portable shanties

[roger23]

need a new portable shanty,i have a Shappell 3000 about wore out looking for something easy to use and easy to move around.

[gottafish]

I have a sno-boat 3, plenty of room for 2 fishermen, easy to set up and pulls real easy....large fishing area, you can drill your holes and then pull shanty over them....could also accomodate hole for pike spearing....if you want to move a short distance it can be pulled while set up...I looked around at every model I could find and I think this is the best out there...got it at Gander Mtn 5 years ago for $269.00, they're going for around $329.00 these days...

[The Whale]

If a single person shanty is right for you I suggest the "Fish Trap" by Genz. Outstanding unit. Plastic base sled fits in your trunk, holds all your gear, hinged pole set up for the canvas is attached to sled and pulls up and over your head when you sit down, takes about ten seconds to set up. Cost is approx. $180.00. They also make a larger model called the "Pro" which is a bit more roomy for one angler, also a double version for two anglers. Best portables on the market for my money.

[Drake]

Can anyone tell me about the Otter II portable shanties ,I've seen the sleds they seem to be made a little more durable but I'm not sure about the rest of it. I'd like to know before I spend any money on something I won't be happy with.Any help would be appreciated.

[Jitterbug]

I second the fish trap, it was a great buy for me.

I just bought the Shapell Rover and I am extremely happy with it,it's a one man portable that when you sit-down on the bench seat all you do is pull the top over you and your sheltered from the elements. The canvas is of heavy duty material and also black, some of the other one man portables use a liter blue canvas witch is good to, the thing with blue canvas is it lets more light in and doesn't draw in the heat from the sun if and when it's out. I also have a Clam Classic two man shanty that I use if im going to only move once our twice, it doesn't fold down as easily as some of the other shanty's on the market and for that matter it was one of the most expencive that I have seen (It was a christmas gift) but it is a vary well built portable for the money. Good luck with your search and if you have any questions about where to get a Shapell Rover drop in a reply to this one and I'll tell you where there sold.

[Fishfoote]

I too have a Fish Trap by Genz and a Sheppell. I use the trap mostly. They customize nicely. I fitted a 8" thick piece of foam in the bottom of mine and cut holes to fit all my gear (fishfinder, bucket, heater, thermos, tackle boxes, ect.) This keeps all the gear in the shack even when I turn it on it's side to get it through doorways. I also screwed a broomstick holder in under the seat as a rod holder.

Thanks Fishfoote for the great idea for rod holders, and also for the spellcheck (Sheppell) I know I didn't spell it right. How does your foam keep a bucket from falling-out when you tip it on edge? Are you using a 5 gallon bucket or smaller ones?

[Fishbomb]

If you get a Fish Trap and are going to be pulling it with a quad or snowmobile spend the extra $20 and get the cover for it. It keeps snow and slush from getting in and your stuff from flying out if you hit a bump. Hope it helps.

[Jitterbug]

I have heard of the cover for the Trap, where do you get them? Retail store or order through a catalog or website?

I was interested in the 8" foam idea. Did you see last year in an issue of North American Fisherman, how Gentz customized his? It was great. For a one-man shanty, it can't be beat.

[Skeeter]

I have found the Otter is a very nice unit. Pulls easy, plenty of room. I use my Lodge most of the time as it compares to no shanty I have seen yet.

[The Whale]

The Trap rocks !

[Fishfoote]

Jeffk - The foam I'm using was left over from relatives redoing the bedding in their boat - cushion form, not styrofoam. The bucket is 5 gallon, and I cut the hole for it so it fits very snug (used a big sharp knife). Good luck.

[Fishbomb]

Jitterbug, I got mine at Gander Mtn. I see your at Temperance, I'm sure the new Cabalas would have them but you can probably order one from USL (the manufacturer) also. Good luck.

[Fishfoote]

Oh, just to give credit where credit is due, mounting a broomstick holder under the seat as a rodholder was Fishbomb's idea...

