Last Updated on June 27, 2024 by Afsar
If you’re looking for the best ice fishing sleds, you’ve come to the right place. An ice fishing sled is used to transport ice fishing equipment quickly and easily. You want to concentrate on ice fishing, so you’ll save your energy for that. However, you’ll need to transport your ice fishing equipment, which is why you’ll need the best ice fishing sleds.
Ice fishing sleds are essential for most anglers. We carry ice fishing rods, reels, shelter, auger, flasher, portable heater, and a lot more ice fishing gears. Carrying them to the fishing spot is a hassle if you don’t own a sled. These sleds are usually different than regular sleds. They are slightly modified or have the features to be used as ice fishing sleds. They come in different sizes and colors. Grab the best ice fishing sled, and transport all your necessary items to start ice fishing.
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Best Ice Fishing Sleds 2022
Shappell 54” Jet Sled
Bringing your fishing gears to the fishing spot becomes much easier with this fantastic ice fishing sled. I am a big fan of black color and would choose black over all the other colors. Since you are going ice fishing, everything will be white surrounding you. As a result, you will be able to spot this ice fishing sled very quickly. Like most ice fishing sleds, this sled is also made of rugged polyethylene construction. The molded runners offer strength and stability to the users.
It has a dimension of L54 ”X W24”. The contoured hull design allows the user to pull it by hand. Besides ice fishing, you can also use it to transport fish, deer, firewood, traps, or feed. You will find a lot of multipurpose for this sled. One thing that I can assure you of is its sturdiness. It’s rugged and will serve you for a very long time.
- Rugged design
- Polyethylene construction
- Molded runner offers added strength and stability
- Dimension: L54″ X W24″
- Can transport deer, firewood, traps, or feed
- Contoured hull for easy pulling by hand
Beavertail Sport Sled
This sport Sled from Beavertails is undoubtedly one of the best ice fishing sleds around the market. Hundreds of outdoor enthusiasts have used this ice fishing sled for different purposes. You can buy this sled in three different sizes: small, medium, and large. The small version has a dimension of 44”Lx22” Wx9”H, and the large version’s dimension is 64”LX29” WX11”H. The large version weighs 17lbs, and the small version weighs only 6lbs.
Polyethylene construction ensures that the sled is sturdy and capable of being used all year around in different terrains. It comes with two ropes for pulling. This mesh brow Sled can glide through snow and rough grounds. The bottom has been reinforced, and the forceful leading edge can bust through the debris.
- Mesh brown colors
- Polyethylene construction
- Tow rope provided
- Three different sizes
- Bottom reinforced
- Forceful leading edge
Shappell Jet Sled Multi-Purpose Sled
It comes with a camo design. Thus, you can also use it for hunting purpose too. It is capable of floating on water, but it may trip if you don’t use it properly or put heavy stuff. You will find optional hitches which allow it to be towed by ATV or snowmobile. You will be paying a very reasonable price for this amazing ice fishing sled.
- Compatible for most terrains
- Reasonable pricing
- Optional hitches provided to be towed by ATV or snowmobile
- Can be used for different activities
- Made of polyethylene
- Camo color
Terrain Tuff Tote
With eight tie-down locations, it is fairly easy to load it with different types of gears. It has two five-gallon bucket recesses. The dimension is 48 by 25 by 6 inches, and the sled weighs only 7 pounds. The terrain offers two years of warranty with this ice fishing sled. What’s more, the price of the sled is very reasonable.
- Sturdy design
- Large capacity
- Eight tie-down locations
- Comes with a heavy-duty tow rope
- Convenient hand-hold locations
- High-impact polyethylene
Terrain – Sports Sled
The Sports Sled by Terrain uses Polyethylene construction to tackle the hard terrains. The design of the sled makes sure that dragging through tough terrain becomes easy for you. It uses a heavy-duty tow rope to haul.
You can pull it by hand or attach it to snowmobile or ATV. Due to the size of the sled, this sled can be used as an ice fishing sled. It can hold up to 5-gallon bucket.
It has a dimension of 54”Lx 26”Wx9.5”H. It comes in black color and has two year’s warranty (at the time of writing). Terrain also offers different sizes of sleds. If you prefer smaller or different sizes sled, you can check it out. One thing that I really loved about this sled is its stability. It doesn’t trip like regular ice fishing sleds.
If you are into other activities like hunting, this ice fishing sled can be at your service. It can withstand the harsh terrain. This incredible sled has a very reasonable price and surely does its job fantastically.
- Reasonable pricing
- Heavy-duty tow rope to pull
- can be attached to snowmobile or ATV
- Polyethylene construction
- Holds 5-gallon bucket
How to use the Best Ice Fishing Sled?
Ice fishing newbies might be wondering how to use their ice fishing sled. Sure, you can load all your items randomly, but that won’t make your ice fishing trip memorable. By properly knowing how to use your ice fishing sled, you can not only save the longevity of the ice fishing sled, but you can make your trip enjoyable.
