Looking at possibly buying a Ice Castle Scout 6.5 x 8 foot long very basic #1700 weight.
Ok Using a Chevy AWD Traverse I’m thinking it would pull good but could have lots of issues on the ice?
Don’t own a ATV nor want one. Just thinking? Guessing could not get out until mid December then only till February.
Not sure if it’s worth the payment would only be used locally less than 30 miles.
Guessing could not get out until mid December then only till February.
Mid December might be a push. Lately it seems like safe ice needed to drive on isn’t that early. Lotta people seem to be using them in the off-season as campers with air conditioning now though. My BIL uses his a lot more in the non-winter months than in the winter now.
I’d just buy a big hub versus 6.5k’ x 8’ Scout but that’s just me.
More versatile, don’t need to worry about storage, much less cost, easier to use, get out earlier, etc.
I don’t see any issues towing…AWD with good tires should be just fine.
I would assume mid December only if you are going north. Last year there was open water in the metro til Christmas.
First off, does your family camp…secondly how much do you ice fish…if your family camps, save your sanity and time and buy a RV fish house!! We bought a Mille Lacs, only to find out we would be camping in it more than fishing(8months later we had a Hybrid RV), the ac was on both but the bathroom/shower was a deal breaker in our household! IMO when in doubt buy the RV edition!!!
We do not camp and have no interest in it. Mid December is just a rough estimate basically 2.5 months of using it. My only thoughts of getting it would be less? work when it’s really cold out and being out in the bad winds I do fish a lot probably 50 trips in the winter but not thinking this would be a good move. Just thinking out loud. Pros/cons Thanks for the advice
I agree with Matt. At the scout size save some money and get a bigger hub.
Have a buddy with a wheel house that lives on a lake in East Central MN. He only used his Ice Castle from about mid January through the end of February last season. He does not pull it anywhere else. Seems that in winter past it has been a short season also. He does camp in it in the summer on occasion.
Then come the end of Febuary all fish house have to be off the lake and pulled back out everyday unless they are staying overnight. So if you plan on only using it for fishing that amounts to about 6-8 weeks a year.
I agree with Matt and Jensen buy a bigger hub or get an ATV or snowmobile and a flip over. Mobility works for chasing down fish.
Mrpike,
I too have been kicking around this idea for some time know and just cannot seem to pull the trigger.
I have a cabin so I use an ATV and pull an Otter but would love to hit the other areas, but been thinking about the traffic jams they have been having with all the wheelhouse I’m not sure if it’s a good idea for me.
My new idea is to have a shelter made like gizmo guy and park it on the Pond.
I have a similar size house and can’t say I’d trade it for a bigger house. It fits my needs and is very quick to move and setup. We spent plenty of time in it last winter chasing crappies like I would in a portable. With 2 of us we could have it on the ice and fishing in under 5 minutes. Justifying payments was never going to happen with me knowing I would not use it in the summer since I already own a camper. I found a older king crow 6×12 and paid cash.
Check out the ice houses at Blackhole Outdoors up in Wadena, very nice and affordable shacks that are well built and portable as well. Don’t own one yet but have seen them in person and visited with the owner a couple of times over the phone…the Sasquatch is on my wish list!
I agree with Matt. At the scout size save some money and get a bigger hub.
X2
Unless they have changed anything the scout is just a box on wheels. No heater, no shelving, no oven. Basically the same thing as a hub house. Now if you said you were looking at getting a grandpas hideout type of setup that would be different
Lots of advice thanks. mostly looking for something sturdy in the wind. Have a hub now and works well. Mostly fish alone as well so I use my 1 man portable. Again just figuring out if it’s really worth payment etc. I’m leaning toward no
I’m thinking that travelers will have issues on the ice and snow, I can’t imagine it pulling it nicely. But I’ve been wrong before. I know it wouldn’t be my first choice though. I’d buy a older pickup then the house to pull.
You will certainly need winter tires for the traverse, and being such a low height vehicle to begin with you’ll really be restricted to where you can drive it to and set it on most MN winters.
Personally I’m not an ice house city on the lake kinda guy. That’s where you’ll probably be sitting the majority of the time simply bc of road access with your vehicle.
At times you’ll be able to scoot around but that will be a gamble every single winter you’ll have to weigh in on your purchase
this is just my opinion, but personally i would never buy one. i’ve fished in ice castle type houses…….yea its comfy and nice, and have done a few overnights……just not my cup of tea. i have enough stuff to take care of to add another thing to the list.
and like Beads said…….not a ice house city guy. just my 2 pennies worth.
Your traverse will pull it just fine. On here if its not 25 feet long and $60k its junk. I know guys that mostly fish alone and have little houses like that and they love them. I would rather sit in there with you then a hub but to each their own i guess.
