So much dang work….

I took my son out ice fishing today, first trip of the season. It wasn’t going to be much. Just a local lake, hoping for some panfish or whatever might bite.

It was fairly warm today, so I wasn’t planning to bring the Otter flipover, but my son really wanted to bring it as he was concerned he would be cold. So, I took it along.

I don’t have a wheeler or snowmobile anymore, so I had to drag it out. My God… I must be getting older and weaker because by the time I got to the spot i wanted, I was about ready to pass out. Trying to drag that heavy sucker through snow drifts and some slush just about did me in. The whole time i was fishing all I could think about was having to drag it all the way back to the truck. Then even just loading it into the truck dang near took me out a 2nd time.

The wife and I are now talking about eventually getting a UTV with the otter flipover attachment to the back. Drive out, flip it down, fish, flip it up and drive off. Boy that sounds easier.

I don’t think i’ll be dragging my flipover out by hand any more this season. Covid hasn’t taken me out, but i’m convinced that will if i keep it up.

Oh, and to make it all worse, we never even got a bite.

Sorry for complaining. I just felt like it.

I hear ya. Getting old sucks. But as we get old we usually get smarter. Build yourself a smitty sled. It will make pulling by hand sooooooo much easier

I was out plowing a spot for the kids to ice skate around lunch time today and saw someone in the same condition as you, he had 2 kids with him as well. I went over to see if he needed a hand, he said he just got this bigger shack and man is that thing hard to drag. I happen to have my hitch in the RZR which I normally don’t so all he had to do was drop the rope over the ball and I pulled his shack and kids back to his truck. Just enough snow to make it hard to pull a shack out there

I feel your pain. Been there, done that too many times.

I just posted a Smitty Sled for sale in the classifieds here.
I’d be happy to just donate it to you if you want to come and get it.
Makes it a lot easier to load up in the truck too!

Take his offer you will never regret it.

For me its all about figuring out what works best for you and no one has the perfect combo.

That’s the beauty of it all!

bullcans wrote:

I feel your pain. Been there, done that too many times.

I just posted a Smitty Sled for sale in the classifieds here.
I’d be happy to just donate it to you if you want to come and get it.
Makes it a lot easier to load up in the truck too!

I genuinely appreciate the offer, but i’ll humbly decline. Only because I have the materials and skillset to build one on my own. My only question for you smitty sled users is about how they actually work… My otter shack is pretty dang heavy. Do the smitty sleds do that great of a job keeping it all above the snow and pulling that much more easily? I feel like the skis would just dig into the deeper snow and not be much of a benefit… but i’m not that smart of a fella, so I’m willing to be wrong.

matthewkolden wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>bullcans wrote:</div>
I feel your pain. Been there, done that too many times.

I just posted a Smitty Sled for sale in the classifieds here.
I’d be happy to just donate it to you if you want to come and get it.
Makes it a lot easier to load up in the truck too!

I genuinely appreciate the offer, but i’ll humbly decline. Only because I have the materials and skillset to build one on my own. My only question for you smitty sled users is about how they actually work… My otter shack is pretty dang heavy. Do the smitty sleds do that great of a job keeping it all above the snow and pulling that much more easily? I feel like the skis would just dig into the deeper snow and not be much of a benefit… but i’m not that smart of a fella, so I’m willing to be wrong.

The skis help float it above the snow. Less friction dragging through the snow vs the whole bottom of the flip over dragging through the snow. They are easy to make. Since you have the opportunity to build one, try it. I’d be surprised if you didn’t notice a big difference

They help a lot. I don’t walk ever with out one. Mine is made of pvc.

Those Otters get heavier with age its not you! People who think ice fishing is zero excercise have no idea.

We just put in lots of work. Me, the woman, a 5 year old and 10 year old. But it was fun

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smitty sled x10000. i must have pulled my gear out a couple hundred yards with my pinky today. i have a hub because it is 30lbs and because i fish a lot of lakes that do not allow ATV’s. the one today actually had half ton trucks all over it today but when it’s that easy, i don’t chance it. works mint 60% of the time all the time! they say cross country skis are the best because less surface space means less friction? i got water skis on mine and i spray them with teflon every so often and they work good too. there are a lot of cool builds made of aluminum, pvc etc. the sky is the limit really. i would never build one for a flip over but they do it too.

Just wondering why you wouldn’t build one for a flip over?

Gobbler wrote:

Just wondering why you wouldn’t build one for a flip over?

what i meant was me. i do not own a flip over so would never do it. flip over houses should be pulled behind a ATV or SXS with how heavy they are. i would die too pulling a giant sled with gear in it.
i got my set up as light as i can possibly roll. lite flite on a drill, un insulated hub, rod bag and bucket in a sled. my 20lb propane is the only thing i cannot make any lighter. i think i am down to around 70ish pounds in my smitty sled and my body would thank me if it could.

