You can get hole sleeves with lids to keep items from going down. Svens sleeves has both wheelhouse and direct on ice models. It’s what I use when I take the nieces and nephews out ice fishing.

The regular buddy heater is more than enough. Most of the time I have it running on low.

The reason to try other heaters is for dry heat and to try and gain space since I could mount it under the jackknife sofa. Not a requirement by any means, just something to tinker with for the shack.

If you aren’t transporting then I personally would lean towards the 6×10. Nice to have extra room.

Either option above should work well. Those styles have worked the best for when I need my German Shepherd to wear boots. Not because his feet get cold, but there are times in the winter and summer where he runs so much that he wears his nails down to the quick and bleeds.

Tried some with rubber soles initially and for whatever reason they ended up with more snow packed in them. The sock-like ones haven’t had that issue.

Not an Ambush owner – my buddy did look at them before we made the decision to go with Pro-Fab. Was mostly a cost/customization factor, the Ambush shacks were right up there with Pro-Fab and Bebergs/Polar Fox.

I have a 6.5×10 Pro Fab Skid which (similar to Ambush) is aluminum frame with composite walls. Extremely easy to heat, not bad to move around, and for keeping up at the cabin it is the way to go for me. Picked it up September of 2021. Been well worth it for taking nieces, nephews, and even getting my 85yo grandfather out on the ice in comfort in subzero temps.

Size-wise, if you plan to fish solo most of the time and do a lot of run & gun, the smaller size will be easier to fit on a trailer and move around. If you fish multiple people or plan to keep it on the same lake, the larger size would be nice.

Only thing I’d change is getting mounting boards all the way around right from the start. I’ll be adding them this spring/summer, but it would have been easier to just have them. I did add a jackknife sofa and will be figuring out a different heater than just a Buddy, but I wasn’t sure the Truma was worth the additional expense and many of the vented heaters are pretty heavy.

If you bring a generator with, forced air can be nice to move air and dry things out. If you are planning to be out in the boonies, solar and an empire/martin direct vent would probably work better.

I’ll be testing out one of the cheap diesel heaters for my shack in the next few weeks. Would be nice to not need propane when I already have to have diesel at the cabin for the tractor.

I did pick up one of the ambush swivel hitches to use for my skid. It will make hooking up with the ranger much easier than trying to get it perfectly aligned.

Attachments:

1. 

   2024-01-18-16_43_30-Photo-Google-Photos.png
   

We’ve been using the Halo system for my German Shepherd over the last few months. Seems to work pretty well, he has definitely figured out that when it starts beeping he needs to make it back to me. Feedback from the phone seems to have decent response time, nice that you can turn the fences off when I take him to other parts of the yard. Have it set for just over 1/2 acre of space normally as I like him to stay closer to the house. Got a refurbished one for some decent savings as it was an experiment for us, will likely buy a new one for the Australian Shepherd puppy with holiday sales coming up

Pros: Easy to use, enough correction that my GSD notices it, GPS is pretty good, allows him to have the freedom of the yard without always using a tie out, portable (can set multiple “fences”), tracking feature is very nice

Cons: Hard to turn off the collar, battery life could be just a little bit longer (not as much of an issue at home, but all-day outside at the lake seems to run short), monthly subscription fee, wish it also functioned with a handheld remote when in places without cell service

I have a 6.5×10 ProFab skid that is the same style as the Polar Fox ones (basically the panels used in the CORE ICE houses). One of my fishing buddies up at the cabin has the matching twin, we bought them at the same time. For what we do, they are great. Early ice without snow they are easy enough to push out by hand. Tow with a wheeler once snow gets deeper and this year I’ll have a Ranger to use. I have a boat swivel chair and a jacknife sofa in mine, the neighbor uses old office chairs. I use a regular buddy heater for heat, put it on high to warm it up and then the rest of the day is pretty much on pilot.

Unless you plan on running and gunning, we always block up. Haven’t had any issues with tipping or sliding once in place.

Attachments:

1. 

   PXL_20221210_2040548962.jpg
   

It all depends on the level of care that you are willing to pay for and the things that the breed of dog may have a pre-disposition for. One of the hardest things that gets dealt with at a vet clinic is a client who can’t afford the level of care that their pet needs. Nobody wins with that one.

One of the veterinarians at our clinic has Spot pet insurance, which has helped her immensely with her Great Dane pup who has had two different instances of GDV. Even with taking radiographs and doing an exploratory at our clinic, she still wound up bring him to an emergency clinic for overnight care just so she could get some sleep and know that he was getting the best care possible. For her, the health insurance has already paid off even before year 1.

Convinced us to get coverage for our shepherd, at least until we can rule out any need for hip replacement and as a precaution for ACL. As with any insurance, there is a cost-benefit to it on premium vs saving for it.

Small animal clinics are shifting away from providing 24hr emergency services and relying upon dedicated emergency clinics. Cost, employee retention, and hiring are all reasons. Generally a trip to an emergency clinic is at least a $1K bill.

