"walker-outers"-how many of you?

I’m one. One of the ice fisherman who doesn’t own a wheeler or sled, so much of the season is spent slogging my way out onto the ice on foot. A lot of the lakes I fish don’t have great(meaning “close to where I can park”) access, and now that there’s more snow on the ice travel can be, well, a drag.
So, who else here is a “walker-outer” and what tips and strategies have you employed to help you either lighten the load or made it easier to pull? Me, thinking about mounting old skis to my old Otter to get it up off the snow a bit. I’m admittedly less than imaginative sometimes, so what else do you do, or have been thinking of trying?
-Rev

I use a small pull sled. Heavy duty but just big enough to hold my auger, flasher and bucket. Very little resistance depending on snow depth. I have a long pull rope that is tied in a loop so I can step into it and pull from my waist while walking. with my arms free.
That’s all I have used so far this year.
I hate pulling my houses very far.

I threw on some old CC skis (got em free from a local ski shop) to the bottom of my shanty last year. I love the exercise of walking out, but tend not to move around too much afterwards unless it’s back towards the direction I came out on

I have two sleds…one for my auger/flasher/chair and one with my gear (tipups/bait/rod cases/etc) If it’s super cold then I’ll wear my hub shanty in it’s bag as a backpack, but once I get it set up, I generally abhor the idea of moving

Figure all the trudging helps burn off all the Christmas cookies

That’s what I do Suzuki. Have not figured out anything better, unless I can hitchhike.

I’m one too. I do pretty much what Suzuki said too. Small sled, long rope and a loop to put around my waste or sling over one shoulder. I also bought a huge carabiner clip that is like 8″ long and use that as a handle on the rope. I have used hub shelters – Eskimo quick fish for several years but also just picked up a one-man Clam Fish Trap Pro that I will be trying out later this week.

My gear includes an otter rod box, LX5, small tackle bag, very seldom do I take a heater, one 6-gallon pail, auger and a scoop.

I also don’t have a truck (I drive a Tahoe) so space is a premium helping me pack light.

Good luck,
Dave

first of all we refer to ourselves as “foot soldiers”
what I use is a safety harness for deer hunting, seems every tree stand a guy buys now days comes with the cheaper safety harness. just take one and modify it (cut off the leg straps) and it makes a nice towing harness. I’ll even bet there are a lot guys on IDO that have a pile of these in the garage some where (like i do) they would be willing to get rid of.
also I periodically check the bottom of my otter for gouges or rough spots and will sand them down to smooth them out. also put a good coat of ski wax on.
every little bit helps.

I live in Northern IN so we are on the mild side of the ice belt. Biggest thing I dI’d was buy a striker ice suit and rarely take out my shanty.

Build a “Smitty”sled like 07lowchamp did…see the post Bored today,SMITTY TIME…
It doesn’t have to be made of aluminum…I’m making one using 2X6 and 2X4 lumber and a pair of downhill ski bought at Goodwill for $10…
I had skis mounted to the bottom of an older fish trap and it did help but when the snow gets deeper it’s not much help..
Getting it up a little higher will let it ride on top of the snow rather thru it…
I’m making mine so it breaks down for easier transport…
Google Smitty sled for plans and such…

get a set of ice cleats if you dont have any. I cant believe I used to walk without them on the ice! Pack light and go with a friend so you can take turns pulling the gear.

Spray the bottom of the sled with armor-all.

Cleats-got ’em, love ’em.
Skis/smitty type sled for my Clam-been pondering that one for awhile, in fact a stop by Goodwill is scheduled for today. Figure if I can get some height between them and the Clam base I may be able to minimize resistance?
Normally, I take the small Otter only-1 bucket holds two round tip-ups and my Vex, a bait bucket and a pack with my gear and rods along with the auger. I too usually leave the heater at home-I rarely sit still long enough to run it.
The long-ish rope idea I like, I’m thinking mine is maybe too short. With the colder temps, I’d like to use the Clam more even if just as a base to warm up now and then. Left on my own, I’m too stupid to stop fishing and warm up if fish are biting at all.
How about snowshoes for getting there/back-for or against in the deeper snow we get around here? I’ve got a gift certificate to burn at the local shop, and was just in there getting schooled up on them. Good idea, or waste of time?

