Overnight Ice Fishing - Wall Tent Floor

[FlounderPounder]

Hello all.

A few of us are heading up north for a long weekend fishing trip in march. We will be staying in our 16x20 canvas wall tent. I think the plan is to have the half closest to the stove for sleeping and the other half for fishing

My question is, if anyone does/or has done a trip like this, did you put some sort of a floor in to get up off the ice? We had thought about maybe putting pallets down and plywood sheets on top, but that will end up being a lot more stuff to pack. We are open to ideas / suggestions. Thanks

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[CNP]

My thinking is whatever you put down on the ice is going to freeze to the ice after being in a heated tent for that many hours. Get something that can withstand prying it off the ice because you don't want to leave anything on the ice when you are finished.

[Who Da Fisherman]

We done this for 10+yrs. we packed up a trailer with 2x4 for 24" framing, osb sheeting and some insulation under The floor where the stove sits. Patio blocks under the stove and 5/8 fire rated drywall in the corner to protect the tent from the stoves. For beds we made 2 bunks with styrofoam laid inside the frames.
Cheers
WDF

[Worm]

I've thought about trying this too, but wondered about the wind pushing in the tent. Open lakes don't offer much shelter. How do you guys anchor it down?

[Who Da Fisherman]

Same as any tent, use the floor to nail it down.
For outriggers we would use a 3/4 drill bit (hammering in would cause huge chipping) and use 12" spikes to tie to. This has withstood winter storms with only the minor readjustments, angle or length etc.
WDF

[Who Da Fisherman]

Here is a previous link
http://www.outdoorsmenforum.ca/showt...ll+tent&page=2

[jpohlic]

We've done this a few times. We only used the wall tent for hanging out or sleeping, we did all our fishing outside or in a hub tent. We never put down a floor except for a small piece of plywood under the wood stove. We did have issues with the sod cloth freezing to the ice.

Also, every year it seemed to be a real gong show. The first year it was so cold that the wood stove only got the tent to maybe -15, and the propane for the campstove wouldn't flow.

The second year one of the timbers we used to hold the tent up snapped in half, and then in the middle of the night the wind picked up and blew the sides of the tent in, knocking off the chimney and filling the tent with smoke. It was so windy that our Coleman stove blew 20 feet down the ice.

The third year we had a frame for our tent and secured it to the ice, however the chimney flap came untied and unrolled into the chimney and burned a hole in the roof of the tent.

This year no wall tent, I built an ice shack instead.

[35 whelen]

Wall tents are great for their purpose never liked using mine on the ice much

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[bucksandbulls]

whats the coldest temperature that you guys have stayed in a wall tent?

[RavYak]

Some guys use plywood sheets, the rolls of rubber mat, or foam child play mats. In our hub tents we always used the foam child play mats and just put them inbetween the cots. If you get them wet etc only takes a few seconds holding them up in front of the heater to dry them off.

[lostguide1]

I have been on Cold Lake when it was -32 at night. We were comfortable in a 12x14 wall tent. With a wood stove and plywood floor we never had any issues. We used cots so we were off the ground.

[Joe Black]

Originally Posted by jpohlic

We've done this a few times. We only used the wall tent for hanging out or sleeping, we did all our fishing outside or in a hub tent. We never put down a floor except for a small piece of plywood under the wood stove. We did have issues with the sod cloth freezing to the ice.

Also, every year it seemed to be a real gong show. The first year it was so cold that the wood stove only got the tent to maybe -15, and the propane for the campstove wouldn't flow.

The second year one of the timbers we used to hold the tent up snapped in half, and then in the middle of the night the wind picked up and blew the sides of the tent in, knocking off the chimney and filling the tent with smoke. It was so windy that our Coleman stove blew 20 feet down the ice.

The third year we had a frame for our tent and secured it to the ice, however the chimney flap came untied and unrolled into the chimney and burned a hole in the roof of the tent.

This year no wall tent, I built an ice shack instead.

Persistent buggers aren't you

[FlounderPounder]

We were going to peg the tent and roof lines down with screw in ice anchors and do a lot of fishing in the hub tent during the day. Then we would sleep and night fish in the wall tent. We will be in cots so that will keep us off the ice...

Appreciate the tips and ideas guys. Thanks!

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[expedition]

Get a bale of straw put it down then plywood. Just an idea

[FishHunterPro]

I’m looking at seeing what works for a floor to. I was thinking of building two sections for my tent out of 2x2 and plywood. I’m only using it to sleep though.
I have a stove jack to patch through one of my windows and a small wood stove.

[Ice Fishing Maniac]

Originally Posted by bucksandbulls

whats the coldest temperature that you guys have stayed in a wall tent?

-40C trapped in a blizzard/cold snap sledding in Kakwa..stayed between -30 and 40 for 3 days. Good stove and sleeping bag is a must...Was nice and warm in the wall tent (14x16). A little Lamb's Palm Breeze amber rum antifreeze helped us sleep...

Always thought of going for a long weekend to a remote lake setting up the wall tent onshore and fish in the open or using pop-up tents. Need more than 2 guys...too much work for 2 guys and 3 nights. 4-5 guys be perfect.