I’d recommend watching a few of Darren’s (3Rivers) videos on the “how-to” for sturgeon. I’ve never found a need for building the snowman, just set the foam bobber to rest at about a 45deg angle in the hole. If it lays flat or stands up straight, there is likely something messing with your bait. Be prepared to catch a lot of mudpuppy’s, they are common.

I run minimum 30lb braid for sturgeon in the winter. There isn’t that much current in the Bayport area, so no need to go light. Also keep in mind that the fishing is much slower in the winter than in the fall. But once you do get one, be prepared to get addicted and spend the rest of your winters waiting for those little foam bobbers to move…

Jason Mitchell Mack rods are an affordable option that work well – I have a MH I use for Pike and a H that I use for sturgeon.

Mudpuppy XH is okay – I have one for sturgeon but I might switch it over to a pike rod and get another Mack for my guest sturgeon setup. I’m not a huge fan of the guides that were on that one, which it looks like has been remedied on their new XXH Hilines.

Wolfram Custom – I have two, and they are nice. If you spend a lot of time going for sturgeon, they will treat you well.

I had a buddy who really liked that app. I wasn’t a fan when I took a look at it a while ago, mostly because it tagged a couple photos for fish at my cabin that clearly weren’t from the lake, with species that it doesn’t have. Seems like they’ve corrected that now, but I view it as more of a marketing gimmick than an actually useful app.

I have been happy with my Ultra Tow hubs, I’ve had them on the boat trailer for about 4 years now.

Best upgrade I did with my zero turn was to swap out the tires. I didn’t even try to mow the hill in back until I did this, as I wasn’t sure I’d get the mower back up without them.

Posting a picture of the hill might also help with ideas.

Attachments:

1. 

   Mower_with_Tires.jpg
   

It might be able to get up to 5K, if it’s exceptionally clean/well kept. But for a boat that’s seen some use, I’d agree with your assessment.

Steve Root wrote:

I get the feeling I’m the last guy on this site that doesn’t drive onto his trailer.

SR

I don’t get in my boat at all for loading/unloading. Basic tiller with a roller trailer, I have a rope I attach to the front eyelet. Back boat in, go to winch, unhook chain, hook up rope, unhook winch, push boat off while holding the rope. Drag it back to dock/shore and then park the truck. Loading is the opposite; push boat out, use rope to pull between guides of trailer, walk winch strap out, connect strap, remove rope, use the winch to pull tight, connect safety chain, and drive away.

Might not work for a larger boat, but it works for me and is faster than trying to climb in & out.

Seems like every supplier at the vet clinic has been sending letters about price increases and fuel surcharges that are now being added to the invoices. Supposedly they will “drop” them once conditions improve, but I’m not sure we’ll see conditions improve anytime soon…

You can check the WI DNR Find A Lake page for Burnett lakes with smallies, most look to be in the Webster area:
https://dnr.wi.gov/lakes/lakepages/Results.aspx?location=7&page=SMBASS&letter=ANY

My family has cabins near Little Wood Lake, and I have never really heard of a smallmouth bite nearby. The only water on the DNR list of smallies I have fished is Yellow/Little Yellow/Yellow River, but there I’m primarily targeting muskies. Haven’t caught an incidental smallmouth there yet.

If you really are seeking smallmouth water, I’d probably start exploring the Croix. You’re just going to have to take it slow and will be limited by water levels unless you are in a kayak or canoe.

Post a photo of what you are trying to do, and you may get some input. After rebuilding my aluminum boat, I found rivets to be the preferred fastener for just about everything on it.

We either do heartgard + nexgard or Simparica TRIO. My DVM prefers the monthly doses rather than the three month ones due to the decrease in efficacy mentioned above. Also have the dogs vaccinated for lyme + lepto + anything else my DVM decides. Cost is not really a consideration, since my wife is the DVM.

In regards to online vs at your vet, purchasing through your vet will directly support them and the local folks who work there. Even more so if they are locally owned vs a corporate group (which are becoming more and more common). It’s also not uncommon for the vet to have the product cheaper than some of the well-known online retailers.

Last year was my first opener on the Croix, fishing between Franconia and Osceola. Sure was surprised with how busy it was. I had been out on the prior couple weekends exploring backwaters and trying for rough fish and barely saw anyone. Come opener, it became a zoo. Capped off the day waiting for a guy to launch his brand new pontoon. He backed it right up to the waters edge, put the truck in park, and he and his group of people started to load it with all their gear for the afternoon. Another boat was ahead of me, and both of us just watched the clown show. Once they finally had all of their junk loaded (and found the key), they realized that the Franconia launch can be shallow and they barely got the pontoon off the trailer.

All together an interesting experience.

I seem to struggle with the quote feature and attaching photos, so here goes attempt #3 without using either:

Keep in mind that many veterinary products are done by weight, so check with your vet as what works for the 90lb Shepherd might be too much for the 20lb dog.

Another option for those with much older dogs is a carrying pack. We got a K9 Rover II pack a couple weeks ago since the Golden only makes it a mile or two before she really slows down. Now we load her in the pack and I carry her the rest of the way.

