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Get Out Of The Weather With An Ice Fishing Shelter
from: RecreationTrends.comAn ice fishing shelter is a usually more or less of a necessity if you plan to spend long periods of time out on the open ice. Not only does the ice fishing shelter protect anglers from the bitter winter winds but it also prevents sun glare and keeps even small amounts of heat within the shelter, allowing greater comfort but also keeping ice fishing holes from icing over as quickly.
The ice fishing shelter is meant to be portable and easily moved, which is far different than an ice fishing house which is a permanent structure built or pulled onto the ice for the full fishing season. Many ice fishing enthusiasts uses both an ice fishing shelter for mobility in following the fish, as well as a permanent ice fishing house for those really cold days out on the lake.
There are many different types of ice fishing shelters available on the market today. Since they are designed to be easily collapsed and moved they are often tent like in structure, very lightweight, and have the ability to be compacted into easy to drag or carry packages. There are several different styles, and the basic construction of each of these ice fishing shelters is described below:
ATV mounted - with the increasing number of ATVs or all terrain vehicles being used for easy movement across the lake and between the parking area and the ice, an ATV mounted ice fishing shelter just makes sense. Typically the ATV mounted shelter is typically designed to either extend from the storage bags mounted on the ATV or to be pulled or lifted onto the ATV using lifts or dollies mounted to the ATV itself.
Flip-over - a flip over or flip up ice fishing shelter has a semi-rigid bottom, slightly resembling a tub. This provides the sled like base for easy moving plus also provides a floor when the shelter is up. The tub also allows for storing and easy transportation of tackle, extra gear and the ice auger. The sides and canvas is simple flipped up or over to construct the sides and the roof at the desired location. Take down and storage is simple, just collapse the frame into the tub and fold down the canvas and you are ready to move again. Some of the flip-over styles are designed for up to four anglers and feature space for portable heaters and even vinyl or clear plastic windows for natural light.
Folding - the traditional tent style ice fishing shelter, the folding style is very lightweight and easy to move. Since they are so lightweight they may not be extremely practical in high winds or very cold conditions. Typically they are smaller and are not designed for standing up in, but there are some larger versions available.
Homemade - often homemade shelters are just as effective if not more effective than some of the commercially available products. Most homemade shelters are designed along the lines of the flip-over or flip up style, but some are also fully collapsible tent like structures. There are many different plans available on the internet for low cost ice fishing shelters that can be easily made at home.
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