How to Build an Ice Fishing Shelter
- 1). Sketch out a conceptual plan for what you want your ice-fishing house to look like. Keep in mind you will have to transport the house somehow from your yard or garage to the lake. If you want a large house, consider building it in sections that can be assembled together easily. If you want to attract a lot of friends and really make the ice-fishing experience enjoyable for everyone, build your house like you'll be living in it full time.
- 2). Start with the floor. You will want to lay the floor out first and fasten your skis or wheels to it so the house is raised off the ground at least a foot. Don't forget to cut out your fishing hole, which should easily blend into the floor and have a cover of some sort. Once your wheels or skis are in place, make sure they work correctly. Then, you can start putting up your walls.
- 3). You can make your walls out of just about anything, but think light and use the thinnest plywood if possible. Seal all the cracks and holes you can with cans of expandable foam or other insulation material. You'll need to frame your walls with 2x4s, and you can use nails or screws. If you are on a tight budget, you can make your walls with Luan, which is ultra-thin and super cheap, but it's also effective if used on both sides of a 2x4 framework of walls. Be sure to make room for a window or two and a door, which you can make yourself with a big piece of wood, some hinges, a latch mechanism, and a knob or handle for each side.
- 4). Now it's time to put a roof over your head. Your roof should be slanted so snow slides off it easily. Make sure it slopes away from your door opening, though. A metal roof is ideal for an ice-fishing house, but any material that can withstand rain, snow, and wind will do the trick.
- 5). Install shelves, racks, and hooks throughout the shelter for storage and convenience. When furnishing your house, think of comfort and practicality. It's better to have chairs that fold up. Bench seats and/or bunk beds should fold into the wall when not in use. You can save a lot of space by using hinges creatively.
The most important comfort of home to think about is heat. Make sure you have a heat source in mind when building your house. Use a small wood stove or a propane heater, unless of course you have electricity in your shelter.