My wife is a DVM, we keep carprofen on hand for the dogs and give them a daily joint supplement. You should chat with your vet, but your shepherd might just be sore after a long day in the woods. After a weekend of sprinting, our 6YO shepherd can be a little stiff and gets the appropriate dose of carprofen.

If you are concerned about hips, bring them in to the vet and have them check the hips. If they truly are “bad”, then they can offer better solutions than here.

Go with whatever your vet recommends for a joint supplement. Ours comes in a small tub and is basically a treat before bed.

This is the ramp that we use for the 14YO Golden Retriever, which also works for the shepherd after a long weekend:
PetSafe Happy Ride Deluxe Telescoping Pet Ramp – 72 Inch, Portable, Lightweight, Aluminum Dog and Cat Ramp – Carrying Case Available, Grey, 1 Count (Pack of 1)
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000RUJEUU/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1

I took a screenshot and have posted for him in the Sturgeon/Catfish group.

It took them around a month to reply to my warranty email. Now I just need to figure out how to box up the shack to send it back to them when I already got rid of the original box.

N2i0c0k8 wrote:

Looking to get out on the ice in Bayport. I spend all summer on my boat out there but not entirely sure how to get on the ice with the truck. Are people going out of beach house marina or is there a public access I don’t know about? I’ve heard Hubs Point Dr. is another option to get on the ice. Apricate any info. Thanks!

Hubs Point Drive in Bayport is the winter road access point. There is no other access on the MN side for cars/trucks in the winter. If you are taking ATV’s or sleds you can park in the lots at lakeside and drive out from there. Ferry landing is the winter road access on the WI side.

It should help, but I wouldn’t bank on much. The snow has been insulating the ice and it’s been slow to add more.

Just be careful and check as you go if you decide to drive any vehicle out.

olas88 wrote:

Anyone know of the ice thickness on the St Croix. Looking to get the kids out this weekend and it is much easier to drive out with the crew.

Ice on the Croix has been inconsistent, I was out last Thursday night and was on 8″. Reports I’ve been seeing vary from 8-12″ after the weekend. Barricades are down on the Bayport side, some vehicles have been going out. I plan to be out there Friday night, but I’ll be in my Subaru rather than my F-150.

4″ of clear ice with minimal snow and we are able to pull around the 6.5×10 Pro Fabs with one hand. Kinda surprised it was as easy as it was.

Chris – In what region do you plan to use this skid the most? My usage will be in NW WI near the Siren area, so my opinions could be different than some people in Northern MN or the UP. It is very rare that we have so much snow on the lake that it can’t be navigated by wheeler, especially wheeler with chains.

I went 6.5×10 in order to have enough room for two people and two dogs in the shack while still being able to move it around every weekend. If I was getting a rig focused on daytime fishability with 1-2 people, I’d look at one of the smaller two door models. If you plan to stay overnight, I’d go with at least a 6×10, so you can have a decent sleeping area while still having lines down.

Chris Swatin wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Lost wrote:</div>
It’s a 6.5×10 model. My neighbor got the same size as well (he is the one in the Menards shirt on the ProFab page, my shack is the black one shown on there as well). I don’t think there will be much of an issue breaking through snow with the model as is – I would be concerned with having a center ski freezing in if not blocked well during a thaw/refreeze. And it would cause additional weight.

Can I ask what you are moving your skid house with? I’m hoping to use either a snowmobile or a sportsman that I have currently.

Doesn’t look like my reply worked, so here goes round 2:

Pulling with a Honda Foreman ATV. I was able to pull it around on the grass/clay at the cabin without much issue, and expect frozen ground/snow/ice to make it even easier. I have commented on past IDO posts regarding the comparison of pulling a skid (the neighbor’s alumalite) vs a homemade wheelhouse and it’s not even a comparison. Skid was a breeze, it floated on top of the crusted slush with the ATV and was on shore in minutes. Wheelhouse took 8hrs, an ATV, two trucks, and a tractor.

My neighbor and I will probably try hand pulling one of the Pro Fab shacks this weekend, I’ll let you know how it goes.

Chris Swatin wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Lost wrote:</div>
My skid will not leave my cabin very much, if at all. I’d rather have the extra length of a box vs an awkward V-front. I didn’t notice any difference when towing the empty trailer vs the trailer with the shack on it either.
Pro fab and Polar Fox will both add vented heaters, unsure of some of the other brands. They will also add furniture options if you desire. I decided that I will add heater and jacknife sofa to mine sometime in the future, in order to manage the initial cost.

What size ProFab did you elect for? I really like the looks of your unit. I have seen a design with a Vfront that had a larger center ski I could see being valuable for breaking fresh snow but I like the rectangular form for storage. I am in a similar situation where I’ll just be pulling it from my cabin to my spot and so forth. No trailering commonly.

It’s a 6.5×10 model. My neighbor got the same size as well (he is the one in the Menards shirt on the ProFab page, my shack is the black one shown on there as well). I don’t think there will be much of an issue breaking through snow with the model as is – I would be concerned with having a center ski freezing in if not blocked well during a thaw/refreeze. And it would cause additional weight.