The right ice shack can make a cold winter feel like summer!
Winter brings many things like blizzards, icicles, skiing, snowboarding, and best of all, ice fishing. If you’ve never had a chance to snuggle up in an ice shack and ice fish, you’re missing out on one of the best winter sports. Yes, ice fishing is a sport … with beer! There are annual festivals around the world for ice fishing. There is even a contest for the best, Crib’s Style Ice Shanty. Well, maybe not Cribs, but people do amazing things in their shacks. In the northern states of the US, there are thousands of people who can’t wait for the ice to form before they can head out onto the frozen lakes and start their ice fishing season. As soon as there is enough ice, it is time to connect your fishing cabin to the back of your trucks and move to the lakes. Once you’ve found that perfect spot, your shack can stay in that spot for the entire season if the fishing is good, fingers crossed! For some people, every spare minute they have is spent fishing during ice fishing season. It is a way of life and something special for us, that we are privileged to know it. One thing is for sure, if you are going ice fishing, you will need a place to warm up. The way we do it is by using an ice shack.
What is an Ice Shanty?
An ice shack is a portable ice fishing shelter that can be made of heavy material such as wood or metal. Other shacks are made of lightweight material like vinyl, canvas, and denier fabric. Its main objective is to protect fishermen from the ravages of winter while fishing. Some of the handmade huts are like little houses. You say it! Satellite TV, stoves, lighting, air conditioning and even bunk beds. Sometimes they can look more like a mobile home than a “shack”. Whatever your style, there is one for you. In the United States, ice fishing is more of a social event than in other countries around the world. In places like Wisconsin and Minnesota, there are hotels, B & Bs, and resorts that own ice houses. They will do all the work while you concentrate on ice fishing. It really is a great way to fish if you don’t have all the equipment you need. They will transport you in the morning and bring you back at sunset. You can fish to your heart’s content. However, you don’t need a luxury hotel or resort to join in the fun on the lake. As long as you have your license, gear, and a place to warm up, you’re ready to rock! In Alaska, ice fishing and whaling for Eskimos are a matter of survival. Interesting fact: In order for Eskimos to hunt whales in Alaska, they must use hunting methods that date back 600 years. The Eskimos begin by setting up a base camp on the ice. Once their ice shack is settled, they prepare to prepare for the hunt. They use a handmade spear and boats made from sealskin to hunt the whale, which can be the size of a train locomotive. They point their boat directly at the center of the whale’s head because the whale’s head is so big that you can’t see the boat coming. Once they are over the head of the whales, they have to stab the whale in the spine and quickly get out of the way. There is a rope attached to the spear at one end and a barrel at the other so that they can continue their hunt by watching the barrel float in the water. Motorized boats are called quickly after the spear to retrieve the whale. It’s sad to see it somehow, but it’s amazing that Eskimos go out on icy water in a sealskin boat and hunt a whale with a toothpick. Talk about the ultimate ice fisherman. I just want to point out that nothing is wasted on the whale. I veered off a bit there, but it’s an interesting way of life. The fact that an ice shack allows them to survive the Arctic and, as a result, winter makes it incredible.
Ice Shack Considerations
Choosing the right ice shack is not as easy as it sounds. As mobile ice fishing has become more popular, ice shacks now come in a wide variety of sizes, shapes, and materials. Size, portability, and material are very important considerations when choosing your ice shack. The size of the ice shack may be the most important thing to think about. If you like to fish with friends, which most of us do, the question is; How many of my friends can I bring? Of course, there are those beautiful days when you don’t need a shelter for ice fishing, but when the weather changes, it’s nice to have a warm place (but not too many warm people) to go. With size, mainly referring to custom built heavy material huts, portability becomes an issue. You will need a way to get your ice fishing house to the lake and a way to get around when you are on the lake. A 4×4 truck, snowmobile, or 4-wheeler will be required to move a larger ice shack. If you live on a lake, it is not a good idea to have a mac daddy ice shack for several reasons. If you don’t, there are plenty of great portable ice shack options. Note: If you are new to ice fishing, it is important to stay close to where other large shacks are located, especially if you are unfamiliar with the lake and decide to build or purchase a large shelter. If you are a fisherman on the go or just looking for a bit of tranquility for yourself, a fishing center for one or two people may be the answer. However, you will want to think about how much fishing gear you can store and use in your ice shack. The more space the better. Add in two friends, buckets and beer, it could be really cozy in a shack too small for your needs. You can probably feel my bias here, I think an ice shack for three or four people is a good starting point for ice fishermen. It’s nice to be able to move around with the fish and try different lakes. A portable ice shack is just that, portable. You can move it from place to place, lake to lake as often as you like and just spend a few minutes tearing down and assembling your shelter. It sure beats moving a heavy material shack. There’s even a portable house from Eskimo Ice Shelters that folds into a storage sled and folds out for shelter with a built-in bench.
What kind of material for an ice shack?
If you are an avid fisherman, you will need a winter cabin that is warm and comfortable. There is no point in freezing to death while enjoying your favorite hobby. We have already covered homemade ice fishing houses in the previous section for which there are plenty of ice shack plans available on the internet if that is the direction you want to go. Many of the portable ice shacks on the market today are made from 300D or 600D polyester. Three hundred denier polyester is a lightweight material, while 600 denier polyester is a stronger material. 300D polyester is slightly thinner than 600D. It’s definitely lighter if you carry it with you while hiking through the snow. It is also generally less expensive. 600D polyester is about twice as durable as 300D, but it weighs and costs more. They will both do the job. You will also see the vinyl and tarp that are used to make a portable ice shack. We hope that understanding the purpose and applications of the ice shack will help you decide which shelter is best for you.