Gear for Staying Overnight on the Ice

[Bemoredog]

I'm thinking about doing an all nighter out on the ice late in February in hopes of landing a few decent burbot.

I am well outfitted for a day on the ice, but I would think spending the night is a different ordeal. I have a good shelter, heater with low O2 shutoff (will turn off during sleep) and warm clothes.

Looking for recommendations on what I should bring to sleep in/on. Is a -30 rated sleeping bag enough? Will I need a sleeping pad too? What kind? Or will I need a cot to get myself up off the ice? I like to travel as light as possible, but I don't want to go unprepared.

I'd be doing this in the central and southern parts of the province. Tips for catching burbot also appreciated

[PlayDoh]

I'd say a cot is a must and would be less to haul than a ton of insulation. I'd err on the side of caution and bring double the blankets but just leave some back at the truck.
I've been considering the same myself and I will bring my Carbon monoxide detector along to play it safe. I grabbed one at CT that runs on batteries for my hunting camper.
A few hundred yards north of the boat launch at CV was successful for one member here. He did an all nighter also. He said the bite stopped at 11 but by late Feb I'd guess they should / might be biting through the night.

[Sooner]

Spent a few nights on Slave lake during the Easter weekend in the back of a truck under a canopy. Nights got to - 5 ish. Make sure you have a good sleeping bag, toque for your head, long under wear to sleep in. And a couple blankets to put over the sleeping bag plus a good insulator under neath and you should be warm. Until you have to take a leak We didn't have any heaters, just into the cold bag , at least you can go in warm and then warm up in the am. It's fun fishing well into the dark.

[ArcherAPA]

Can't keep burbs after feb 1st at a lot of lakes. Might change your mind, might not!

[PlayDoh]

Originally Posted by ArcherAPA

Can't keep burbs after feb 1st at a lot of lakes. Might change your mind, might not!

Not aware of any in PP1

[Bemoredog]

Originally Posted by ArcherAPA

Can't keep burbs after feb 1st at a lot of lakes. Might change your mind, might not!

I always check the regs well before planning a trip. The place I'm considering closes early March to May for the spawn. But thanks for your concern.

[Davef]

I am doing an overnighter this weekend with 3 kids, tarp in the box of the truck, Futon mattress, warm mummy sleeping bags, and toque for the melon. Fold tarp over top and load fishing gear, and unload when you get to the lake and set up.

[Bemoredog]

Originally Posted by Davef

I am doing an overnighter this weekend with 3 kids, tarp in the box of the truck, Futon mattress, warm mummy sleeping bags, and toque for the melon. Fold tarp over top and load fishing gear, and unload when you get to the lake and set up.

Depending on ice thickness I suppose sleeping in my vehicle is possible. I'm just super wary driving out onto ice... something about it rustles my jimmies. Sounds like your gonna have a blast though.

[RavYak]

Buddy and I do lots of overnighters on the ice(probably every other weekend at least). Even inside a heated tent the air at bottom of tent will be near freezing although the air at top of tent might be 20 degrees.

Get a cot or at a minimum a reclining chair. The higher you are the warmer you are. Also you don't have to worry about floodwater etc. Sleeping pad also makes a huge difference as it insulates you from the cold air beneath the cot.

How warm of a sleeping bag etc you will need depends on heater, outside temps, tents thermal ability, body heat etc... So pretty much that is up to you to figure out.

We use a single sunflower on low, with cots and sleeping pads. My buddy doesn't produce much body heat so uses a -30 sleeping bag. I am a walking heater so just use a old crappy blanket lol.

Note to others if using a sunflower make sure you have proper ventilation. Also having rubber mats is nice as it keeps the floor from melting and allows you to move around in socks or bare feet.

Here is a pic of my setup from last weekend.



And the best thing about doing an overnight trip is that if you don't feel like getting out of bed or getting dressed you don't have to lol.



Good luck, its a blast when you get into it.

[Sooner]

Originally Posted by Bemoredog

Depending on ice thickness I suppose sleeping in my vehicle is possible. I'm just super wary driving out onto ice... something about it rustles my jimmies. Sounds like your gonna have a blast though.

We parked just off shore. No worries of breaking through. The sleds took us out to our fishing spots.

