UTV or Snowmobile

Looking for some thoughts on what folks are using to get around on the ice for 2 people. I normally pull my Otter lodge out on the ice with a rope or drive my pickup out (providing there is enough ice). Last year, I got tired of pulling my gear out on the ice, so I built a Smitty sled which made things a little easier. After telling my wife that I need to program 911 on my cell phone in case I have a grabber hauling my gear out, I’ve come to the conclusion that I need a better setup.
I’m trying to weight the +/- of a touring snowmobile vs a UTV. What ever direction I go, I’m looking for something that can haul at least 2 people around. I’m interested in something that will get me out on the ice and back, without the worry of “Is it going to start”! In my eyes the UTV is more practical since I can use it all year long, however the UTV really wouldn’t be doing any “Utility” work because I have a JD tractor for plowing and yardwork. I could see taking the wife up North and doing some trail riding (maybe). A used 4-Stroke touring snowmobile would be good in the winter for ice fishing, but it hardly get used here in southern Wisconsin (3 months top). I must admit I was somewhat sticker shocked by the price of a 1000CC UTV, even a used one. Right now I’m leaning towards something used. I plan on purchasing an enclosed trailer after I pick something out.

I was just wondering what folks are doing….?

Mark

This really depends on what type of conditions of the lakes you are fishing. For me I use a ski-doo expedition. But I fish wisconsin and Canada bodies of water which have plenty of snow and slush. Also the utv would be way to wide to get threw most of the portages. If I was fishing lakes with little snow and no slush the the utv would be my choice. As you have said you can get a snowmobile for a lot less then a utv. I use an atv in low snow conditions.

Attachments:

1. 

   IMG_20170310_105424316_HDR.jpg
   

2. 

   IMG_20200314_160321_01.jpg
   

I currently use an ATV with a monster box setup, but I keep eying getting a 6×6 Argo for the simple fact of if I go through the ice i’m not gonna sink…I never drive fast on the ice anyways so speed is not a deciding factor… The new Argo’s are alot nicer and owner friendly than the older ones that used 2 sticks to steer. The accessory options are endless, can go with tracks and several types of toppers (fabric and aluminum)

Depends on where you are and going , I have King Quad with boxes front and back or an Arctic Cat Norseman, for the long trips. Or my truck and pull the Ice Castle Little Jigger, around. DK.

I use a 2 up snowmobile to pull my Otter Lodge. It isn’t a wide track so it’s a little “tippy” with two people. I have an EFI so I don’t deal with the carbs and the flooding when it’s warm. But it’s liquid cooled so I make sure to drive through snow when it’s warm.

My Dad and brother both have Rangers with tracks on them. If you have the $$ I think that’s the way to go! Most have heated cabs. Can fit three guys (it’s tight but it’s definitely doable). You also have the box to put items in as well. Get a 14’ trailer and you can put the Lodge behind the Ranger on the trailer and have the pickup box to put auger and such.

I don’t know where you’re fishing, but I’d recommend tracks if you deal with a lot of snow or ridges. Just a piece of mind knowing you can get where you want to go. With tires (UTV OR TRUCK), most of the time, you’re stuck on the main roads in the community holes. Tracks get you away from people.

Just my two cents.

Snowmobile is about 500 pounds, most UTVs are 1000 and up. My old Mule 610 was about 1000 pounds, my Mule Pro MX is close to 1600. The price on tracks for a UTV starts at about $4000 without install

They both have there place. Sxs with a cab and heat is hard to beat but slush and deep snow will come into play. We have ran tracks since 13 and plan on breaking down once a winter. They are rough on cvt’s.

Glare ice and sleds cause problems but you can fix that with a pair of good ice scratchers.

Supercat, it looks like you have all your bases covered (ATV/Ski Doo).

JoeMX, the Argo looks like a hoot, but the thought of driving a convertible down the lake is giving me the chills, although the floatation would be nice.

Catmando, you’re another guy all ready for the ice!

Kbeck, I think I’m leaning towards something like your touring sled. It would be nice to have a UTV, but add up the front windshield, back windshield, doors, heat, wipers and your at 20K+.

Jeremy, an additional 4K for tracks…UGH!

dbright, you definitely are not selling me on tracks if they break down once a year!

The thought of a UTV for 20K’ish along with another 4K for tracks might put me in divorce court. Now I see why resorts that drop you off and pick you up cost so much. I think I need to start playing the lottery…..!

Mark

Argo sells heaters, windshields, soft & hard tops to keep you warm. I’m kind of surprised more people don’t use them for ice fishing? You can find really nice 6×6 Max II’s for like $4k, used Argo’s start around $7k.

The idea of not sinking if you go through is great piece of mind…

I prefer a snowmobile. Quicker for long hauls, warmer to ride compared to my ATV and I find it safer for crossing pressure cracks and slush beds. It has a back up pull start which is nice and it is a utility machine with high/low and lots of room for 2 people and to mount accessories for storage etc.

