2018/01/18 21:24:23
troutbum21
HT, check out the Penn Fierce II 6000 LL (live liner) reels on Jet.com, price point is good (better with quantity discount).
I have two 4000 LL but have yet to try them.  I compared this reel to the Okuma's and thought the Penn's were a lot smoother.    
2018/01/19 16:35:48
hot tuna
That's the 1 I'm looking at in size 60 . Why no size in between 40 and 60 ? I'm thinking a 60 will be huge but may try 1. What's another hundred to toss down the drain , ugh.

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2018/01/20 12:50:47
BeenThereDoneThat.
My maiden voyage with my new pop up hub style ice shelter..... "I LOVE IT"!!!  Ummm sorry, I thought I was doing one of those HGTV "House Hunter" reality shows.  BUT WAIT,  how about BTDT's "Ice Shanty Hunter" reality show???
 
Well perhaps I should get back to reality and just say, I do like the hub style pop up.  Mine is the 3 man and there is plenty of room inside for gear and two people to fish comfortably.  Not sure that would hold up with three people fishing even without the gear.  As for setting up/tearing down and storing the unit back in the bag, I had no problem.  Even the ice anchors were screwed into the ice with little difficulty, without the use of a drill motor and adapter.  I'm sure most all brands of ice shanty's could be set-up ect, using the same trick I learned, including transporting the equip. to and from the sight. It's a very simple process known as "take a buddy fishing"..... priceless.
 
OK back to the review but if you think I get bad on the forum, ya oughta try a day in a ice hut with me!!!
 
I found having two doors to be a plus, letting either angler enter/exit without stepping on each others fishing rods or being run over as one angler sees the flag on his tip-up.  Doors are sizable for ease of entrance/exit and have 'hook & loop' (Velcro is a patented name) tabs to keep the door flaps open.  Exxxxcept, my brand of shack installed the tabs midway on the doors which, in wind, allows half of the door to "flap in the breeze" and believe it not, is more annoying than me.
 
My model is not insulated but that did not seem to be a major factor in keeping toasty.  However it was a beautiful brite and sunny day and you could feel the heat radiating through the wall, keeping it warm enough to allow the door flaps to remain full open (and flapping)  in a fairly brisk and cold wind.
 
Even with the door flaps closed there is plenty of light coming through the 4 sizable windows or if one prefers, the windows can be closed using the flaps fitted with 'hook & loop' straps.  Keeping it dark inside, will come in handy when I'll need to catch a nap after dragging all this stuff, then setting it up on the ice by myself, because my friends quit going ice fishing with me.
 
Plenty of head room to stand up and stretch, don/doff additional clothing and even for some to do 'running in place' while trying to get a hook out of their finger.
 
Weight wise I found transporting the shack (when folded in the carrying bag) using the shoulder straps to be relatively easy as the unit weighs less than 18 pounds.  Keeping in mind that my shelter is non-insulated and I am parked within 10 feet of the ice over fish-able water or, have a buddy along for his first time.  Moving the unit to another location on the same ice is no problem as long as you keep hold of a leash attached to your hut and you plan to move with the direction of the wind.  While that works, exercise caution on the distance you travel, it does suck waiting for the wind direction to change so ya can get back to the car.
 
Finally, I would recommend the purchase of this shelter to anyone that would be interested in going this route.  However, that being said ect, ect. it's not necessarily the mfg but, the style and operation of the shanty's I am impressed with.  Personally, my next shanty will be by any mfg that makes the stupid bag, big enough to repack the thing.  
 
With that, I would also echo the recommendations by others on this subject.... practice, practice, practice 'BEFORE' hitting the ice and, it might not hurt to read the instructions, first!
 
Stayed tuned, I gotta a duzy of a review on my home made stupid Lag screw anchors and how not to buy a drill adapter for ice anchors.
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Attachments are not available: Download requirements not met ⬅Made it myself.