Thanks again Fishfoote, it's nice to see a fellow fisherman who can give credit to another when the other has a great idea.
I am going to do some modifacations to my shanty as you did and I know it will make it fell like being at home, for that matter,Any time im on the ice I fell at home!!!! Thanks Again.

Ok well this is two things. One a test, it says too fire-it-up we need fifteen postings so here it is. Second, This is a good topic lets keep the good ideas coming in on new tricks for our portibles and we can ALL live the hight-life on the ice. OK????

WE ARE BURNNIN BABY!!! keep the good stuff commin! Anyone else have any other good MOD. tricks, Post'em here.

[Chad]

I also have a Shappel Rover and love it! When I was driving a Festiva, the shanty even fit in the back. I have installed a padded, light-weight folding seat to that very uncomfortable plank and got 2 clamps for when the top is only half way down to keep the sides from flopping in the breeze. Please post any other tips for making shanty life more easy. Chad.


[This message has been edited by Chad (edited 01-19-2001).]

[Fishbomb]

O.K you asked for it. I took two pieces of 1.5 inch white PVC pipe as long as would fit inside the trap, notched one end about 1/2 inch by 3 inches so my reel seat would fit in it and bolted them inside the black sled part of the trap. One on each side, at an angle going down towards the back, to safely store my walleye rods for transporting on the ice. Works great. I bought a round 12 volt boat light (the kind for inside a boat) at Boaters World, got a bag of 1/2 inch conduit clamps at Home Depot and some 18 gauge red and black wire and made a dome light for the trap. Just take the nut off one of the 2 bolts that come on the light for mounting and put the conduit clamp over the bolt secured with the nut. I have about 4 feet of wire connected to the light with alligator clips on the other ends. I just roll it up, stick it in a qt. ziploc bag and throw it in my tackle bag. Before it gets dark I take it out and snap it on the conduit above the window in the trap and clip the clips to the battery on my Vexilar. It works great too. I also added a old metal (but padded) boat seat that my dad gave me that folds down. It can be popped on and off over a piece of 1/2 OSB that I cut to fit exactly under the boat seat and is bolted to the carpeted board seat on the trap. Also I made a triangular shaped tow bar out of some old aluminum window frames using my sawsall and some 5/32nd rivets. Took 2 pieces of some 1/2 chain about 6 inches long, bolted them to the eyebolts on the trap, and drilled holes in the tow bar frame so I could attach it with pins and clevis to the chain. Left the rope on the eyebolts for those times I walk and to aide in getting it in and out of my van.The chain makes it easy to hook the tow bar up to the trap cause you don't have to reach under the front of the trap to get to those eyebolts.Hope this helps, good luck fishing. Hi Fishfoote!

[Drake]

Thanks Skeeter. Do you feel the OTTER might be a better built shanty than the Fish Trap?

[Mick]

Skeeter, can you tell me about the Otter? I was looking at the Otter yesterday at Cabellas in Dundee; basically it just looked like a big plastic boat. There were no holes in the bottom (are you supposed to put them in yourself)??? However, next to it, they showed a tent looking device that I think you can purchase that goes over the top. NOt sure how the poles for side support and roof support would work. I am really leaning toward buying something that has a boat type hull to pull on the ice behind my sled,as it looks like you can just throw all your stuff in the bottom of this unit and be on your way. But like I said, not sure how the sides and roof mount to this plastic looking "boat hull".

Gottafish, can you tell me about your "snoboat". LIke I said, I am leaning toward something with a boat type bottom.

[Mike]

Mick,

If you're looking for a shanty to pull behind a sled, take a look at the Frabill Ranger XL Twin. I like mine, the only drawback is that it is heavy. But, it you have a sled, that wouldn't be a problem.

Thanks Fishbomb, you made alot of changes to that Trap, I'll use some of them on my Rover.
It's really amazing how fare these portables have come over the past 4 to 5 years. I remember when the Minute Man portable ice shanty was the hottest thing on the market, and that was just a few years ago.

[Jitterbug]

On the fishtrap you can screw in a piece of plastic raingutter to the back of the tub. Here you can put small tackle boxes, other small things-instaed of having them float around the bottom of the shanty.