I understand the year round use argument but the way I look at it is that if I cannot ride the snowmobile in the summer, then that is time that I’m not putting on extra miles and wearing it out. If you buy one in decent shape and only use it for ice fishing it should last you a very long time.

Blair wrote:

then that is time that I’m not putting on extra miles and wearing it out.

I don’t care what vehicle or piece of equipment it is, snowmobile, UTV, ATV, snow dog, or ice auger, those “extra” hours and miles on the meter, just shows how much “extra” enjoyment I have received from “wearing then out”.

My goal, is to responsibly wear out every piece of recreational gear I own.

Blair,

You bring up a valid point about the pressure cracks! I dealt with a few of those last year on my local lake. Also your spin on less usage, is definitely a different way of looking at things!

Huntindave, I’ll have to remember NOT to loan you my truck, as it may come back with no rubber on the tires!

Mark

Mark J. wrote:

Huntindave, I’ll have to remember NOT to loan you my truck, as it may come back with no rubber on the tires!

Mark,
Well I did say “responsibly” wear them out. I don’t abuse my toys but I do expect wear on them. BTW what kind of rubber do you have on your truck? Will it go thru 3 foot drifts?

I have researched pulling a aluminum skid house on the lake. By far the best setup fur pulling is a Ski Doo Skandic, Expedition snowmobile four stroke 20″ or 24″ wide track. You could use it for trail riding also and they start at minus 30F they will go thru deeper snow than a uTV and price wise they are not cheap either.

Ran a tracked ATV for a lot of years worked well. always had sleds. Kept the ATV and bought a sled so now I pick and choose. I know too many toys but hey I am getting older and want to still do the things I did when I was 25. Make it easy to do any you will do it more.

Attachments:

1. 

   4-Wheeler-1.jpg
   

2. 

   20200131_115050.jpg
   

I would not fall into the trap of worrying about your secondary use when deciding. If you deal with slush, deep snow, cracks in the ice, or unstable ice, a snowmobile is the way to go. Every year we have multiple side by sides go through late season, and some go to the bottom, which I would assume is a total loss. There are also folks that spend the entire day getting back to the ramp when it gets slush in a wheeled vehicle.
If you had a side by side for summer use, by all means try to make that work before dealing with another vehicle, but if you are buying for ice fishing, get what you really need, and you will be happier.

If cost is that big an issue especially when it comes to a tracked UTV, I would go with a good used 4 stroke snowmobile. I have a tracked ATV and is great for ice fishing. It’s a Yamaha Grizzly and I either pull my Otter cottage or my Firebrand 6.5×16 fish house. But if I didn’t have the fish house a snowmobile would work great. I bought a 2006 Yamaha Apex (way way way more sled than what is needed for ice fishing) but it runs great and cost me only $2500 dollars. If I were you, I’d look for a good used 2up 4stroke sled.

Personally I run both, I sold my 900xp ranger with tracks to purchase a 1000xp crew with tracks. I prefer running the ranger, I fish Lake of the Woods or Winnipeg 3-4 days a week. When I’m fishing the south shore I prefer the ranger as I fish out of the door until I find a good school of fish and then set up camp. I bought a snowmobile for the long runs and early ice. The tracks do a great job of spreading out the weight, but I am much more comfortable running across the lake aimlessly on a snowmobile. I also picked up the sled as we make lots of long runs and the ranger at 20mph vs the sled at 40-60mph saves a lot of time when running 20-30 miles.

If you have any questions let me know.

Mark J. wrote:

Looking for some thoughts on what folks are using to get around on the ice for 2 people. I normally pull my Otter lodge out on the ice with a rope or drive my pickup out (providing there is enough ice). Last year, I got tired of pulling my gear out on the ice, so I built a Smitty sled which made things a little easier. After telling my wife that I need to program 911 on my cell phone in case I have a grabber hauling my gear out, I’ve come to the conclusion that I need a better setup.
I’m trying to weight the +/- of a touring snowmobile vs a UTV. What ever direction I go, I’m looking for something that can haul at least 2 people around. I’m interested in something that will get me out on the ice and back, without the worry of “Is it going to start”! In my eyes the UTV is more practical since I can use it all year long, however the UTV really wouldn’t be doing any “Utility” work because I have a JD tractor for plowing and yardwork. I could see taking the wife up North and doing some trail riding (maybe). A used 4-Stroke touring snowmobile would be good in the winter for ice fishing, but it hardly get used here in southern Wisconsin (3 months top). I must admit I was somewhat sticker shocked by the price of a 1000CC UTV, even a used one. Right now I’m leaning towards something used. I plan on purchasing an enclosed trailer after I pick something out.

I was just wondering what folks are doing….?

