Have you ever experienced a day of ice fishing with a snowmobile? If not, you should! If you have, you probably know what I’m talking about!
Ice fishing with a snowmobile is like a fairytale to me. Sure, you have to dress for the cold, but the feeling of catching those fish under the ice whiles you are in the middle of nowhere is priceless!
I have only been on small trips where we didn’t have to bring that much equipment, because we were staying for an hour or two. However, I always wondered what it was like to go on a bigger ice fishing trip with my snowmobile.
The problem is that you’ll need a snowmobile that is capable of carrying all the equipment you need. Finding the right snowmobile for ice fishing was quite challenging.
I decided to write this blog post to share my experience. I would also love to hear from you guys what experience you have with this topic. Leave a comment if you have anything to share, I’m eager to learn!
Things to keep in mind when looking for a snowmobile
There are a few things to keep in mind when you are looking for a snowmobile for your ice fishing trip. You have to look for a model that has the right:
- Load capacity
- Cooling system
- Fuel capacity
- Track dimensions
- Pricing
I’ll try explain each of them below.
Load capacity
As I said before, you need a snowmobile that has enough capacity to carry all your gear. I used to have a smaller (and cheaper) snowmobile when I bought my first model. However, it wasn’t capable of carrying anything more than me and a small passenger.
The video below shows how you can use an Auger rack to carry all your equipment on the way. Not something for people who go out fishing once every year, but definitely a great piece of equipment for the regulars! You can check the price out by going to Amazon (Auger Rack)
You’ll also need mounts for your fishfinder if you have any. The real fanatics run a fish finder on their snowmobile to find the perfect spot to catch some fish. Fishfinders are available in a very wide price range. Check out how much they cost at Amazon.
Besides your fishfinder and drill, you’ll also have to carry a tent when you are planning to go for longer trips. The tent will provide shelter and keeps you from freezing.
All this equipment has it’s weight and you definitely want to choose a snowmobile with enough load capacity (and engine power) to carry all your gear.
Cooling system
Another important thing to keep in mind seems to be the cooling system. I have to admit that I still don’t really get why, but apparently the air-cooled snowmobiles are preferred over liquid colled snowmobiles when it comes to ice fishing.
Apparently the liquid-cooled models get jammed up often during long rides. I’m not sure why this would happen. Do you know? Feel free to leave a comment below to help me out on this one!
Fuel capacity
Make sure you buy a snowmobile with enough fuel capacity for longer rides. My experience is that you drive from lake to lake to find the right spot with your fishfinder.
These long rides with slow speeds usually use quite some fuel. You don’t want to carry too many jerrycans with extra fuel because you want to use that storage space for your fishing gear.
A buddy of mine even sold his snowmobile for another one, because he often had to return back home because he was scared of running out of fuel. It’s such a waste if you have to return due to low fuel levels, so make sure your tank is big enough for your adventures!
Track dimensions
Usually, the bigger snowmobiles come with bigger tracks. Just double-check if your snowmobile has long and wide tracks. You’ll be riding on ice and you’ll need big tracks to get traction on the ice.
Bigger tracks make the snowmobile less agile, which is fine if you are out in the open. They also make a ride more comfortable, which is a big plus for me.
Sure, a snowmobile with big tracks isn’t ideal if you want to go on narrow tracks. But it’s fine when you mainly use it in the open lakes.
Pricing of the snowmobile
This one is quite obvious, but I just had to include it on the list. Make sure you go for a snowmobile that fits your budget.
Snowmobiles rage in price from a few thousand to over twenty thousand dollars. More expensive doesn’t always mean better, especially when you see your snowmobile as a piece of equipment.
Set yourself some requirements, and start looking for that snowmobile that fits your budget as well.
Arctic Cat Pantera – Great for icefishing?
The Arctic Cat Pantera was introduced in the 1970s and they also called it ‘the Caddilac’. And well; it definitely is!
This is an incredibly comfortable snowmobile with all the luxury you can imagine. The great thing is that it’s been build for decades and you can find a model that suits your budget.
Let’s take the 2015 Arctic Cat Pantera 7000 as an example. It’s powered by a Yamaha genesis engine with 135 horsepower with solid torq in the mid-range. It’s perfect for those who want to make longer, comfortable rides.
The pro tour chassis is a little bit longer, which makes it comfortable to seat two riders. It’s definitely a luxury snowmobile for those who can afford is. But as I said, there are also older models that are more affordable.
Some of these models even have a fule capacity of 15 gallons, which is more than enough to go for those long-distance rides.
The video below reviews the 2015 model and we think it’s great to pick if you are looking for a snowmobile for ice fishing.
Yamaha VK540 – A real ice fishing machine
Another good pick would be the Yamaha VK540. It’s been around for quite a while and could also be a great pick for you.
This snowmobile is a little bit smaller and less luxurious than the Arctic Cat Pantera, but is still a great pick for those who want to go for semi-long ice fishing trips. It’s not a ‘Cadilac’ but will definitely do for a day trip out on the lakes!
It’s a two-stroke engine with 540cc and a heated carburetor. It has a manual or electric start, reversed and 20-inch track width and it will get you back from however the trip might be. A real workhorse it is!
Unfortunately, I could only find Russian and Norwegian reviews of this snowmobile. However, the video below shows you the latest model of this great piece of equipment.
Ski-Doo Tundra Sport 550
This snowmobile is great for those who experience deep snow. This snowmobile as a unique suspension and a specially shaped body to glide over the snow.
It is even capable of backing up in deep snow, which is a great feature! It’s a great snowmobile overall, but especially interesting for those who know that they go very remote through deep snow.
I won’t make a list with all the specs since you can look them up if you are interested, but I did include a video below.
What is your experience with ice fishing snowmobiles?
I would like to finish by asking you what your experience is with snowmobiles for ice fishing? Which snowmobile is the best in your opinion and why? I hope we can all learn from each other by sharing our experiences.