Monday, March 3, 2014

Stay Warm And Comfy Inside An Ice Fishing Fish House

By Leticia Jensen


Ice fishing used to be a getaway for only the hardiest souls willing to sit on a bucket or huddle in a lean-to, while perched over a fishing hole. With an ice fishing fish house, no need to leave your favorite spot to get rest and food. Anglers can rent or buy their own custom designed shelter. Modern shelters are carpeted and heated with comfy furniture and kitchen appliances.

All the comforts of home are available including heaters, microwaves, ovens, refrigerators, heated showers. Watch TV or listen to the radio. Some deluxe models include fireplaces, vaulted ceilings, and bay windows. Deluxe shelters often double as hunting cabins.

Traditional shanty style homes are dragged onto the ice using ski-like runners. Pick your spot and that's the place for the remainder of the winter. New deluxe homes are on wheels and can be moved. Larger homes are placed with an hydraulic lift. Openings for angling are in the floor. Check local guides to be sure the ice is solid enough to hold the weight. Large, deluxe ice houses can weigh over 6000 pounds.

Keep bait and the day's catch fresh with built-in aquariums. Check lake-mapping maps from your smart phone when deciding on a location. Underwater cameras and sonar fish-finders alert anglers to fish movements. While waiting for fish to travel your way, anglers can relax in their heated shelter, sitting on a comfortable couch, enjoying hot meals and watching TV.

You don't have to buy your own house to enjoy an ice fishing adventure. Local resorts rent shelters from basic models with heat, carpeting, and comfy couches, to deluxe models with beds, showers, appliances and TV. They plow roads so anglers can drive right up to the door of their rented shelter. Many also offer shore to door shuttle service. Stay for a day, a couple days, or enjoy a weeks vacation camping out on the ice.

Last year there were over 5,500 houses on Mille Lacs Lake in Minnesota. Many popular locations are populated by a mini-city during the season which usually begins in December and ends in March. Many rentals have their own bathrooms. Satellite toilet facilities are stationed on the ice for those in more basic models.

Check local conditions and follow regulations for placing shelters on lakes. Local experts know where swift currents run that can weaken the ice cover. Winds can break up thinning ice leaving anglers stranded on ice floes needing rescue for themselves, their homes, and their vehicles. A quick warming spell can take even the experienced by surprise. Environmental regulations require speedy recovery of sunken vehicles and homes. This usually requires the assistance of professional rescue teams that deploy divers, and sometimes helicopters to lift heavier items. If you own your own home, buy insurance. Be safe rather than sorry.

For a day trip, rent a basic model with heat, carpeting, and a comfy couch. If your new to the sport, a local guide can show you how it's done. Return to home or a local motel for the night. For overnight stays, high end homes contain beds, appliances, private bathroom and heated shower. Many lakeside resorts also provide hauling assistance for anglers wanting to get their own custom built house onto the ice.




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