I’d like to expand on the question a bit. We are looking at a move to the Ames area. What do you feel are the best ICE fishing opportunities in Iowa. Perch and Walleye have been my main targets, but I’m open to any specie.
I’ve been running an Elite 5 the last four years and really like it. When in the flasher mode, I can’t really detect any lag. I’ve heard the Chirp is even faster. There is certainly lag if using the scrolling chart. One draw back is they are a bit more complex than Vexilar and you have to dial the unit in by adjusting settings, etc. There can be some interference with other units but has never been too much of a problem. I love that the Lowrance is quiet, no spinning vibration noise like a Vexilar. All in all, it’s probably not as perfectly fast as the Vex but it really fishes well. Oh, and gps!
I’ve fished in one and they are pretty nice but certainly have pros and cons. You do get more space for extra holes than a flip overs. We easily fished 4 holes. They set up pretty easy and I wouldn’t say there is much difference from a flip over. Wind can be a bit of an issue, the tent wants to lean or slide a bit in relation to the tub. On windy days you’ll have to use ice stakes. I felt the seat were fairly close together even when spread as wide as possible. As stated above, there isn’t much room for hauling gear in the tub when folded down. If you’re fishing out of a Ranger or ATV to haul extra gear it’s a nice match.
I’ve fished Winnipeg the last four years and alway had the best luck on a live targets or Lindy darter using 32-inch MH rods. That’s the easy part. The important stuff up there is for safety. A good GPS unit is an absolute must, when the wind comes up you can’t find your way off without it. We alway travel in a group and have had Rangers freeze up, snowmobiles die, etc. It’s important to have more than one vehicle on the ice so you can help each other get home. That lake is extremely hard on gear, anything not well secured will get torn up. Be sure to have good rod boxes, padded cases for heaters, good covers and tie downs for your fish house, etc. It’s a long and bumpy trip to the fish and we’ve learned all this the hard way. That said, you won’t find a more exciting and fun trip on ice. We’ve caught Giants up there and lots of them. Gear up right and have a blast!