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2018/01/20 14:04:49
BeenThereDoneThat.
Some yinz might remember my 'icecapades' using lag screws and fender washers for anchors in the ice.  Well forget the "Jet Weld" when attaching the washers to the screws or maybe I just didn't use enough of the stuff to keep the fenders in place.  But anyways, the lags I used would not continue threading into the ice but would blowout large bulls-eye of ice chunks.  So that was that, but I think a few alterations to the tips of the screws as in self tapping may help in that area.   Anyways, using a 1/4" masonry bit (because it is carbide) I pre-drilled a hole into the ice the length of the bit.  I then drove the lag screws into the ice with little difficulty and was able to extract them using the drill in reverse.  Keep in mind, screwing the lags full in may cause a situation where one may need leave his anchored device until spring thaw so leave some of the screw exposed, to assist with 'lifting' as one attempts backing out the lags.
 
Even more funner, I hand threaded the included ice anchors (using one finger) until the anchors bottomed out then finishing with a few more twist by hand.  That my friends was and is priceless as those ice anchor drill adapters one can buy are far more expensive (and I hear can be a PITA) than a cheap masonry bit.  I aim to find out if a twist bit or a paddle bit might work better pre-drilling the ice but also, a longer bit may be more helpful......  that's what she said, but anyways.
 
Good times, tight lines and a big heart-felt thank you to those who have submitted helpful advice.
 
 
PS.   recommendation of the week goes to Outasync for his recommendation to stow a few coat hangers.
2018/01/20 19:06:44
Clint S
I have the Clam style in that size and wish it had two doors. Two are great threes a crowd for people . Barely room for the heater with 3.  The ice was soft today hence the easy screw in. I forgot my drill and had no issues screwing my anchors in either.   It was 75 in there with the heater on high in mine today.
 
My review on the Rapala cordless knife is that I am well over 100 fish filleted and no charging yet. I am sure as the battery gets older it will decrease. No cords no hassles. 
2018/01/20 19:39:21
BeenThereDoneThat.
Thanks to your reviews Clint I got that fillet knife on my Valentines Day gift list.  I just hope my wife doesn't like it and gives it to me.  Which she probably will give me something, I'm sure,  just hope it ain't  'upside my head'.
2018/01/21 18:59:44
hot tuna
2 screw l bent yesterday.
Today we didn't have to put any in . Yesterday put 8 out. The guy line screws bent.
Thumbs down to the ht coated screws at about $8.00 per 2 pack. While they are the easiest i have used going in , Seems I go through 2-4 a season being bent

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2018/01/21 19:45:09
BeenThereDoneThat.
HT that sucks with a capital sucks.   I tried a twist bit for pre-drilling today and the bit sank right into the ice.  Didn't need my shanty today except maybe stay to out of the fog which is the case even on a sunny day with me.  Pretty cool when the fog started getting a bit thick but I wasn't worried, I had my trusty cell phone to guide me back to my vehicle if need be.
 
On a more serious note, I use minnows quite a bit so I have three air pumps that I use for aerating the minnow buckets and/or my live well when the boat is parked in the garage.   The biggest is a common aquarium pump that operates on 120 AC voltage and the other two run on batteries.   I carry a power inverter aboard the boat to run the aquarium pump if need be but generally, plug the pump in when the boat is parked.  The other two pumps use D and AA batteries and work great for the minnow bucket should I be on a boat with no livewell or as today, fishing through the ice.  Both pumps do a good job at keeping the minnows lively and when ice fishing help to keep the water from freezing in the bucket.  The larger pump (2 D battery's) will last for a good 24 hours when running continuous  and the smaller pump (3 AA battery's) I just bought lasted better then 16 hours.  I would recommend both of these air pumps.
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2018/01/21 20:03:55
Clint S
Rechargeable batteries for those bubblers save a bit of coin too.
 
2018/01/21 20:34:52
BeenThereDoneThat.
I'm going to try the rechargeable in the smaller pump just to see what the run time might be.  I have a dozen or so AA from those stupid garden/sidewalk lights, so I should have plenty for a day of fishing.
 
The pump in the "Baby Bubbles appears to be the same size as is in the larger air pump so it's more about the pump being compact and easy to transport.   I remember guys having minnows in a plastic bait jar while they fished for trout and if they didn't refresh the water constantly, they would be using salted minnows the next time out, but the small pump would be handy to have as it could be attached to the jar or clipped to ones belt.
 
Maybe have to do a 'floor test' with the rechargeables, don't know my next outing, weather not looking good after tomorrow as far as rain.  Wednesday looks to be the first day for my area... stupid rain.

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