Marik get on YouTube and look up Hunt,Fish,Camp that guy does an amazing job explaining where to go and what to look for in those areas including areas to stay away from. I know first hand you can have amazing days in the areas a lot of people go and you can have tough days. The only places in the La Crosse area that don’t get pressure are some of the airboat spots and that’s few and far between. There’s a lot of water so just go !
Need some help from people in the know. Every few years we get a few of us together for a weekend of ice fishing. Usually go to Arneson’s or Ken-Mar-kee on LOW. With the late ice it has goofed things up. They have no openings until pretty much March. I assume the other resorts are in the same boat. Willing to go to SD, Leech, Winnie,etc. Any ideas would be appreciated. Don’t want a sleeper. Want to drive or be driven out and sleep on land. Just want a fun weekend away with the crew. If we catch a few fish, great. Thanks, Sam.
When are you thinking of going ??
My Otter Cottage fits under my GMCs folding tonneau cover. And I have the Hyfax kit on it.
Where’s the usual access points that early ice time guys ?? JRs ? We’ve never made the trip but this year will be the first. Sister In Law lives in Grand Rapids so not that bad of a drive. Thanks for any help !!
I have Baffins and they’ve been awesome but my brother in law got a pair of Nats from Canada and they are the lightest boot I’ve ever held and they seem to have the same style liner as the Baffins. He said they’re unbelievably warm.
https://gonats.ca/en/boots-shoes/
Model R917
Earlier this week I was up at LOW. My Nils convertible auger got dinged and didn’t cut well so I borrowed a light flight to use with my Milwaukee. The thing took at least 3 times the power to cut as my Nils. I suspect that it has to do with blade geometry and that guide-ring surrounding the cutting head on the lightflight.
Personally, and based on my recent experience, I’d buy the a Nils.
Guide Ring ?? Was it from a gas SM ?
There’s one on Amazon called Guide Gear ATV hitch 99.99.
Yes it’ll fit the Cottage even better. That’s a Hideout on there in the picture but I’ve sold that and just use my Cottage now. You can find all kinds of those racks on Amazon or Harbor Freight carry’s them too I’m told. I got the one that angles upward to clear my exhaust on my Suzuki.
I searched past threads but didn’t find anything specific to this topic. I’m looking for a one man, sled-style, house that can be pulled by an ATV without serious modification. I have an Otter Pro Lodge but I need something that can fit in the box of my Ram 1500 and can be lifted by me alone. I’d be happy with a Cottage or something similar in size, but was wondering about the true one-man shelters. I’m not loyal to any one brand, but I don’t feel like doing a heavy modification. Anyone have any experience with this or suggestions?
Do this with an Otter Cottage best setup ever don’t beat the crap out of your flip over ! My Otter Cottage is the best one man I’ve ever had and if someone wants to go with you got the room for them. I load mine in my truck by myself and I’m 5’8 and 67 yrs old. I don’t haul the machine in the truck anymore but still haul the shack around on the hitch rack.
DF476770-7743-41EC-A683-62D22BDC9AA6.jpeg
This is what I did when I got my Panoptix a couple years ago. This is a simple window washer telescoping pole you can get on Amazon. The threaded end works perfectly for what comes with the OEM pole.
97E1FA72-82D1-4410-A3E4-572CEC4A7D49-scaled.jpeg
I’ll take my Thorne Bros Power Noodle with the sincork handle and a schooley reel all day long.
I just received the Lowrance Shuttle yesterday with the AT without the head unit since I have Live units from my boat. The shuttle isn’t 3d printed it reminds me of a milk crate plastic. It’s 18” tall 12” deep 15” across. Looks bulky but we’ll see. It seems the bag is well made and the wiring harness they send is a special one that shuts down and turns on both the graph and the module. It comes with a Dakota 24ah battery with a digital read out and USB ports.
I have a 9.0 Milwaukee knock-off I got off eBay 2-3 years ago and it’s lasted longer than the 2 original Milwaukee 9.0s I had. Haven’t had any issues with it at all. Those kind of batteries are crazy expensive for sure.
It’s not a traditional flasher battery in there… You better watch this:
<div class=”ido-oembed-wrap”><iframe loading=”lazy” title=”MarCum Lithium Shuttle Review and Teardown” width=”850″ height=”478″ src=”https://www.youtube.com/embed/eMpCnFEVHP8?feature=oembed” frameborder=”0″ allow=”accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture” allowfullscreen=””></iframe></div>
My Marcum Shuttle lasted exactly 1 month after the warranty went out they told me it would cost 150.00 to put in a new battery. So I built my own shuttle with a Dakota battery and never looked back.
