What type of portable do you use?

[ThunderCAT]

I currently have a 4-5 year old Clam 5x6 5600 with a sled that I built out of downhill skis...it's a really slick set up overall, but it lacks a little mobility, so I have been heavily contemplating getting into a trap-style house. What type of house do you guys use? What are your likes and dislikes?

[Spinach]

How about what kind of portable do I not have? 

Currently I have 6 portables, 4 pullovers and 2 suitcase style. My newest favorite is my Fishtrap Yukon, perfect for 2 people and fits great in the Suburban.

My favorite for mobility and comfort are the pullover styles, they only take 30 seconds to setup, even in the wind. They all have built in sleds/tubs which allow for easier pulling onto the ice.

I only keep the 2 suitcase style 6x8's for personal reasons, i've had them forever and they are in excellent condition, we use them very seldom and only use them when we need extra houses for friends or kids.

Pullover houses are the only way to go if you have the room in your vehicles. I do have 2 Frabill Hideouts for sale in the classifieds forum, they collapse almost flat and are very nice portables, easy and fast to setup too.

[ThunderCAT]

Pat, do you think I will notice a change in space from a 5x6 portable to a Yukon for 2 guys? I am actually looking at getting a Yukon and selling my 5600 for the whole ease of set up and mobility reasons, but I also want to be sure it's still plenty of room for 2 guys and gear...I wish I had room for a Voyager, but it won't fit in the back of my Jeep Cherokee, but I think the Yukon should...

[Spinach]

If your 5600 was big enough for your style of fishing, then the Yukon will make you happy. I chose the Yukon over the Voyager last year, even though my truck will fit any sized house. the Yukon is plenty big enough for 2 guys, gear and stretching room. There is a big difference in the Guide and Yukon when it comes to being able to stand up, stretch and feel comfortable, the Yukon is the perfect sized house. The Guide is not tall enough to stand in, so long days can make you feel cramped. Even though the Voyager is capable of 3 people, there is no way I would feel comfortable, so i chose the Yukon which i can stand in, fish 2 people and gear, pull around with no problem and fits in my vehicle easily. The Voyager is just too big and bulky to not be able to fish 3 guys in, the difference in room between the Yukon and Voyager is not worth the extra weight and room it needs to be transported. It would be different if you could really fish 3 comfortably in the Voyager, but we all know how the ratings works.

We fish 2 guys comfortably, buddy heater, Northstar lantern and still have plenty of room left over in the Yukon.

Let me know if you ever plan on fishing the North Metro area, your welcome to sit in the house with me for a day. I usually fish the Chisago Area, Rush or Peltier. I dont think I'll be on the Croix this year  , with all the snow we have, I aint trusting the river.

[repoman]

i agree with pat ! i just got a yukon myself and absolutly love it 

[Spinach]

i agree with pat ! i just got a yukon myself and absolutly love it 

What part do you agree with?  lets hear some feed back from other Yukon/Guide/Voyager owners.

[ThunderCAT]

Pat,

GREAT review of the Yukon...my biggest thing is to make sure it doesn't feel smaller than my 5600...but I think I want the mobility of the Yukon, even though the 5600 set up I have is super easy to get out and get set in...you just don't want to move all that much.

Reading that you CHOSE the Yukon over the Voyager is important. I want the room of the Voyager (despite the weight) but it wouldn't fit in the Jeep. But if the Yukon room is plentiful for 2 guys, then count me in!

Has anyone used the new Frabill GT (specifically the Prowler)?

[Spinach]

No problem......

I bought a Frabill Magnum GT last year and sold it to Labs4me before I ever used it, it was a really nice house and the same size as my Yukon, but it was about 40 lbs heavier too. The seats in the Frabills are outstanding but they weigh a ton. The only reason i bought the thing was the price, I'm embarrassed to even say how little I paid for it, brand new in the box. The pole holders in the sled are a joke in my opinion, mine was brand new, never on the ice and they were allready out of shape, cheaply made covers and the dumbest place to put them is the bottom of a sled to collect ice and water, they are not watertight either.

Frabill has some nice houses, but they are a LOT heavier and the pole holders in the sled are the stupidest thing i've ever seen in a portable!

[repoman]

i agree with pat ! i just got a yukon myself and absolutly love it 

What part do you agree with?  lets hear some feed back from other Yukon/Guide/Voyager owners.

well i had a 5600 and i always felt cramped with someone else in there . and all gear
but this yukon has good room i can stand up in it , traplink, lightweight , seats are nice , etc....  if i were to upgrade i go for the clam x4 , but other then that you,ll see me in my yukon 

[JohnWester]

i use a eskimo grand caravan.

[LooseB]

Otter Resort here.  :dancinred:I just picked it up, it is HUGE. I needed a bigger one now that my son and dog want to go all the time. I have a Frabill XLTwin in the shed in great shape that has to go after the holidays. It just is not big enough anymore. It is definetly lighter though.

