I have been using circle hooks for pike the last couple of years. I agree they are great for keeping the fish alive and very rarely do you hook a fish deep. I have been using 10lbs P-line as a leader with the circle hook and I have to retie once in awhile but have not had a pike bite me off yet. You are right about not being able to use wire, the circle hook just does not seem to work right and not catch. I have tried circle hooks for walleye with some success. The only problem I have is finding small enough circle hooks for walleye. I like using a #6 sized hook and finding a true circle hook in that size can be tough if not impossible to find. I also use quick strike rigs with tip-ups. Just my opinion and what I like but if I am using bigger bait like a sucker or chubs then I go to a quick strike rig or a jimmy rig ( a version of the quick strike lure). If I am using a smaller bait like shiners or smelt then I use the circle hooks. I like the 2/O size cirle hook by gamagatsu in red.

As emover stated the best fish house is different for everybody. I have an otter and a frabil speed shack. If I am by myself and moving a lot I love the otter for quick set-up and easy to move. If I take the wife I love the speed shack you put it up and you stay very warm and it reminds me of a permenant house. You don’t want to do a lot of moving with the frabil because it does take some time to bring it down and set it back up. What I recomend to people if you are a run and gunner and like to move a lot a drill a bunch of holes get an otter. If you are a person who drill there holes and likes to stay put and just relax then a frabil speed shack would work great. I have never had experience with the polar so I can say they are good or bad. Just take into mind what type of ice fisherman you are and look accordingly.