[ineptflux]

Best purchase I made was a -30 sleeping bag for the winter, you barely have to have the heat on with it. A sleeping pad is a help too - mine is a reflective one to help block the cold air from below when in your cot.

Also, may not be relevant, but they make small fans to attach to the top of your tent (or you could rig something up) to help circulate the warm and cold air. I have the one made by Clam and love it (light/fan combo).

As well, bring a 3-4' piece of 2-3" PVC pipe (or something similar) and place it at the bottom of your tent running inside and out to help with the air circulation.

Best part of over-nighting is being woken up during the coldest part of the night due to the running of stress cracks when the ice cools! Have fun!!

[sundancedan]

I spent the night at CVR the other weekend, it was wonderful, I believe the low was -5 with upto 50kmh winds and wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be.

This was my setup https://onedrive.live.com/redir?resi...nt=photo%2cJPG

I ended up using the cooler to store the Burbot as there was like 3 inches of water on top of the ice and they would have away. I used my custom built sled as a floor, it is 4x5 which also helped hold the tent down with those winds.

I had a tip up outside in 25fow and could barely see it when it was dark out so I stuck a propane lantern out with it, ended up getting an LED one for next time as the wind kept blowing it out. Also instead of lighters to light things like my heater or lantern or stove I use a propane torch with a quick ignite feature she lights everything! I love propane. The tip up was out there because after getting this mess http://1drv.ms/1PiS2sQ with it inside using a pickeral rig I got kinda frustrated as I was busy catching fish.

I recommend RavYaks Cot idea, the Zero Gravity Chair trumped a bucket but I am hoping to have a cot for next time, although with any luck you won't be sleeping to much

For making coffee or some hot food I had a little stove I got on Amazon http://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B00Z..._BkgNwb4WPRWPY it boiled water fast!

[Bemoredog]

Wow, thanks guys! This is awesome advice. I can't wait to go do this. Hopefully I don't get skunked.

Sundance, what were you using as bait for the burbot?

[Billy2017]

hey RAV what tent are you using?

[35 whelen]

Just did 2 nights on cold lake ,good cot ,good sleeping bag ,piece of bubble wrap for cot .and heater with c,o, detector ,have fun

[sundancedan]

Originally Posted by Bemoredog

Wow, thanks guys! This is awesome advice. I can't wait to go do this. Hopefully I don't get skunked.

Sundance, what were you using as bait for the burbot?

I used a neon green glow jig, tipped with a glowing Mr twister and for scent a neon green dyed medium sized frozen minnow. They hit on other things however I think they preferred this setup best.

If you bounce that on the bottom for a bit then let it sit really still a couple inches off the bottom, go make a coffee you'll get one for sure!

I was out there twice and got some real beauties both times with that setup!

[RavYak]

Originally Posted by Billy2017

hey RAV what tent are you using?

We usually use buddy's 6120i, the layout works better for doing an overnight and it is warmer then my Quickfish 6i. We have used my Quickfish 6i as well though.

[nast70]

Im also planning an overnighter. Not on the ice though. Driving up to tje staging area after work then hitting all the lakes at first light (probably not !) With the snowmobile and toboggan

[calgarychef]

I'm not much of a fisherman but I imagine a wall tent or my yurt with a wood stove would be mighty comfy. Might even make me consider it. I wonder if the tent would freeze to the ice very badly if there was flood water?

[RavYak]

Originally Posted by calgarychef

I'm not much of a fisherman but I imagine a wall tent or my yurt with a wood stove would be mighty comfy. Might even make me consider it. I wonder if the tent would freeze to the ice very badly if there was flood water?

If it was sitting down in the water and the temperature dropped enough to freeze it in then yes it would be a pain. If it is warm enough it won't freeze bad though.

Even just putting wet snow from holes on the edges can make for a tough time getting the tent free if it is cold outside. I always make sure to use dry snow cause I have seen guys spending an hour trying to break their tent free with a shovel/axe etc.