[rchaze60]

I have an Eskimo Fishpro 250

[thunderpout]

Bought the original Genz Fishtrap when they first came out... Im on my third one... they havent changed that much.  They just get a little fancier... I guess they have to when every one has ripped em off and copied the idea, hard to improve such a good idea!  I have thought about gettin a bigger one, but I like the one manner.  Easy to heat when its small!             -thunderpout

[Model12]

I've been through a few of them and the Voyager was my favorite. Like Pat said, they rate them a little larger than they really are capable of. I wouldn't have ever fished three out of it but two was very comfortable w/both guys able to use their flashers and cameras. Not that you really needed it but it was nice to have the cameras looking in diff't directions and use both flashers as sharing one just doesn't work in that large of a house...too much angle to read it easily.
I liked the storage of the Voyager's tub vs. the Yukon.
I personally don't have anything against a Yukon and have fished out of it plenty. I have a friend that has the Yukon and wishes he'd have gotten the voyager for a little extra room. Again, I dont care how you slice it, the Voyager is a two man house.
The house I have now is the double flip over of a couple years ago. Not as nice as the X4 by Clam but IMO the Clam isn't worth $800 skins. It takes relatively the same amount of room to haul but it easily goes in the back of my truck. It takes, literally 30 seconds, more, to flip the other side up and is great for 3 people, even four. I just like the other side for putting the extras. I also like fishing one on each side and having all the room in the world.
Best of luck as there are  a ton of choices out there, now and there are some great ones.

[Spinach]

Nice post Derron (Model12) that outta help his decision making process. Now he's thinking Voyager or Yukon but will have to buy a bigger truck first. 

So, is that the 1060 you have now? I've never fished them double houses yet, but I agree, they sure look comfortable. I really like the new X4, but not the price either.

[Model12]

Yeah, sorry but wanted to pass along my experiences w/those houses. Nah, I got the one Gander carried two years ago...the Polar Nordic and it's a green heavy canvas on a so-so tub. I honestly don't see anything better about the X4 than what I have w/the exception of the tub. I'm actually not a fan of the X4 tub either as the front is nicely curved but you lose more seating as a result. Glad I got the houses when I did because the new houses seem to be considerably more expensive. There are a lot of nice houses out there but I honestly think, in the end, you'll be happy w/any house you get.

[JT]

I've got an Otter Magnum Lodge, and like it other than the square tubes are kind of tough to slide.

[kenhuntin]

Although I have clam suitcase I prefer my Otter Cabin, I really like the ease of use and mobility of it The tow bar is great. I like the smaller size shelters because there is less area to heat. It is not big enough to do any jumping jacks in but I don't do much excersizing when I ice fish. It is a good thing to only have the size gear you need. A really big shack can on a bad occasion just become a bigger better sail. If you are debating big vs. small opt for the smaller version a little more room can really become a liability when adverse conditions pop up. A tub style is alot more handy than a suitcase.

[pdrude]

I have had a voyager for 4 years now in the black winnie version made by clam its a great portable if you use a wheeler or can drive to your spot its great but on first ice when there is a 6" snow fall it tends to get heavy to pull with all your gear from the shoreline plenty of room for two guys with a table in between the two i just downsized to  a scout just because i move to the fish its easier to pull down the break line so if your into having enough room for two and with all gear go with the voyager just cause its made for three which means two comfy

[fishinlocal]

I just upgraded from a Fish Trap Pro to a Yukon and must say I love the Yukon so far.  I used it twice over the xmas week with my dad and we bring all sorts of toys along.  It has more than enough room for everything you need, heater, flashers, augers, poles, jigs, buckets, and whatever else you may need.  I also love it because it fits perfectly in my truck bed which is a crew cab with a short box.  The voyager would have been nice but without the tailgate down it wouldn't fit, plus I will be pulling it around by hand.  The Voyager is an extra 30 lbs heavier than the Yukon and that adds up fast with all the gear in it.

[Russ-Judy]

back in 1956-57 we used card board boxes if we could find them big enough with a real fire just out side of it

[repoman]

back in 1956-57 we used card board boxes if we could find them big enough with a real fire just out side of it

now thats fishing 

[Grute Man]

I got the Clam 5600.  They say its a 4 man.  Its a 4 hole but not 4 men.  I can get 2 kids and me but that means Im not fishin.  Maybe we need one HUGE bucket for the center that we all can sit on.   

[JoeFisherman]

Frabill XLTwin with the two individual seats.  Used many different portables before getting to this one.  It's a keeper!

[HD]

I got the voyager, me and the wife went out on Rush last Sat. and got a limit of crappie's. She likes it because it sets up fast and has plenty of room.

[Hank]

I'm also thinking about a new portable.The only problem I have is with 2 small kids , will the ice get too slippery with aflip-over style ? I've never fished out of one ,only the suitcase style and they are kind of a pain to set up.But I really like the idea of a flip over house, just not sure of the safety aspect.

[ThunderCAT]

Hank, what do you fish out of now?

[rchaze60]

never had any probs with mine and if the wind starts to blow i just set the ice anchors  so i dont slide away lol

[Ryan]

I'm also thinking about a new portable.The only problem I have is with 2 small kids , will the ice get too slippery with aflip-over style ? I've never fished out of one ,only the suitcase style and they are kind of a pain to set up.But I really like the idea of a flip over house, just not sure of the safety aspect.

I've got a Clam 5600 and the floor is as slippery as the ice when it gets a little wet.  Like someone else said, you can't really have more than 2 people fishing out of them anyway.

[Finlander]

I have the Otter Magnum from Canvas Craft which I bought a few years ago so I have the round poles . I like the portability of it especially behind a snowmobile but it is a real bear to pull by hand through deep snow by yourself . I think the hifax kit made it that way. It fits in the back of my shortbox Dodge with 3" to spare and enough room along 1 side for coolers or whatever . Easy to set up , even in a wind . But , it is hard to fish 4 holes with 2 guys . It can be done if the holes are strategically placed . I'm thinking of adding a floor to it .  The biggest thing I miss about my old suitcases was that I could use them as tents for different trips.