Just popped into this forum for a quick little question. I understand many of the Alaska shows they put on TV are made for TV and don't depict real life in Alaska, but in the few different shows I have seen when the people on the show are ice fishing, I don't recall ever seeing them use a ice fishing shack, be it a real house type or even a portable shack. Are they uncommon up there? I'd think with all the months of frozen water there would be a lot of them. Do I need to write the producers? lol

I never saw one here on the Yukon River.

Mostly women fish through the ice. No shack. The lucky ones have a swan or caribou skin to sit on.

You don't see them in Southcentral Alaska either. I think the logistics of getting a shack to the fishing location are too difficult. You can't drive very close to most lakes. There aren't many roads, ramps, or beaches on most lakes.

The one time I tried ice fishing I hand-augured two holes through three feet of ice, only to hit bottom both times before I hit water. On the second hole, the vibrations from the auger evidently caused a muskrat to come out of a bank den. I shot it in the head with a 9mm and skinned it out and sold it in the spring for one lousy dollar. Alaska muskrats aren't very big or well-furred. The ones in the Midwest look better and are worth more.

Like I said, you can have the ice fishing. I'd rather stay home and think up clever repartee to post to your great annoyance on Tman.



Jim

In the interior they use ice shacks on the lakes. Lake Louise, Quartz lake, Birch Lake etc.

I agree with Bronco, but there are still many ice fishing opportunities that people don't use ice houses in the interior.

That is interesting.

They sell some pretty light and compact portables that can be a lot warmer than setting out in open with just a lantern for heat... Not like being inside by the wood stove but you would certainly be able to fish for a longer period of time.

Take this one as an example, it folds down into a light weight 52" long 11x11" package for hauling. I'm sure they sell even smaller and lighter ones, this was just the first one to "pop up" on Amazon. Seems like a good idea to have, if you ride a sled to the lake anyway.

https://www.amazon.com/KAZINSKI-Por...lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&th=1&psc=1

Anyway, keep the stories going, and thanks to those who have responded.

Yeah tons of people in Alaska use pop up ice fishing shelters with propane heat sources.

Seems to be a little more popular to have fish shacks to use, and a cheap way to have lakefront property six months a year.