So we’ve narrowed our search down to the following brands: Yetti, Custom Cottages, Firebrand & Elite Premium. If you have one, fished in one or have just looked at one, please give your opinion. Or if you have other knowledge regarding aluminum fish houses, we would love to hear from you. We are a family of 4 & looking to purchase.
As mentioned I have a Yetti, one of the selling points was the through axle. I am not sure on other alum houses but I know most steel frames do not have a one piece axle that runs full length across the house.
I was disappointed how the trailer lights and brakes were wired, they used the little crimp splices, a lot of the firing strips were split, one of my brakes is not currently working (i need to investigate), 1 year warranty on the house. The 8’wide houses in MN require a lic plate that has to be illuminated, the house was not wired for a light nor a mount for a plate. Im guessing most have issues with this but I have literally been frozen/frosted into my house when I wake in the mornings. You should keep tools and carb spray to access the lock mechanism that frosts up and will not operate. You may find yourself going out a window to heat the lock with a torch… I would also recommend rubbing the lift cables down with grease as mine are pretty darn rusty after only one year also if you have outdoor winches get covers.
There are a lot of pros to the house too but these were just my dislikes and things I learned. (i spent a lot of time making myself happy) I am just trying to shorten your learning curve as these are not cheap purchases and the better informed you are the better prepared you will be purchasing and using.
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My Uncle bought a Custom Cottage 8 by 12′ skid house at the beginning of last season. I fished out of it a couple times and it is very well built. The inside and outside are finished really nice. The entire house is wired for outlets, TVs, lights, and switches. The wires run behind the trim, so it’s easy to access if needed. My Uncle tows it out on LOW with a tracked jeep and there were no issues after 20-25 trips on and off the lake.
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From all my research and investigation, I have heard nothing but good things about the Custom Cottages, also, I’ve heard good things about Yetti, but I’ve also heard that some people have had problems with the frames cracking. I don’t own, nor have had no experience with either brand but these are just the things that I’ve heard and read online. It’d be nice to hear from more people who have the Yetti Houses and get more feedback out to the public. I’ve been close to purchasing a Yetti myself.
I have a Yetti 8×16 and have found the same issues as Mark did. Poor wiring which I had to fix some of it along with split furring strips. My tongue had cracked which had to be welded and also the front crank stripped out. Cables are rusted and I have no idea why they don’t put SST cables on it. I sinced replaced them with SST cables. Countless times the door as frozen shut and all the weatherstripping has pulled off. If I was to buy one again I would go with Custom Cottage. Friend of mine got one after I purchased my Yetti and far better house.
Door and window frames that are too tight will freeze shut. Best solution I have heard is liberal silicone spray on weatherstripping, or a smear of petroleum jelly
I just happened upon this forum as a new member, and to anyone in the market for a new aluminum fish house I would like to offer my personal experience.. About three years ago I started my research with the intention of purchasing the best manufactured fish house to suit my needs. I wanted something light weight, comfortable, user friendly, and also with all the features one should expect from a high end fish house. One major factor ultimately lead me to the brand I chose… I needed a toy hauler version big enough to haul my Polaris Ranger with tracks.. I started at the local Ice Castle dealer. I was absolutely appalled with the construction and fit and finish details of their houses! I immediately checked them off my list. I then looked at the Yetti. They seemed to be of very nice construction, but at that time they offered only unfinished models. That same year a friend bought one and finished the interior himself. He was really excited to take me out fishing that winter. I decided to wait and see how he faired in his new Yetti before making my purchase. The first day on the lake we had just gotten set up when we realized we had forgotten bait. I ran home a few miles away to retrieve it. On my way back onto the lake there was another truck with a very similar Yetti stuck in the access. I waited for a minute and the driver came to the back of the hitched fish house and began looking underneath. He stood up shaking his head and yelling some unpleasantries. I got out to offer my help. He said “The frame fell apart!”. I looked at the ground and there laid the aluminum tube that spans the back of the fish house on the bottom. He had hooked it on an ice heave and it literally ripped the tube beside the welds.. I spoke with the gentleman for a while and he explained to me that he had narrowed his choice between the Yetti and an Elite Premium. The Yetti was a couple thousand dollars cheaper so he went that route. “I obviously made the wrong choice”, he said.
After this encounter I began researching the construction of the two brands. I discovered some major differences in materials.. The Yetti uses 2″ X 4″ X 1/8″ wall aluminum tubing for its base frame. The Elite uses 2″ X 4″ X 1/4″ wall aluminum tubing. Elite also uses a through axle design with a 2 1/2″ diameter zinc played axle shaft compared to the Yettis much smaller shaft. I was also impressed with the floor substrate in the Elite, the Yetti uses 3/4″ treated plywood which is heavy and only holds up so long in a fish house.. The floor material in the Elite is made of a nylon/ fiberglass reinforced composite used in the construction of floors in city busses as well as high end watercraft. The Elite comes standard with rigid spray foam insulation which is an upgrade option on the Yetti I understand. Elite is also the only manufacturer to offer a model wide enough to accommodate my Ranger with tracks. Everything about the Elite down to finest details are meticulously crafted to meet the highest expectations of any fisherman. Me included..
Let’s see some pics of the house and Ranger.
DT
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