[bucksman]

i know you wanted to pack light, but i just camped on the ice last weekend -10ish and we ran the generator on eco mode with a small electric heater and sleeping bags and we were too hot. the generator also helps drown out the sound of the ice cracking! some of them were really loud haha

[DOGFISH]

X2 with the Cot and extra blankets. Another trick I found is packing smart with regards to food. Pre make meals like Soup, Chilli and frozen foods like Breakfast egg and sausage sandwiches and place all your food in a cooler which can sit outside to make room and does not matter if it freezes. The first time we stayed overnight we hauled bacon, eggs, hash browns, toast and other foods that take up space, time and water to clean up the mess it makes while cooking. Keep it simple with a small BBQ. Makes for a very enjoyable trip. Good luck and have fun.

[dwedmon]

A cot is way better than a sleeping pad. If you have to travel light and are stuck using a pad make sure its closed cell foam. Even if the outside temp isn't that bad you need the foam as insulation from the ground.

[jpohlic]

Originally Posted by calgarychef

I'm not much of a fisherman but I imagine a wall tent or my yurt with a wood stove would be mighty comfy. Might even make me consider it. I wonder if the tent would freeze to the ice very badly if there was flood water?

I've set up the wall tent on the ice a couple times. Never had a problem with the tent freezing to the lake although I've never set it up with flood water on the ice.

You need some plywood to set the wood stove on otherwise the melt water will flood the tent. We also drill a hole or two near the stove part way thru the ice for any melt water to drain into. Cots with a thermarest and a decent sleeping bag, and something for the floor is also nice.

The first few times we used the wall tent I didn't have an internal frame. I drilled a couple holes part way through the ice about 20' apart and set a 12' high 4x4 post in each hole and ran a wire rope in between for the ridge. Then did the same with some 6' high posts on each side of the tent, Ran a rope between them and tied the sides of the tent to the rope. You need fairly deep ice for this to work, but it's not too bad. This year I built a frame for the tent.

We're camping on Gull Lake for family day weekend, and then going to Peppers Lake for teachers convention. It's gonna be fun!

[Sooner]

My only worry in a wall tent on the ice is big wind blowing it over lol. Other than that it would be a blast to be on the ice in one.

I have been in some wicked wind at moose camp, thanking the gods that we tie ours down to two big poplars we laid on each side of the tent spot. That's in the back of a old cut block with lots of trees breaking up the wind.

[calgarychef]

I hear you about the wall tent. A yurt won't ever be blown over in any wind that we have here. I've had to tie my spare tire to the roof twice though to keep it broom turning into a balloon and floating away. Once that's handled there's not much more to worry about.

[Bigwoodsman]

Originally Posted by Sooner

My only worry in a wall tent on the ice is big wind blowing it over lol. Other than that it would be a blast to be on the ice in one.

I have been in some wicked wind at moose camp, thanking the gods that we tie ours down to two big poplars we laid on each side of the tent spot. That's in the back of a old cut block with lots of trees breaking up the wind.

A few years back I was watching a documentary on the Canadian Rangers patrolling with the Northern Ice flows. They used wall tents, and had a 2x6 ridge pole and verticals poles made of 3 2x6 nailed together the middle 2x6 was shorter then two outside two cradle the ridge pole. The also had the same set up for the side walls. Used chain saws to cut holes in the ice and set the vertical poles then placed the ridge poles into the verticals.

They used ice chisels to make anchors into the ice for all the guide ropes. they made 2 hole in the ice about 6 - 8 inches deep and about 6 inches apart, then they chiseled a hole underneath the ice between the holes and passed the guide rope between the two holes and cinched it up. Once all was done they banked the bottom 1 - 2 feet with snow.

These tents weren't going anywhere with this set up. They put hides on the floors and had propane heaters inside. With all the men they had they could have a few tents up with in an hour or so. Cooking tent and sleeping quarters.



BW

[chimpac]

You can use this outfit. Easy to pitch just drive in corner pegs, put up chimney and corner poles.

http://www.outdoorsmenforum.ca/showt...=140610&page=2
post 38

[EZM]

A couple tips that make a HUGE difference not mentioned so far ..........

- Shovel snow onto the apron of your tent (if you have snow on the lake) as it keeps the draft out and the tent much warmer.

- Run a portable battery operated fan hung from the ceiling near the middle of the tent so the temperature is more uniformed throughout the tent.

[Robins36]

On our late season fly fishing trips we break open a bunch of the Hot Hands hand warmers and throw them in your sleeping bags. Woke up in -5 temps with icicles forming on the roof of the tent and we were sweating all night.