need first time shanty suggestions

[TroutSeeker71]

I am looking to buy my first shanty this year and am considering either the Clam 2000, Shappell s3000, or the Shappell DX3000. Suggestions, feedback, where to purchase (from experience)? Thanks, Scott

[Ferris_StateHunter]

Depends on what type of fishing you are doing, If you are planning to hike and do not have an ATV, thos clams and other shantys can get heavy dragging them, especially in deeper powder snow Especially with all your gear piled on/in them.

I have the eastman 4 man cube. Its a pop up shanty,and does not have a floor, but those are easy to make. And for the price and the extra room. i would definately recommend one.

[RyGuy525]

I have a shappell s2000 and i also have a clam guide. Both are great shelters. If you are looking for a 2 man shanty i would say go with the shappell. THey are light. easy to set up/ take down, and resonably priced. I've you go with a shappell get the skis that they offer. They are easy to instal and work great!

[Fishbum2]

If you have an ATV, I recommend the Otter line of shanties. They set up very easy and a small heater works well to keep the winter cold off.

The Shappell's seem to work great for the smaller lakes where you do not have to walk far. The Eastman has a set of ice screws that can be put in to tie tent lines to. I think you can buy them separate at a dealer. Use them on the windy days so your tent does not go flying.

[wolverines]

I would recommend getting what Trap fits your budget. I especially like the Guide. It's not too big for one person to handle, but also has enough room for 2. I had a Clam for a couple years...the Traps are a lot nicer in every way I can think of...

[Buddwiser]

You may want to consider calling Bass Pro and Cabelas to see if either has their units set up on the floor where you can check them out in person, see what would fill your needs.

[blgoose44]

I recently sold my clam 5600. I learned its hard to be mobile (for me) unless i have a flip style like the fish trap. With the 5600, if I wanted to move I had to take it down and repack, because fighting the wind and snow with it up was difficult.

[nauticalbp]

If you decide on a shappell, go with the dx3000 instead of the s3000. The dx is made with stronger material! We had some last year they sell for around $250.00. They fit two guys and gear with no problem. They have a nice floor too.

[irishone]

You need a ATV to drag it around plenty of room I have woke in the middle of the ice in the middle of the Bay on more than one time. may be to comfortable

[walleye]

What ever kind of shanty you get, don't buy one that you have to stack your gear on top of when pulling it. You'll get tired of stuff falling off and those types of shantys aren't easy to pull.

[icefishermanmark]

How many guys? If you want a one man, the Fish Trap Pro is the way to go. I used to have a Shappell 3000, and it was fine, but it was difficult in the wind, took a little time to set up and most importantly was very immobile. Since buying my Fish Trap Pro I have no regrets. It's truly great for one man. Big enough, not too difficult to pull by hand and extremely mobile. It's definitely the best 1 man shanty on the market.

[Bagman]

It seems your looking for a suitcase style? I have the 3000 and share the Rover 2.0 from Shappell. Both very nice. I can fit all my junk in the Rover and pulls like nothing (only on bare ice:D). If your going to pull either through 4 or more inches of snow I hope your In good shape or have a machine.

If you have a machine I actually recommend the 3000 more. The reason is I hate dragging the sled. Especially on slick ice. If its windy or you stop to quickly your sled could slide into your tires and cause a pain. I am working on modifing my tow bar to prevent this.


Also buy the Shappell because they're made in Michigan!

[wartfroggy]

Get a Trap. Since I bought mine, I wouldn't fish anything else, besides an Otter, but they are more expensive and a bit heavier. With the flip top, you can relocate easier, making it more likely that you will move around looking for fish. I have a 2-man guide, I will fish 2 guys in it, but prefer to fish it solo, as I like to hog up all the room with MY rods!

[William H Bonney]

Go with the flip-over style. I have 2 Otters, a medium den and a small den. 90% of the time I'm solo, so I take the small den. If I have company I take the big one. The only downside to the flip-overs is the open floor,, it's considerably colder with no floor. All you need is more heat, bigger boots or some floor mats.

[TroutSeeker71]

Thank you for all your replies! I should have given a little more detail. I do not have an ATV. I will only be fishing on the relatively small lakes around Waterford. Generally I am by myself, but my 5-year old is showing considerable interest. I am not out on all day excursions where I would be constantly moving. I have seen both the Clam 2000 and S3000 set up at Bass Pro, I was wondering more about the quality differences. The only place I see in Michigan to buy the DX is Franks and Jay's. I can find it online cheaper than both, but would drive to support our local economy. I grew up perch fishing Saginaw Bay but always sat on a bucket and I remember how miserable that was trying to keep from fidgeting. But then again, we used to have winters where we could drive out on the ice.

[William H Bonney]

Thank you for all your replies! I should have given a little more detail. I do not have an ATV. I will only be fishing on the relatively small lakes around Waterford. Generally I am by myself, but my 5-year old is showing considerable interest. I am not out on all day excursions where I would be constantly moving. I have seen both the Clam 2000 and S3000 set up at Bass Pro, I was wondering more about the quality differences. The only place I see in Michigan to buy the DX is Franks and Jay's. I can find it online cheaper than both, but would drive to support our local economy. I grew up perch fishing Saginaw Bay but always sat on a bucket and I remember how miserable that was trying to keep from fidgeting. But then again, we used to have winters where we could drive out on the ice.

No atv and a 5 yr. old?? You want a flip-over, FOR SURE. Trust me. 5yr. olds don't walk very far at all,, neither do 6,7, or 8 yr. olds for that matter. Throw your kid and all your gear in the sled and off you go. No bungy cords, or unloading all your gear, then setting up your shanty,, then loading all your gear back in once its set up.. not to mention when you wanna leave..... take all your gear out,, tear down the shanty,, load it all back on again and start the trek..:dizzy:

[Ferris_StateHunter]

The Eastman has a set of ice screws that can be put in to tie tent lines to. I think you can buy them separate at a dealer. Use them on the windy days so your tent does not go flying.

They come with the Shanty.

Sidenote, When I bought my Shanty it was around 140 bucks. 3 years later, still no holes in it.

[wartfroggy]

I usually keep a couple lengths of rope, maybe 10 ft, and a couple 2x2's about 12-14" long in my shanty. It gets windy, tie the rope to the middle of the board and shove it down the hole for an anchor, and they always hold. You can usually retrieve them with the spud or scooper w/out much trouble. And it fits in my price range pretty good, too.