Lessons and Reflections of a New Sled Owner

I’ve been ice fishing since 2012. Initially I started out by walking out to lakes and rivers where reasonable fishing was a short distance away. Later I got a Toyota Rav4 SUV to get onto the ice. Then after realizing I needed more cargo space and power, I got a pickup truck, a Toyota Tundra. For years I only used trucks to get around. It worked for a lot of fishing but I still felt limited.

Trucks can get around very well but the ice has to be thick enough. Trucks cannot get around deep drifts or ice ridges very easily. Most importantly, trucks cannot get into backcountry lakes. I love exploring the unknown so I like to visit new lakes. For years, I would look at satellite maps and marvel at the amount of remote lakes that had secrets to unlock. Eventually I caved into my inner trailblazer and bought a sled, a Polaris 550 LXT IQ.

In this article, I will be talking about my first ice season owning and using a sled. This was definitely one of the most unique ice fishing seasons I’ve had. Perhaps this post will convince you to get one for the next ice season.

The Challenges and Surprises of Sled Ownership

Obviously buying the sled was difficult this season. Due to Covid-19, a high demand combined with supply chains being disrupted led to high prices in the used market. Any decently priced sled was gone instantly. I ended up buying my sled in Saskatchewan. I had to drive four hours as well as increase my budget to make the purchase work.

It was worth it though as it fit my needs perfectly. This sled had reverse which is very convenient. It was fan cooled which is very useful as sometimes snow cover may be minimal. Electric start is much easier to use than pull start. It was a 2-up which allowed me to take a passenger comfortably. It came with a nice tunnel bag where I could comfortably store my electronics.

As with any recreational vehicle, the budget needs to account for accessories to even get started for ice fishing. The toboggan and hitch turned out to be difficult to find as retailers were low on stock. Helmets had to be ordered. A spare drive belt was required. A cover was required to protect the sled on the trailer. Eventually I had to get a salt shield which was extremely beneficial to keep salt and snow off the trailer.

While not absolutely necessary, my favorite addition for my sled was the GPS. I hooked up a Lowrance Hook2 7 that I used on my boat to my handlebars using special RAM mounts. I was able to read my Angler’s Edge Mapping while tracking my route for safety. That put me in the lead position for all the sled outings with my buddies. Check out a past article for more information on the benefits of digital mapping.

I would spend quite a few evenings this season doing maintenance, repairs and installations. It was somewhat difficult but being a boat owner, I was prepared to take on these challenges. For someone who works in an office, I find this beneficial as it gives me an incentive to become handy. Knowing how to do repairs and using tools is always a good thing.

Fishing With a Sled

Definitely fishing has been different this season. Having a sled gives a lot of confidence that you will never get stuck (or at least not the same way as a pickup truck). Taking sleds on bodies of water like Lake Winnipeg has given me more freedom of mobility. I can go over ridges and drifts with more confidence than with a truck. Sleds distribute their weight better than trucks so I can go on thinner or weaker ice. Even if the conditions are adequate for trucks, it will take a lot of wear and tear when driving on a bumpy lake.

I will admit unloading and loading sleds on the trailer is time consuming. The sled has to be unstrapped and warmed up. Then the hitch pins would have to inserted. All the gear would then have to be packed in the toboggan and covered. The entire process takes around 30-45 minutes. It does pain me a bit to be unloading the sled at the launch while a truck simply drives onto the ice.

Definitely extreme cold is a significant obstacle. In those cases, I stay indoors or fish where I can fish with my truck. Low amounts of snow this year has been detrimental for sledding. Our backcountry plans were cut short this season due to the lack of snow on the portages.

Covid-19 has made ice fishing with sleds logistically complicated. Anglers must be from the same household to fish in the same shack. This required everyone bringing their own shack and heaters which made equipment sharing impossible. Due to the low amount of cargo space, it was difficult to take those without a sled. Family members though were easy to take along as we could share resources.

I will say that the biggest benefit of having sleds is getting where few people could get. The best feeling is being on a backcountry lake with no other people. Even when the fishing isn’t so great, the sound of silence is incredible. I visited a few backcountry lakes and while the fishing hasn’t been very rewarding, I always felt like I was accomplishing something. Be a trailblazer, someday it will pay off immensely someday.

The Non-Fishing Aspect

Personally I’m not into high adrenaline activities. I’m scared of rollercoasters and downhill skiing. Though I got to drive my sled at over 80 mph (without towing fishing gear) in a few instances. It could probably go faster but I’m not really into recreational sledding. It is definitely exhilarating to drive fast on a lake without a speed limit. I can imagine some people really would really enjoy joyriding.

I have taken my family on tours on our cabin lake and they found it enjoyable. Winter scenery is beautiful. I definitely love driving through the bushes of the trails or the fresh snow on the surface of lakes. Just travelling to the fishing spots is quite the experience.

To drive on groomed trailers however requires a Snopass. Personally I’m too focused on fishing anyways to ride on trails for fun but it is something to consider if you ever get a sled.

Future Plans

With the polar vortexes and lack of snow, I felt sleds could not be fully utilized this year. There were many trips that had to be cancelled. Covid-19 made things difficult but I expect the restrictions to be lifted by next year.

Definitely I want to unleash my inner trailblazer more. I would love to pay a visit to more backcountry lakes in the Whiteshell. Northern Manitoba and Northwest Ontario need to be visited as well. With the sleds, it really has felt like the world has gotten bigger. Perhaps one of these days, I will be able to find the mythical Manitoba arctic char located in the deep of the wilderness. Who knows what will happen?

Final Words

If you love ice fishing, do consider getting a sled. Instead of dreading snow, you will embrace snow. There are difficulties to sled ownership so I understand that it isn’t for everyone. It is definitely expensive and time consuming to maintain and handle. Though I will say that this has been one of the most fun seasons and I’ve only scratched the surface.

Hopefully my experiences will help others decide whether they want to get a sled for ice fishing. Feel free to ask questions in the comments!