Looking at possibly buying a Ice Castle Scout 6.5 x 8 foot long very basic #1700 weight.
Ok Using a Chevy AWD Traverse I’m thinking it would pull good but could have lots of issues on the ice?
Don’t own a ATV nor want one. Just thinking? Guessing could not get out until mid December then only till February.
Not sure if it’s worth the payment would only be used locally less than 30 miles.
Have you considered an aluminum and/or composite skid shack? That’s what I’m having built right now. 6×8 two door model only weighs about 600 lbs. With it’s footprint can have it out on 6″ of ice or less (I realize you said you don’t want an ATV so probably not that early for you).
I have a 6.5×14 custom built wheel house that I never use. Short window of time that it’s usable and often times by then, there’s too much snow for decent travel. Also, have never really enjoyed doing the set up/take down by myself. Just a thought.
I’d wait for sure. Maybe try to find something you can rent for an outing or two this year that is comparable to what you’re considering purchasing. Be sure its size works for you. If you think it’s feasible with your vehicle and targeted lakes, then pull the trigger this Spring when people are dumping them for less with lower seasonal demand.
Demand is at an all time high and prices are as well for recreational equipment of any shape, size, age – including ice houses. Let this warm Fall play itself out. If things don’t start changing soon, early ice will be hard to come by for a large portion of the state. There could be a lot of people with new ice houses that they purchased at inflated prices…with no ice nearby and extremely short seasons.
If you are in the Southern Half of MN, by the time you can use a full size vehicle to tow a house on most bodies of water…the prime early ice bite is gone. Then, when the best bite of the year happens on the latest ice you cannot use them either.
Your traverse will pull it just fine. On here if its not 25 feet long and $60k its junk. I know guys that mostly fish alone and have little houses like that and they love them. I would rather sit in there with you then a hub but to each their own i guess.
Not what I meant at all. I’m going to guess the traverse will struggle pulling it in the snow on the lake. I dont own anything 25ft long or 60k. So quit talking out ya azz
Hey everyone I want to thank you for your advice. My bride and I have decided not to get a house. For the cost and how much we would use it it just does not seem cost feasible not that we had money laying around but sometimes you think about the grass on the other side. We both are movers ice fishing and the house would just anchor us down more. For the few times I would really like it when it’s really cold or windy I could stay home once in a while too 
We both think it would be better spent elsewhere. We thought about getting an ATV to pull us out but we would need a trailer as well. In the summer we could not use the ATV in town as they are outlawed and no use for it. It would be like a Snowmobile use it 2-3 months and it would sit. Again not wanting to spend any thing but my true passion is summer on the boat. Thanks everyone
Look at the otter resort and monster lodge hubs. Bulletproof in the wind and cold and you can haul and move around by yourself without a trailer, sled, or ATV.
I have the monster lodge and love the space inside and it’s quick to set-up once you get the hang of it.
Stay mobile my friend!
With shorter ice seasons the last 20 years, your are into something with a composite skid house pulled with a utility Ski Doo. Mobility and lightness are second to none. This is needed by people that fish. Large heavy wheel houses are used by people that watch tv.
Question: how much work is it to clean out these Ice Castles after 3-4 guys live in it for several days?
Elkriver, mine is only an 8×16. I do like to watch tv sometimes, but we do fish in there bud.
Sylvan to answer your question it depends on your friends. Mine help keep it clean or they don’t get invited again.
Elkriver, mine is only an 8×16. I do like to watch tv sometimes, but we do fish in there bud.
Sylvan to answer your question it depends on your friends. Mine help keep it clean or they don’t get invited again.
X2 on both.
1) Catch lots of fish during the night on rattle reels that wouldn’t be caught if you’ve already driven your truck/sled back to the cabin.
2) Generally when I’m getting the house un-banked and packing outside gear back into the truck, one or both buddies are tidying up inside, cleaning stove, wiping counters, vacuuming, etc.
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>John Rasmussen wrote:</div>
Elkriver, mine is only an 8×16. I do like to watch tv sometimes, but we do fish in there bud.Sylvan to answer your question it depends on your friends. Mine help keep it clean or they don’t get invited again.
X2 on both.
1) Catch lots of fish during the night on rattle reels that wouldn’t be caught if you’ve already driven your truck/sled back to the cabin.
2) Generally when I’m getting the house un-banked and packing outside gear back into the truck, one or both buddies are tidying up inside, cleaning stove, wiping counters, vacuuming, etc.
X2 what he said.
I use my wheelhouse as a warm place to eat, drink, sleep, and listen for rattle reels at night. During the day I take the snowmobile and portable around the lake.
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