At first, you need to load all the heavy gears to the ice sled. This will help the ice fishing sled to be more stable than randomly placed ice sled. After you put all the heavy gears, now it is time to set them strategically so that the weight dispersed adequately. One important thing to notice is that the first thing you do when you get to the fishing point is setting up the ice fishing tent. As a result, you should not put it in the bottom, because
you will have to unpack it before you get to set the tent first. When you get to the fishing spot, you can take the tent/shelter from the top and set it up. Then, you can take all the ice fishing gear inside the tent. Easy but smart move.
If the weather is terrible, I mean if it’s snowing or raining, you should put a cover over the ice fishing sled to protect the gears. You can also use dry bags to protect the electronic equipment. But it is better to prevent the water from getting into the sled. Most of the best ice fishing sleds come with a cupping design where you can use a tarp to cover the top of the sled. Also, you can always improvise to prevent the water from flowing into the sled.
Should I attach skis to the ice fishing sled?
If the terrain is uneven, absolutely you do.
When you are pulling your ice fishing sled through the flat ground, you won’t feel any problem. However, the problem occurs when you are pulling your ice fishing sled through the uneven terrains. You will feel the bumps, and If your ice sled is heavy, you will have some trouble pulling it. One easy way to solve this problem is to attach old cross-country snow skis onto the bottom of the sled. It will decrease the amount of the surface that’s going to be dragging your sled. These snow skis will reduce that friction and will help the sled to move forward more easily. Besides that, the rounded edge of the ski can get up over the snowdrifts. This reduces the friction with the terrain too.
You can do this is in two ways. You can either get four small sticks or rods and drill them to the sled, and then attach the ski to those rods. On the other hand, you can use nut and bolts to attach the cross-country ice skis straight to the sled. You will have to be very careful when drilling the ice sled, as if you make a big hole, there will be snow sticking to that point. This is why, a lot of users use carriage bolts, and something in the middle of the sled and the ski.
This whole thing changes if you are transporting your ice sled via truck. You need to load it to the truck first. The cross-country ski will help, but if the size of the ski is longer than the length of the sled, you may have to cut a little bit of the back portion of the ski.
These are usually called modified ice fishing sleds or custom ice fishing sleds.
How to Choose the Best Ice Fishing Sled?
Most of the ice sleds look similar. Then how do I pick the best ice fishing sled for my type of adventure? Tough question, easy answer. I think there are some factors you need to consider when looking for a sled for ice fishing. Not all of these factors are useful considering we all have different priorities. Let’s start:
Size
We all know this was coming. Size is the most important thing when we are looking for an ice fishing sled. The reason is simple: the capacity. If you are going to carry a lot of stuff and gear with you, it is wise to buy a big ice fishing sled. On the contrary, if you are just packing few things, you can go for the medium and small sizes.
Weight
Weight is a critical thing to consider, especially when you are going to hand pull them. Usually, ice fishing sleds are not that heavy, but still, it impacts your trip. If you are hand pulling them or attaching them with the snowmobile, you will want the sled to be lightweight.
Durability
As the ice fishing sled will face a lot of friction on the road, you will need a sled that can withstand the harsh environment. Most of these ice fishing sleds are made of high-quality materials and promises to work fine for a long time. Some of them will come with a long warranty, and some of them won’t. Pulling the sled over snow is less likely to damage the bottom, but there are different types of terrains we are talking about. Uneven terrains may scratch the side and the bottom of the sled. If you are pulling your sled with a snowmobile, I recommend you go slowly. Most of these ice fishing sleds are made of polyethylene, and they can tackle different terrains.
Usability
A lot of ice sled users attach the sled with their snowmobile or ATV. Some of the users prefer pulling the sled with their hands. In that case, you will need to see if there are tow ropes provided with the sled or not. These heavy-duty tow ropes are usually strong to help pull it with a heavy load.
Price
As you will be carrying a lot of expensive and valuable stuff with you, I always suggest not to look at the price factor. However, ice fishing sleds are not costly. They are usually highly affordable and comes at a low too. If you want a premium ice sled but the budget is low, I would suggest taking a smaller version of the same ice sled. But it comes with its downside too: you get a smaller capacity than before.
Good Read
- Reels for ice fishing
- Best Ice Fishing Shelter
- Ice fishing rods
- Best Ice augers
- Best Ice fishing boots
- Best ice flasher
- Propane heater for ice fishing
Afsar is an avid kayak blogger born near the coast. He has a passion for kayaking and started as a child. He has paddled in various conditions and locations and promotes responsible kayaking. Afsar’s blog is widely read, and they are a respected voice in the kayaking community, offering valuable content on kayaking trips, gear, tips, and tricks. Afsar collaborates with other bloggers and brands and continues to inspire others through their writing and social media.