On top of the smitty sled suggestion, also remember where Otter’s flipovers came from. They were a response to the Clams and Frabills at that time with more flimsy sleds that were getting beat up too bad when dragged all over by snowmobiles. So Otter came out with these durable sleds, but with that durability came weight.

If you don’t envision pulling it with an ATV or snowmobile in the future, I always tell guys to forgot Otter and go with something lighter and as small as you can tolerate. The flimsiest sled will do just fine if you are just pulling by hand.

I have a hub shelter, but with my sled that carries all my gear, I went with a Cabela’s one just because of how much heavier the comparable Otter one was. I have it up on a Smitty sled and it’s great.

Otter is like the rotomolded coolers — durable for tossing around the back of a truck, but a PITA to lift anywhere.

I think I might be smart to look into getting a hub shelter in addition to my Otter Flipover. I had an eskimo hub a number of years ago, but it was in rough shape. It was an absolute nightmare if there was any wind at all. Even staking one side down, the poles were so worn out any little wind would cave them in. I’d imagine a never one would be stronger and not give me such a headache trying to setup and take down. But, sounds like a hub shelter on top of a smitty sled would make my life a lot easier until I can afford the UTV with tracks and built on canvas flip over.

Very simple without the Smitty sled I would not be able to fish until you can drive out. Asthma kicks my butt.

Wife and I pulled out two kids last night with the hub, heater, mats and 20lb tank for the heater. By the time we had walked about 100 yards i was spent.

And then I see the guy go by me with his wheeler like it is nothing haha. Guess I need to invest in something to pull.

That said, seeing the kids excitement over a bunch of mud puppies(i know…) was totally worth it!

Similar to boats it’s hard to have just one that works for all situations.

Even with a Smitty I’m not gonna want to pull a big otter around. My back already resents me for my work, it won’t appreciate trying to lift 150# into back of truck. Just not worth it for me.

Just grabbed a 2 man Eskimo seirra thermal just bc my kiddo wants to go with me more as well, so far it’s a perfect fit. Big one man, cozy two man, and easy in/out of vehicle.

eyeguy507 wrote:

my 20lb propane is the only thing i cannot make any lighter.

They make 5 and 11 lb propane bottles. I bought an 11 and besides being lighter it takes up less room. Been happy with after a couple seasons of use.

It depends but how old is your kid? Mine is 6 and he helps me load, pull, set up the hub,anchor and break it all down again. If he is younger bring someone out with you, maybe a buddy you haven’t gotten to see in a while for the extra help. If he is older get him to help, it will retain interest. And have your sled set up one way for a quick walk on, and another for a full day or trip. I have different buckets and lists of what I need for different outings. I make lists and it has helped save a lot on overpacking and inefficiency, and organization will set you free.

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They don’t call them 2 man shelters for nothing, that’s how many it takes to pull them.

Anyone remember the Clam sleeper? Pulling that beast out by hand on Mille Lacs before you could drive out. Not fun!

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Same here…wife & I went out Saturday, although we have a wheeler to pull everything. Yesterday it felt like I somehow was used for a tackling dummy, would take me 30 seconds to get up off the couch, slept for four hours in the afternoon, just completely drained, and no I don’t feel sick. All we did was walk to the flags. If I am going to feel like this after a few hours of fishing, not sure I want to keep on doing it. I don’t remember being this wiped out, ever.

Smitty sled. Don’t get a wheeler get a sled, when you start getting deep snow it will suck.

I pulled an otter cottage, about a 1 mile through 2 feet of snow last week. Yup I felt that lol.

A polaris ranger with a full set of tracks and an otter flipover mounted right to the back is soundi g like a better and better idea with each comment i read. =)

Paul D wrote:

Same here…wife & I went out Saturday, although we have a wheeler to pull everything. Yesterday it felt like I somehow was used for a tackling dummy, would take me 30 seconds to get up off the couch, slept for four hours in the afternoon, just completely drained, and no I don’t feel sick. All we did was walk to the flags. If I am going to feel like this after a few hours of fishing, not sure I want to keep on doing it. I don’t remember being this wiped out, ever.

Same here. Extreme fatigue with no other symptoms, I didn’t know WTF to think. This past 6 months has been freakin weird for health.

muskie-tim wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>eyeguy507 wrote:</div>
my 20lb propane is the only thing i cannot make any lighter.

They make 5 and 11 lb propane bottles. I bought an 11 and besides being lighter it takes up less room. Been happy with after a couple seasons of use.

you are correct and i have contemplated it too for years but as much as i fish out of my hub, i would have to refill those 3 or 4 times per winter. my heavy 20 lasts forever.