Hut or Electronics

Title is self explanatory, want to make a big purchase to help with ice fishing this year. Going to get a marmish rod and a new panfish popper with alot of new jigs. Now I was wondering what would be better? Get a frabill Commando or a Lowrance 67c.  I fish eaton and preque isle alot. what would lead to better fishing. I mainly fish for panfish and dont care about pike.

The thing is how many days are there in Erie that you truely need a hut and heater? Everything Ive read leads me to believe running and gunning is a good way to catch a good number of fish. Finding the hot fish yadda yadda yadda. But im an ice newby so prove me wrong guys.

they are both essential. sell something so you can buy both.

Get the ice hut, if you want both, do what i just did. I bought a new Clam Nanook 2 yesterday from Dicks Sporting ( all their remaining huts and tents are 15% off, I saved $45.00 off my Nanook yesterday ) Then I did research online for ice fishing fish finders, I bought one on ebay last night after checking cabelas and a bunch of other fishing sites and found the Norcross Hawkeye ff33P or FF3355P pocket fish finder, it is basic, affordable, got great reviews by the users shows depth, fish, bottom, did I mention affordable. I should have Mine before Sundays fishing excursion. The item only costs $59.00 even from cablea's.

yeah, the heater is pretty much useless without something to contain the heat (like a hut)

they make cheaper, portable huts as well (with no sled).. they are kind of like a fold-up tent.. look on ebay for eskimo's

i will put it this way. i have a really nice hut (modified clam guide) and a very cheap flasher (marcum vx-1). if i forgot my hut, i would still go fishing. if i forgot my flasher, i would turn around and go get it. neither of those would ever happen, but im just sayin.

marcum makes the best flasher for the money, not my opinion but fact. the vx-1p has all the power and features (1000 watts, bottom zoom, ect) that you need in a portable sonar unit at a great price. it will probably run you $250, shop around.

you not driving a truck is an issue. you are limited in the number of huts that will fit in the trunk or back seat, unless you want to strap it to the roof. i advise picking up a used clam 2000 or similar suitcase style shanties. i think brand new they are like $250. look on craigslist for used ones. forget the fold up tent style shanties, they cannot stand up to the sustained winds of lake erie.
 
as far as heating goes, the buddy heaters are a waste of money. go with a single burner coleman camp stove ($20)  that screws directly onto a propane tank.   you can cook on it and use it for heat.
 

 

Like Saltydog said get a clam 2000 they have then 15% off as well prob can get it for around 200 after the discount. hoped the info helped, good luck and see you out on the ice!! Remember the most important thing Have fun!!!!! Hookem' and cookem'!

Ill have to get some dimensions on the trunk to get some ideas of what I can fit in the car. Would this last http://www.fishusa.com/Ht-Enterprises-Deluxe-Polar-Shelter-PRS-2-disc_p.html with the erie winds or not. Something this cheap I could manage both. Or would the cheapest to look at be something like the eskimo two man? There is also the Frabill Recon for around 180 I saw at gander.

shappell

I might be off my rocker here, but what is wrong with this suggestion:

Get an $80 (or less) camo hunting blind (they are almost the same as huts and will keep the wind off you) and that should save you enough money for a fish finder. I bought a Hummingbird Portable fish finder a couple years ago. The sensor is on a suction cup and connected to the display via a 15' cord. You can suction it to canoes, kayaks, boats or your sled and just scoot it across the ice. It works well and cost me about $100 3 years ago.

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/links/link.jsp?type=product&cmCat=Related_IPL_418734&id=0058181418604a

I'd look at any of the flip shanties because they have the sled to load all of you gear into it. Say you buy a pop up shanty and you have your heater, rods, minnowbucket, food, drinks, etc. it requires the use of another sled so kill two birds with one stone get a scout or pro they're on the same sled just facing different directions. Or get one of the frabills they're all good. If you really want to buy some electronics I'll take that kingpin off your hands so you can buy a flasher

VEXILAR.... You can make a passable hut out of anything. there are DIY plans all over the internet for huts that you can make cheap or take hi class's advice, and use a 30-50 $ hunting blind.

the electronics will keep you in the game more than a hut. Think a bout it a hut forces you to concentrate on the holes you have, electronics forces you to concentrate where the fish are.

As far as hauling it, I make trips to erie every few weeks in the winter when I load the whole family in the suburban, the shed often finds it self on the roof. No reason you couldn't haul on on the roof.

Go with the electronics, you will be happy.

Buy the Vex by all means we walleye fish at Chautauqua Lake we never use huts because of the style of fishing we are doing but the Vex is a must Have you will not be disapointed and who knows someone with a hut might invite you in because you have a Vex

Good luck finding one of those Lowrance ice machines right now. I was doing some searching online and just about everywhere you look or call says they're out of stock and don't know when another shipment will be arriving.

A vex may be in the future I guess for me...

Theres only one ice machine on there