So i’ve been running a beat up little gas bike around Lake Mille Lacs the last couple winters, and i’m thinking about switching over to an electric fat tire bike this season… Speed really doesn’t matter to me at all. I mostly just want something to haul my auger, rods, sonar, bucket, and a small sled when the spot is a mile or so out from shore, because dragging all that by hand across the lake gets old real quick lol.

The cold is the main part that seems sketchy to me tho… A bike company can claim whatever range they want on paper, but once it’s 10°F out there with the wind blowing, snow on the lake, and a loaded sled dragging behind you, i figure the real world range isn’t gonna be anywhere close to the advertised numbers. Packed snow should be fine, but fresh snow and slush maybe not so much, and bare ice probably means throwing studs on the tires too.

I’ve been looking at a few fat tire setups online, like the Helokeep 26M, since that one keeps popping up in my searches. My biggest worry is just getting a mile or two out on the ice and spending the whole afternoon staring at the battery percentage, wondering if i’ll have to pedal a dead bike all the way back in…..

Is anyone here actually running an ebike out on Mille Lacs or somewhere just as freezing? How bad does the battery drop get in real winter temps, and what ends up being the biggest headache out there between slush, traction, and pulling the sled weight? 🫩

Every year someone's flasher or LiveScope dies by noon, so I put the numbers in one place before the season starts. All of it comes from the makers' own spec sheets (sources at the bottom of the image).

The short version:

- A flasher sips power. Most Vexilar and MarCum flashers draw 0.2–0.3 A, so even a small lithium lasts a long weekend.

- LiveScope gulps it. Garmin's LiveScope Plus ice bundle runs about 11 hours on its 16.5 Ah battery at full brightness (roughly 1.45 A), and about 3 hours longer at half brightness.

- Cold costs you hours, not the battery. LiFePO4 keeps about 85% at 32 °F and 75% at −4 °F; sealed lead-acid about 87% and 70%. It comes back when the battery warms up. And remember you can only use about half of a lead-acid battery to begin with.

- Never charge lithium below freezing. That's the one that actually ruins batteries. Let it warm up inside first.

What's everyone running this year? Flasher on a 12Ah, or are you all on LiveScope with a 50Ah+ now?

Set net fishing for arctic cisco(white fish) along the colville river in northern alaska

I have a concern with staying dry while sleeping. I’m thinking about getting into ice camping this winter. Getting an insulated pop up and spending the weekends on the hard water. I have a concern with staying dry while sleeping. I have interlocking foam mats and I’ll be sleeping on a cot. My concern is that while sleeping I’ll have a blanket or sleeping bag hang over the side of the cot and get wet on the ground. To those of you that camp on the ice, is this a valid concern? Will foam floor mats and being up on a cot be enough to keep blankets dry at night? What additionally have you done to keep the water and slush at bay? I’ve seen people lay down pallets for a base layer floor but I’m going to stick away for that.

I have an xplore 9 on my boat and I think I want to pull the trigger on megalive for ice fishing this winter. Hopefully my setup will work for hole hopping, either on by back or on a pulk. There are so many options out there for shuttles and poles etc, can anyone chime in with what they like or don't like?

Arc lab looks like decent value for dollar, and seems to be a canadian company.

Shuttle

Graph bracket?

Bag

Pole

Battery

Harness

What else am I forgetting?

I have an echomap uhd 73sv head and I would like to get everything else I need to put it on an ice kit so I can just put it from the boat to ice and not need multiple units. What do I need for that?

The temps are dropping and the ice is forming

Bought this used. Seller demonstrated using a pry bar to raise and drop. Dropping is easy enough, but lifting it to line up the leaf springs to pin is very difficult to do alone.

Would the marked up winch placement and anchor point work, or do I need a pulley arm to make the cable pull more vertical?

Any other suggestions or product recommendations appreciated.

I’m contemplating an 8 x 6 skid house build. Assuming I use treated 4 x 6s for skids, how best to attach the house and skids?

8k mountaineering boots offers great temperature ratings.

So I was wondering if anyone has ever tried this?

Looking into getting livescope for ice fishing. This is a used one I found on Facebook I’m not really sure how much they go for or if this is a good deal looks like it comes with everything I need. What do yall think?

Im looking for a good insulated shelter, only issue is im 6'11, doesn't have to be a flip over, i already have a sled, eo just looking for recommendations, ive been looking at the fatfish series bud id like to hear your recommendations ​

Next year I’m planning on re doing my interior. Right now it’s white milk house paneling which is fine. But imo it’s tacky and looking for a little classier. Plan on tearing it all off and doing knotty pine. My question is how much more weight will that truly add? The shell is aluminum on a steel drop down frame. 8x16. Any insight would be appreciated!

Looking at what the big names are rolling out new this year and Eskimo has brought out this folding rack system for sleds. Seems interesting for it's intended purpose, but I could also see it as a hand folding frame for a smitty sled.

Has anyone seen this in person yet?

We live a bit further away (almost 3 hours from closest Scheels) but wondering what type of deals people got in previous years?

The two things I need to upgrade this year are my hub shelter and a better auger(thinking ion or maven).

Were these things on discount during the ice fest events or better to wait till black friday?

Thanks!

Heyya! So with the ice season right around the corner.. I was going through my older rods.. and while they work the quality and age is starting to set in on many of them. Thought I’d ask what ya’ll are using and what you’d suggest as a Name Brand good quality rod and reel set up..

I have been using this TipUp Jigger during the last season.

This is a game changer!

- Moves automatically so the live bait is still alive when it starts to lose energy
- Fishing hole freezes slower cause of line movement
- Overall more fish’s out of the holes at the end of the day

I’ve tried YakTrax $50+ models, cheap Amazon ones… All of them get wrecked, especially after drilling holes and getting wet/frozen.

Anyone have a recommendation for cleats that actually last more than a few trips out?

I bought my first tent last year and it’s a bit too small for me and my buddy, I want to upsize this year to hopefully get out overnight but most of the larger ones are out of my budget.

Has anyone had any luck with any amazon tents? They’re all a lot cheaper for the size I’m looking for.

Any other recommendations would be nice too, I’m looking for one big enough to fit two people with two cots and a couple holes, Or large enough to fit 3-4 people on stools

For that early ice I’m thinking of building a smitty sled to haul my eskape 2400 out. anyone have any suggestions on what material to use the sled is about 36-40” wide I’ve even thought about attaching the new Eskimo cargo rack to set of downhill skis

Getting ready for the season and working on my shack/camper. Currently running 2 deep cycle batteries but they’re old and don’t keep up. Anyone running lithiums or should I stay with deep cycles. Or is generator the way to go? At most I’d have 2 tvs, 2 led lights and charging a phone or fish camera

Picked up a cheap/older model 6180 Predator. When fully extending the poles, it raises the front lower pole off the ground. When all are fully extended, the front skirt barely touches. Any workaround for this(other than don’t fully extend them)?