We have dozens of winter activities in America, but ice fishing is the fourth most prevalent after ice skating, sledding, and snowmobiling. As per statistics, out of the thousands of licenses given to anglers every year, a quarter of the licensees are ice anglers. Since ice fishing anglers spend hours in frozen lakes, they will greatly benefit from a good-quality ice fishing shelter. Below outlined are high-quality and affordable ice fishing shanties you’ll surely love.
Everything About Fishing Shelter and Reasons to Get One
An icehouse protects ice anglers from weather elements while they are fishing during the freezing winter climate. They’re available as small cabins comprising several amenities or budget-friendly plastic tarpaulin with framing. A portable ice house with the right features can turn your fishing experiences into great moments of joy while offering you high levels of protection against adverse weather elements.
Choosing the Perfect Ice House: Things to Consider
As ice fishing gains traction in many parts of America, ice fish houses have become a bit popular. So should an angler consider when buying their dream portable fish house? Let’s find out.
Style
Ice angling shelters come in flip-over or hub styles. Hubs are lightweight bottomless pop-up shelters with expandable internal frames. Flip overs are heavier ice houses often allied to a sled. You can pull the sled by hand or an ATV. Flip overs have a telescoping frame and built-in chairs.
Materials and Durability
Popular ice angling houses materials include polyester, nylon, cotton, and canvas materials. The durability and strength of the ice shelter depend on the thickness and strength of the material used. Polyester and nylon materials are more durable. These shelters have solid metal frames capable of withstanding weather elements.
Quality of Ventilation
Insulating and waterproofing ice houses with thermal materials seal out cold. It also allows for easy transfer of warmth inside. Besides, insulation helps to retain most of the heat generated by the water heater. Insulating increases the weight of the ice shanty, so put that in mind when buying.
Ease of Storage and Transportation
Look for an ice fishing shanty with a compact and lightweight design. Make sure the ice house is easy to transport and store. Read product details to know if your ice shanty takes up minimal storage space. It should be easy to tow by hand or a sled.
Size and Weight
Search for a pop-up ice shanty that’s lightweight but not so big. You want a shanty that can accommodate the anglers you’ll go fishing with without burdening you with extreme weight levels. Ensure the ice shanty you purchase has enough elbow room and equipment storage space. The larger the shelter, the more room for accessories, but the heavier it is.
Budget
Your budget is the determining factor in what ice shelter to choose. That’s because ice shanties vary in price based on the size, material, and brand. Some shanty brands cost more compared to their counterparts, but the cheapest ice shelters available start from as low as $250.
Top-Rated Best Ice Fishing Shelters to Compare
We have dozens of ice shelters from different manufacturers and brands to compare, but below are the best eight options you can choose.
1. Eskimo Ice Fishing Shelter: QuickFish Series Pop-up – Most Portable Options
QuickFish shelter is among the most lightweight Eskimo Ice Shelters sewed with 300 Denier iceTight fabric. This shelter from Eskimo has YKK zippers, which are hard-to-break and solid enough to secure the doors snugly. The shelter has windows made of vinyl material, offering you unhindered views of the outside. You can remove the windows or open them fully to achieve extra venting.With this shelter, you’re getting numerous years of durability and reliability, thanks to its rigid fiberglass poles and study metal hubs. Its many storage pockets offer quantity room for keeping your gear. Furthermore, you can assemble the housing in less than two minutes.
2. Frabill Ice Shelters: Frabill Bro Series Hub
Frabill ice Shelter was created by a pro ice fishing equipment manufacturer for the most passionate ice anglers. This shanty has a 600-denier polyester roof and walls coupled with an extra-sturdy 900-denier skirt compartment capable of withstanding extreme weather stress. The shelter is big enough to accommodate two anglers and includes enough internal and external pockets for storing your angling gear and supplies.It has durable and supportive fiberglass poles and durable metal hubs but only weighs 36 lbs. You can quickly fold the shelter into a zippered duffle with a sternum strap and padded shoulder straps to ease transportation and storage. Additionally, this ice shelter has a modular seating system for enhanced user comfort. The shelter is insulated both on the top and sides of the shelter.