Mark

My Arctic Cat 1999 Bearcat 550WT ($3,000 after upgrades) weighs in at 672# and easily carries 2 people and gear. My John Deere Gator ($10,000 after upgrades) weighs in at 1267# and easily carries 2 people and gear. If I wanted to add tracks to my Gator, I’d have to shell out another $4,000. My Argo Conquest 8X8 weighs in at 1025# and easily carries 4 people and gear. The sled is the fastest and most maneuverable and enjoyable to run and gun with. All have their uses at very specific times.

Steve Johnson wrote:

I would not fall into the trap of worrying about your secondary use when deciding. If you deal with slush, deep snow, cracks in the ice, or unstable ice, a snowmobile is the way to go. Every year we have multiple side by sides go through late season, and some go to the bottom, which I would assume is a total loss. There are also folks that spend the entire day getting back to the ramp when it gets slush in a wheeled vehicle.
If you had a side by side for summer use, by all means try to make that work before dealing with another vehicle, but if you are buying for ice fishing, get what you really need, and you will be happier.

Could not agree more!!

I know this is an old thread, but I have the same questions and have been reading through your replies with interest.

I’ve been thinking about getting a sled just for ice fishing, but the lack of snow the last few winters has me wondering if I should go with an ATV or UTV. I also feel like I might get a longer season with wheels (and winter tracks) My goal is to get off the main ice roads (Lake of the Woods & Lake Winnipeg mostly) and get into some of the non-road accessible lakes in Eastern MB and NWO.

A few questions:

– How reliable are UTV’s, ATV’s compared to snow machines? What about when they are tracked? I often drive (truck) 30-60 minutes out on the the lake, sometimes into areas with no cell service. Obviously, I want to minimize the risk of getting stranded.

– Can UTV’s be practically driven on snowmobile trails? Or are they too wide? Some of the lakes I go to are only accessible via winter trails.

Thanks

Chris R. wrote:

– Can UTV’s be practically driven on snowmobile trails? Or are they too wide? Some of the lakes I go to are only accessible via winter trails.

Thanks

You may need to check your local regulations because UTV or ATV use is not legal on snowmobile trails in some places — like Minnesota for example. Even if they are tracked they cannot be on a snowmobile trail I dont believe.

Regarding the other aspect, I think if you are planning to get off roads on lakes with an ATV or UTV you will have trouble much of the time due to the snowbanks. My ATV can get through incredible amounts of snow, but the issue becomes getting hung up on something. If its just soft powder I have driven it through snow that was over my headlights, but the second you hit anything with a hard crust and spin through to soft snow beneath you will get hung up. I was buried in my back yard a few years ago. It was fun up to that point though LOL

Chris R. wrote:

I know this is an old thread, but I have the same questions and have been reading through your replies with interest.

I’ve been thinking about getting a sled just for ice fishing, but the lack of snow the last few winters has me wondering if I should go with an ATV or UTV. I also feel like I might get a longer season with wheels (and winter tracks) My goal is to get off the main ice roads (Lake of the Woods & Lake Winnipeg mostly) and get into some of the non-road accessible lakes in Eastern MB and NWO.

A few questions:

– How reliable are UTV’s, ATV’s compared to snow machines? What about when they are tracked? I often drive (truck) 30-60 minutes out on the the lake, sometimes into areas with no cell service. Obviously, I want to minimize the risk of getting stranded.

– Can UTV’s be practically driven on snowmobile trails? Or are they too wide? Some of the lakes I go to are only accessible via winter trails.

Thanks

Remote lakes in NW Ontario and Manitoba? That’s a no brainer… snowmobile 100%. No way a UTV is fitting down trails in NW Ontario.

Remote lakes in NW Ontario and Manitoba? That’s a no brainer… snowmobile 100%. No way a UTV is fitting down trails in NW Ontario.
[/quote]

X2

Thanks for your responses. I’ve put a deposit on a Snowmobile

Good call! Snowmobiles can be used with little snow on the ice. Get a studded track and you’re good for all of the ice season. I’m fortunate enough to have access to wheelers for other uses, but if I had to chose one for ice fishing, I’d choose snowmobile for sure! Argos are fun, but Definately not what I’d chose for the ice. They’re rough riding, and I could only imagine even rougher on the ice with snow drifts, etc.

I had a ranger with cab and tracked. What I liked about it was it was a comfy ride being in a cab. Has room to store alot of stuff and good to haul multiple people. I sold it and got a snowmobile setup. As far as price point a sled is much cheaper. What I like about the sled if speed and mobility. I mainly fish solo on machine but can ride 2 easy even with my box add on.
To me the biggest choice is price.

You may want to give some consideration to purchasing a Wilcraft. It is a dedicated ice fishing machine.
Being in SE Wisconsin I remember how sketchy the ice could be. This machine not only floats if and when you break through the ice but is able to climb back up on the ice.
Plenty of videos on YouTube show it’s capabilities.