I have Panoptix not Livescope I think mine is called PS22 and if fishing by myself I’ll pop 2 holes so my Panny is in the top hole.I have a Lite Flite 6”. If fishing in my shack with someone I pop a hole in the middle then a hole for each of us and put it in down view and we can both see our jigs. The cool thing about Panoptix or Livescope or probably any FF sonar is you can see fish coming from quite a ways away the deeper the water the farther away you can see them coming. Really neat up at SD when those schools of perch are coming in !! Gets you all excited.
I find myself fishing alone more and more as my typical buddys’ home lives are taking up more of their time during ice fishing season – I need to find a one-man flip over (not interested in setting up a hub by myself on windy days) that can be towed behind my wheeler but I can also fit in the back of my truck. I already have an Otter Lodge, but it takes two people to lift it into the truck, especially with the enclosed trailer hauling the wheeler, attached. Does the Otter Hideout have the attachment points for the tow bar? Or is a Cottage light enough to lift into the truck by myself?
This pic is with my Otter Hideout which I’ve sold and now just use my Cottage. It’s easy to load onto the rack and easy to throw into my truck when walking.
5AABB42F-471C-4CEC-9CDE-C3CF0CEBCBF7.jpeg
Check this guy out he gives great updates.
Schooleys anything under 10-12’ and floro and Ceymar 10s any deeper or when fishing spoons. Schooleys are great once you get used to them and they’re super light !
I use my phone and Navionics with this to hold it on a piece of conduit. I run the conduit between my windshield and in the center but you can run it on either side also.
Definitely can’t go wrong with any mentioned above !! 
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>CaptainMusky wrote:</div>
I dont use 1 pounders often, but I need to get this kit and switch over. Would be much nicer than lugging around a big tank all the time.I’m a fan of the 5# tanks, perfect intermediate.
X2
Get it you won’t regret it !!
D94CC979-9109-4E12-8C67-0780D7B82314.jpeg
If you fish alone why not the Otter Cottage ???
My vote for a Little Buddy or regular Buddy I have a Pro Xover Cottage. Also you can turn the Buddy heater to half way from off to low also.
I went through over 20” of ice this past weekend in South Dakota with my 6”Lite Flite that’s 3 years old and the same blades but I use 9 amp batteries and 1 of them is a Milwaukee knock off I got off EBay for half the price as an original. It never once hesitated on any of the holes. Gert I would check out eBay and get yourself a 9 amp.
It looks like it is only a issue on 8″ so I assume my buddy is good to go with his 6″ lite-flite. I guess we will find out on Sat. anyway. Look forward to seeing the difference between that and the K-Drill.
? for those of you who already own a Lite flite. Is there a way to sharpen those blades once they get dull. Or anyone who can sharpen them. I have read several comments on them that say the blade gets dull rather fast on them. Saw the $ of replacement blades and hope you don’t have to replace with new blades as often as some have said.
It looks like it is only a issue on 8″ so I assume my buddy is good to go with his 6″ lite-flite. I guess we will find out on Sat. anyway. Look forward to seeing the difference between that and the K-Drill.
? for those of you who already own a Lite flite. Is there a way to sharpen those blades once they get dull. Or anyone who can sharpen them. I have read several comments on them that say the blade gets dull rather fast on them. Saw the $ of replacement blades and hope you don’t have to replace with new blades as often as some have said.
It looks like it is only a issue on 8″ so I assume my buddy is good to go with his 6″ lite-flite. I guess we will find out on Sat. anyway. Look forward to seeing the difference between that and the K-Drill.
? for those of you who already own a Lite flite. Is there a way to sharpen those blades once they get dull. Or anyone who can sharpen them. I have read several comments on them that say the blade gets dull rather fast on them. Saw the $ of replacement blades and hope you don’t have to replace with new blades as often as some have said.
Fishthumper it’s night & day comparing a Liteflite 6” to the Kdrill 6” that Liteflite is twice as fast doesn’t eat up batteries and the blades stay sharp for me anyway
Kinda my question.
What skis work the best in, lets say “semi deep” snow with #75 lbs of equip?
x-country, down hill, snowboards, water skis?[/quote
IMO downhill ski’s I put my Otter Cottage on mine and don’t have any problems pulling it through snow. But to me the hardest part is walking through the snow with the boots on. The pulling part is the easiest part of the whole thing.
mailto:[email protected]
I made my own pole and power it with a Milwaukee battery
I run Panoptix side by side with the brother in laws Livescope we both got them last year he’s rich I’m not it’s the best investment I’ve made in my ice fishing arsenal in many many years ! If you can swing the Panoptix bundle cost then get it. Keep all your packaging and paperwork and after your first year sell it if you want to upgrade. I run my Panoptix on my boat also just with ice bundle and a Summit pole. I can find fish with it just like when ice fishing.
