastle. Very nice. Actually nicer than his house....


----------



## swmnhay (Jun 13, 2008)

BWfarms said:


> Are you going to pre drill or drill inside like some people I know? Plus, where are the holes?


I have to cut the holes yet and install hole covers.I didnt care for the benches that it came with so doing my own thing for seating so I didnt know exactly where I wanted the holes at.

Pre drill if there is a lot of ice so don't end up with all the ice shaveings in the house.They do have some deals to make clean up easier,I'll prly get something like that to keep the inside of house cleaner.

It's TV ready with a digital antenna so have to get a TV mounted yet also.


----------



## swmnhay (Jun 13, 2008)

stack em up said:


> Now I know where to go when I wanna go fish in style!
> 
> My landlord has an IceCastle. Very nice. Actually nicer than his house....


I looked at Ice castle and chose this one.Mine was custom built without some ammenities,I was after more floor space.And IMO a better built house.Mine is also all alluminum frame,I didn't want steel frame because of wieght and rust.I wieghed the axle on way home with it and its 2400 lbs.Pickup wieghed 8300 lbs,had fuel tank in it!

I did my homework and looked at about 15 brands.Quite a difference in houses in features and workmanship.


----------



## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

Well dang....I think I might have to come up and inspect that contraption upon installation  ....Propane heat? 

Regards, Mike


----------



## r82230 (Mar 1, 2016)

Nice, ice fishing shanty Swmn!!! Looks like Santa could even use a rest stop even.  Just put a little hay out for old Rudolph.

Larry


----------



## swmnhay (Jun 13, 2008)

Vol said:


> Well dang....I think I might have to come up and inspect that contraption upon installation  ....Propane heat?
> 
> Regards, Mike


Mike,you are welcome to come up and fish anytime.Yes it has a propane furnace  Oven,Stove,microwave,radio and TV.I'm getting old enough where I don't want to Rough It anymore.LOL.


----------



## BWfarms (Aug 3, 2015)

Leaving it on the ice or pulling it each trip?

I figured you had a reason for the holes not in yet. Just realized the bunks are missing from the back wall. I know a guy that had the benches removed and he used swivel recliners. Had holes to the side and out front of the chair.


----------



## swmnhay (Jun 13, 2008)

BWfarms said:


> Leaving it on the ice or pulling it each trip?
> 
> I figured you had a reason for the holes not in yet. Just realized the bunks are missing from the back wall. I know a guy that had the benches removed and he used swivel recliners. Had holes to the side and out front of the chair.


Local lakes it might sit on same spot awhile.If i go farther away it will be comeing home with me.It is very easy to set up and down,push a button for electric jacks.

Yea i didn't care for the benches they had so ordered it without.Got a lot of options for seating.desk chair on rollers,recliner,fouton maybe.Swivel recliner sounds like a good idea.Don't plan on to many over nights but want something if I do.


----------



## PaMike (Dec 7, 2013)

So how do you secure it so someone cant make it disappear??


----------



## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

swmnhay said:


> It is very easy to set up and down,push a button for electric jacks.


So does the housing area drop down upon the wheels and axle?

Regards, Mike


----------



## swmnhay (Jun 13, 2008)

PaMike said:


> So how do you secure it so someone cant make it disappear??


Not a big problem around here.Ive heard of some stole but it's typically around the cities and then it's probably out of a driveway not off a lake.

It's sitting down on the ice when on the lake so it has to be lifted and wheels locked in place.mine has a remote control to lift it so be pretty difficult to get it lifted without it


----------



## swmnhay (Jun 13, 2008)

Vol said:


> So does the housing area drop down upon the wheels and axle?
> 
> Regards, Mike


yea the frame will set right down to the ice.,wheels pivot up.


----------



## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

swmnhay said:


> yea the frame will set right down to the ice.,wheels pivot up.


Well son of a gun. What a rig.

Regards, Mike


----------



## swmnhay (Jun 13, 2008)

Vol said:


> Well son of a gun. What a rig.
> 
> Regards, Mike


a lot of people use them for campers in the summer.You can get them with AC and showers.

I bale hay in summer,lol.


----------



## swmnhay (Jun 13, 2008)

PaMike said:


> So how do you secure it so someone cant make it disappear??


And the tongue is removable.


----------



## stack em up (Mar 7, 2013)

swmnhay said:


> And the tongue is removable.


Only if you stuck it to something super cold.... 

Oh come on, that was funny right there.


----------



## IHCman (Aug 27, 2011)

Your way better off to cut your own hole pattern in the floor. I hate the hole layout in most brands. They all have the holes to close to the benchs. Yetti is the only one I like the hole pattern.

I've always had my heart set on a Yetti but my old banker wanted me to buy a Fire Brand. He'd fished in both and thought the Fire Brand was better. I still haven't bought one and with the way the cattle market looks and is forecasted to look even worse in the upcoming years I'm putting it off. Seems to be the story of my life, always watiting till next year.


----------



## swmnhay (Jun 13, 2008)

IHCman said:


> Your way better off to cut your own hole pattern in the floor. I hate the hole layout in most brands. They all have the holes to close to the benchs. Yetti is the only one I like the hole pattern.
> 
> I've always had my heart set on a Yetti but my old banker wanted me to buy a Fire Brand. He'd fished in both and thought the Fire Brand was better. I still haven't bought one and with the way the cattle market looks and is forecasted to look even worse in the upcoming years I'm putting it off. Seems to be the story of my life, always watiting till next year.


I read a ton of reviews and scanned some ice fishing forums before I ordered mine.Hopefully made the right choice.Yetti seemed to have a lot of frame issues.I had another brand picked out but the co was haveing fianacial issues and others complained after putting money down on a custom built trailer it took months longer to get it then promised.Last I heard they were reorganizing!
Yea ,I didn't like where the holes were in most houses or the seating either.Looked at some and the is not much floor space because of the horse shoe bar,etc.

I put off getting one for awhile but with grkids loving to fish I decided to take the plunge.


----------



## swmnhay (Jun 13, 2008)

The show of shows for everything ice fishing.




__ https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=1813154812286069


----------



## hillside hay (Feb 4, 2013)

Wow. Makes a 5 gal bucket look Siberia.


----------



## swmnhay (Jun 13, 2008)

Set down on the ground.


----------



## stack em up (Mar 7, 2013)

Hillside Hay is right. Makes my 5 gal pail and coveralls look even worse than it does already....


----------



## BWfarms (Aug 3, 2015)

I love the 2 tone pickup 

Wow not a lot of room for the fender, don't forget to kick the ice chunks off before lowering. If I'm ever in the area again when there's ice, I may know a few sweet spots


----------



## IHCman (Aug 27, 2011)

Now all you need is some ice. Should make some ice up here here next week. Single digit highs and negative lows.


----------



## IHCman (Aug 27, 2011)

swmnhay said:


> The show of shows for everything ice fishing.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


MN is certainly the King of ice fishing.


----------



## swmnhay (Jun 13, 2008)

I finally made it fishing yesterday.7" of ice.Used my portable flip over house.Caught a nice crappie and 6 perch.Caught 6 walleye but threw them all back,let them grow up.


----------



## stack em up (Mar 7, 2013)

swmnhay said:


> I finally made it fishing yesterday.7" of ice.Used my portable flip over house.Caught a nice crappie and 6 perch.Caught 6 walleye but threw them all back,let them grow up.


And now I'm hungry for some nice fried perch.


----------



## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

For some reason whenever I hear ice fishing first thing that comes to mind is Grumpy and Grumpier Old Men.


----------