Good input all, keep it coming!

I’m on young legs but I walk everywhere. I use a cheapo sled for kids sledding if conditions are unfavorable for my shanty. I have an Ice Bandit shelter that luckily doesn’t plow snow all to much. But I know the pain of walking in the deep snow no matter what if your sled pulls easy it’s no fun.

Snow shoes are great, get the modern hypalon rubber deck with good bindings aluminum frames, and cleats. I have a pair off Atlas 30″.

I built a smitty sled in about an hour and a half the other night. Best $15 bucks I’ve spent in a while. Makes my big clam X2 pull like a dream!

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I either pull my shack, a 2-man Frabill, or a smaller sled which holds my director chair, the auger, my Vexilar, & my two rod holders. Fortunately, I fish where I don’t have to go too far most of the time. I have walked close to 2 miles on the backwaters without feeling too bad. The worst is with thick, wet snow. But it hasn’t stopped me too many times.

I’ll walk further than most drive. And carry a ton of weight.

I adapted the Smitty sled to my 1-man. Also put an auger holder on the rear of it.

I also pull an otter behind my one man with a Smitty on that too when I’m weekend camping on the ice. I’ll haul my cot, hub house, and any other pleasantries in the otter.

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And here’s my rod holder, works awesome

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Nice! I walk out sometimes. Last year I figured if my locator was 700 bucks my wheeler could be 500 lol. Bought a Honda 200s 3 wheeler and it is great. Sometimes I walk out though to a couple spots I have that are short walk

Bioguy, CRC, and everyone else-That’s exactly what I was looking for in ideas! I’d thought of mounting skis to my Clam, but hadn’t thought of getting it up in the air like the smitty-types. Told you I was unimaginative-what a “duh” idea that I never thought of. Anyway, we’ve now got from 10″-15″ of snow and some slush pockets on our ice here, so foot travel is getting tougher–thanks to you fine folks here, I picked up a pair of skis at Goodwill last night and some eye hooks, the rest I gathered from various piles in my garage and am starting on my “smitty” sled today. So far, total investment is $6. Can’t wait to try it out with the Clam, I’d gotten to where I never used it since it was such a work-out to pull anywhere.
Also stopped by Mel’s Trading Post here in town and talked snow shoes with them-I’ve got a gift certificate to burn there, so I’ll be picking up a new pair of those tomorrow. If you’re ever in Rhinelander, stop into Mel’s and check them out-they’re not the cheapest gig in town, but their staff is friendly and VERY knowledgeable about the sports and equipment they’re selling. Yes, that’s a blatant plug, but it’s nice to find a place that’ll take the time to work with you, answer questions, and help you out so completely even if you end up not buying anything.
So…by Saturday I’ll be strapping snowshoes on and setting out with my Clam strapped to my newest creation. LOOK OUT FISH, HERE I COME!
Thanks all you IDO-ers, you’re still the best-this year and past years. Happy New Year, may all your knots stay tied and all your shots be true.
-Rev

For carrying the auger use a bungee cord for a shoulder strap. Very easy to carry this way and frees up your hands for other items. 5 gallon bucket to hold your flasher and a few other items. Couple rods in the other hand and Im good to go hiking.

Dont need a fish house to ice fish. Just to much weight and crap to haul around. At least for my style of ice fishing.

Mike W wrote:

For carrying the auger use a bungee cord for a shoulder strap. Very easy to carry this way and frees up your hands for other items. 5 gallon bucket to hold your flasher and a few other items. Couple rods in the other hand and Im good to go hiking.

Dont need a fish house to ice fish. Just to much weight and crap to haul around. At least for my style of ice fishing.

