Fish Trap Guide - "runners" recommendations????

[DetroitIron]

Hey all,
I bought a Fish Trap "guide" last year, the 2-person shanty. Love it.

However, after dragging it about last year, which included a bit accross some parking lots, I notice my plastic on the bottom is a bit scratched up, and I'm sure will eventually wear out over time.

1). Do you guys recommend I put on runners on this thing, and if so, what do you recommend? Does Genz make something for these, or can I mount some old skis from "play it again sports" or something?

If so, how do you guys mount? It seems if you have to drill into this plastic, the holes might cause some "stress cracks" that might start at the holes and crack along, as I repeatedly use this shanty and pull it, hitting bumps, ice, etc.


I plan on pulling this shanty loaded with my just purchased Honda 200S three wheeler.

Any and all input appreciated.


Thanks in advance.


Mike

[MiketheElder]

Build a sled with conduit runners. There were some pictures here last year but I don't remember who had them. I deleted my pictures, sorry.

[Dking(MI)]

Yes! Runners are almost a must with any type of plastic flip up sled. We put runners on my fish trap Guide last year. Bought them from Gander Mountain, they are the same brand as the fish trap, I think they are around $50 but well worth it. You take the plastic runners, use 2 way tape or glue them on (can't remember, I got CRS) and stick them on and then drill holes through and bolt them on. It is way easier if you have two people working on it. I have heard of other materials being used for runners, definetly use something. After awhile I am sure that the sled would be torn up in maybe 2-3 seasons of use.

[MiketheElder]

http://www.michigan-sportsman.com/photopost/data/539/512_card_nov_05_002_2_IF_kack.jpg

SalmonSlammer built this one. I have one that's pretty similar. Caution: You only need about a 12 to 14 inch rise on the conduit.

[melnik]

You could use old down hill skis. Just cut them to length and screw them to the bottom. I have made ice fishing sleds with down hill skis and so far they have taken a good beating without breaking or cracking. I just drilled holes through the skis and counter sunk the holes, then ran flat head screws up through the skis and into the mount on the sled. In this case you could just drill holes in the bottom of the sled and bolt the skis to the bottom, prefeably using a fender washer of something else that would spread the load. One this to watch out for would be the possibility of the skis freezing in after a long period of fishing, particularly after dark on a cold night. Now that you bring this up, I shouldn't have spent all the money I did buying the Clam runners for my Pro, I just should have used old skis.

[ih772]

Go buy some surplus hyfax and make your own. That's what I did and it only cost $10 for each of my shanties. To make the bend in one end I just heated it up over my Mr. Buddy heater, formed the bend in a vice and ran a wet towel back and forth over the bend to cool it off and set it. I screwed it to the bottom of my fishtrap with carriage bolts and fender-washers. Good to go and pulls easier than the the runners they sell for it.

[1fish]

I've had a few different traps over the years and used different types of runners. used an old pair of skiis, but the plastic on the bottom of the skis wears through and then they don't work very well.

My current trap has the Fish Trap brand and they're very good, but expensive.

The best still has to be 1/2" conduit bent to fit the contours of the bottom of the sled, cheap and durable and works great.

[gibby]

Stop at a snow moble dealer and see if he as changed out a set of track guides, use the old ones for runners on ur trap, riveted them on. Worked for me.

Gibby