3. Eskimo Outbreak Pop-up – Great Eskimo Shanty For Four
If you want an excellent ice fishing housing that can accommodate you and three of your angler friend, Eskimo outbreak pop-up is an outstanding choice to consider. This shelter is easy to set up, and you can have it assembled in a minute. In addition, you can take out the windows for optimum venting.Its mesh netting on the sides provides adequate spacing for keeping your gloves and jackets. Besides, if the house has good venting units to optimize fresh air flow indoors. The black colors and solid insulation are a blessing because they help to absorb and transfer heat indoors.
4. Otter Outdoors Ice Shantys: Otter Vortex Lodge Hub
Otter Outdoors Ice Shantys is your favorite ice house for you. It’s the shelter for if you want to take your family of four or five to that winter fishing outing you’ve all craved for. It has a solid wind-and-light-blocking shell and quilted internal thermal shell specially designed to trap and keep heat indoors. With its nylon packing strap and tie-down strap pockets featuring highly compressible buckles, you can quickly pack the shelter after a pleasant ice fishing endeavor. This Otter ice shanty also has ample storage pockets and tool holders, offering adequate storing space for you to store all your gear. The shelter is super quiet in windy conditions and anchors down solidly to offer comfortable ice housing for anglers.
5. CLAM 12564 Legend XL Thermal – Great for 1 Person
Clam12564 Legend is one of the best and most lightweight Clam Outdoors Ice Shantys for one person designed with convenience, comfort, and ease of storage and transportation in mind. For one, this excellent ice fishing house’s construction has 900-denier fabric, which is sturdy enough to withstand outdoor elements. Moreover, the ice fishing tent has 90-grade thermal skin insulation per-square meter, optimizing heat retainage to keep the interior warm.It has a tub design to increase usable space and a state-of-the-line hammock under the seats to offer more storage spacing. The shelter is only 20 pounds heavy, so you can pull it by hand or sled.
6. Clam Outdoors Ice Shantys: CLAM Pop-Up Tent For Ice Anglers
If you want a top-notch shelter that sets up in 60 seconds and promises to add comfort and style to your fishing endeavors, consider the Clam Outdoors ice shanty pop-up fish house. It can withstand most outdoor conditions while providing enough comfort and storage space. The windows let in enough light and fresh air. With this heavy-duty yet user-friendly fishing tent for ice anglers, you shouldn’t worry about losing heat since it retains enough heat to keep everyone warm throughout the cold winter climate. Sadly, this fishing tend is a bit heavy and difficult to transport for longer distances.
7. Eskimo FatFish Series Pop-Up Shelter for Anglers
Another affordable and first-class pop-up ice shanty from Eskimo is the FatFish Series. This shelter is densely insulated to offer optimal warmth indoors. The shelter has tapers at its bottom, which adds to the overall fishable area.With a fishable area of 61 square feet, this fishing shanty for ice fishers can comfortably accommodate three to four ice fishers. However, this fishing shanty can be too heavy to carry by hand.
8. Otter Vortex Cabin Hub Ice Fishing Shanty
Otter Vortex cabin hub ice fishing shanty blends durability, superior insulation, and sufficient fishing space. It has a triple-layer shell that offers optimal insulation, preventing heat loss while ensuring optimum heat retention.The shelter has multiple exterior and interior storage pockets to guarantee adequate storage for the fisherman’s gear. If you’re the kind of folks that enjoy ice fishing alone, you should have no worries since you can set up this shanty in a minute all by yourself.
Other Good Ice Shanty Brands
- Eagle Claw (Shappell): Eagle Claw Shappell Ice Shelters are known for spacious fishing spaces, solid constructions, and durably-insulated design.
- Cabin Craft: Cabin Craft Ice Shelters are widely known and highly regarded because of their durability, insulation, and customization options.
- Cabela’s: It’s a Sydney-based company known for its large selection of affordable yet high-quality ice fishing shantys
- Ice Runner: This ice fish house manufacturer is known for its low-profile, lightweight, user-friendly, and budget-friendly ice fishing shantys.
Conclusion
These are the eight best ice fishing shantys you can purchase today, which stand out not only in performance and durability but also in reliability and affordability. Compare the eight options and choose the ones suited for you, depending on your ice fishing needs. You’ll need to get that perfect portable fish house with the features and space to accommodate your unique fishing needs during the winter weather.
Table of Contents