I agree Mike, and have done that often. However, I haven’t used my portable in three years, and have been missing it and wanting to utilize it more for the colder or windier days-like this upcoming Sunday. Deep freeze headed our way! Besides, every now and then it’s fun to haul the full catastrophe out on the ice and have it all.

Got two in my garage that havent been out of the rafters in maybe 5 years. For some styles of ice fishing a fish house is nice. For drilling a lot of holes and hole hopping all day it was like dragging a boat anchor around. Guess I just lean more towards the side of quality cold weather gear and forgoing the house.

Now if I was to do a fish house again those posts on Smitty sleds sure look good. Maybe a Smitty sled with some type of pop up wind break and seat on it.

I normally drive out, but I’m sick of not being able to chase the fish. I saw a guy that converted an old 3 Wheeler into a 2wd wheeler with 2 skis up front after a weld job. For $400, it would be pretty slick to run and gun

I’m sick of hauling stuff all over

I’m a dragger too. Pushed myself to a near heart attack several times this year. I’m not too proud to put my thumb out there to a wheeler passing by at the end of the day begging for a ride back to the landing. Works every now and then too! Some real nice guys out there. But I’m finally picking up a wheeler on tracks later this month and will be loving every minute of it soon! I could have built a smitty or made due with a smaller sled (Have the Magnum Otter) but I love to bring too much stuff that makes the trip easier. Tall captains chair, cooking gear for lunch, Vex, Marcum, too many rods, bait in a 2 gallon bucket, etc. Could NOT have dragged this year without boot spikes!

I just bought a Strikemaster Glide Lite sled to force myself to cut down on weight. It’s a pretty neat little outfit. I find myself fishing outside more & more as I am continually on the move looking for the aggressive voters. This should be pretty slick for going down narrow paths, up & down ditches, over railroad tracks & through culverts to get to the back waters of the Mississippi.

Egts wrote:

I just bought a Strikemaster Glide Lite sled to force myself to cut down on weight. It’s a pretty neat little outfit. I find myself fishing outside more & more as I am continually on the move looking for the aggressive voters. This should be pretty slick for going down narrow paths, up & down ditches, over railroad tracks & through culverts to get to the back waters of the Mississippi.

I have been thinking about getting one of those myself. How do you fashion your auger to it to pull it out?

Use a bungee cord a sling that auger over your shoulder. Those strikemaster sleds are not to bad. Adding short skies to them would be a nice up grade.

I have to walk a lot of the time, and I always pack as lightly as possible. You dont want to wear yourself out before you even start drilling holes. I pick a species and a lake and make a plan of what exactly i want to do, and stick to the plan. That way you dont end up bringing more equipment than you really need. No sense in bringing a bunch of stuff you wont use. I pull a sled big enough for my power auger, one bucket for holding my gear with one of those bucket topper tackle box lids, my flasher, and my rod bag. I’ll walk all over a lake, drilling holes and catching fish all day. Would be nicer with a snowmobile I’ll admit. Particularly in the mid winter when the snow gets deep. Sometimes snowshoes dont do it for me.

A buddy and I talked ourselves into a long hike through 12″ of snow, but little slush pulling a small sled and his two-man portable yesterday. Both the sled and portable were sitting on smitty sleds for the first time. Opted to leave the snowshoes in the truck(maybe a mistake). Not that I’d need to again, but we hauled the full catastrophe; two gas augers, two bait buckets, tackle, heater, two flashers and a camera, etc, etc. I NEVER pack that heavy, but wanted to see how well the smitty creation would work. It wasn’t the easiest walk, but the high-stepping through the snow was easily more tiring than pulling the smittys-MUCH smoother and easier to pull! I’d have never made it that far pulling either my sled or my portable, even packed much, much lighter. THANKS you guys for all your thoughts! I now have a much better way of accessing ice further and further from shore…I can’t wait now to get out with my normal lighter load and find some new fish!

With this wind today, I bet I could rig a sail, stand on the back skis and just haul @$$ across the lake! Getting back…maybe not so much?