Tricked out snow machines take ice fishing to new heights.
March 26, 2025
By Matt Breuer
When the winter winds blow and lakes freeze over, ice fishing becomes a thrilling way to connect with nature and reel in some great catches. However, navigating through snow-covered terrains and reaching remote fishing spots can be a challenge. That's where ice-fishing machines come in. These specialized vehicles are designed to help anglers access the most elusive fishing locations, making it easier than ever to access hard-to-reach areas. Many people are fine with accessing lakes by foot or waiting for the ice to get thick enough for trucks, but the following options will help you elevate your ice fishing game.
Snowdog If you love fishing during early and late-ice, or live in a place where the ice doesn’t really get that thick, then the Snowdog is for you. Lightweight and compact enough to fit in the bed of your truck, but strong enough to pull you and your gear just about anywhere at speeds reaching 20mph. The Snowdog is ideal for thin ice bites, or remote lakes in the backwoods. Plus, they’re just plain fun to tool around on.
The Snow Dog offers ice-top mobility in a unique machine. The Snowdog system is essentially a small gas engine sitting atop a track, or set of tracks depending on the model, with long handlebars that reach back to you, as you either stand on a sled, or sit on a bench in the sled. You gear sits in the sled with you, or is pulled behind in another sled. The engine is strong enough to pull many sleds or portable fish houses in tandem with ease. With tracks, you don’t have to worry about much, and you can travel from asphalt to dirt, across snow, and onto the ice. They’re very versatile, and relatively inexpensive compared to other forms of travel. Check them out at SnowDog.com .
Modified Snowmobile Putting mods on snowmobiles is nothing new, but gear keeps evolving, and the crazy modifications made to fit ice fishing gear has gotten more complex. Many people haven’t even meddled with their snowmobiles, and are just pulling their portables behind with a tow hitch with their gear inside the tub. Well, portable tubs don’t have shocks, and gear isn’t cheap. Nobody wants their gear being bounced around in the bottom of a portable tub. Adding simple things like a rack or a plain tub to the snowmobile itself ensures that your gear will be protected.
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A snowmobile rigged with accessories and mounting devices make getting there and back again a snap. While looking good in the process. If you want to get fancy, you can mount external batteries under seats or on tunnels, add platforms to your dash to add things like RAM mounts for your Vexilar or GPS. I’ve even seen Humminbird Mega Live systems mounted to the side of the tunnel on the sled, with the pole system mounted to a rack with yolks. Auger mounts, auger tubes, saddlebags, rod holders, etc. Get creative, think of things that will make your gear easy to get to, while also being protected.
Modified ATV/UTV Another thing that isn’t necessarily new but is important to look at is the ATV or UTV modification arena. Many tournament anglers prefer ATVs as their mode of travel. They’re not limited to lakes with good snow, as ATVs and UTVs don’t run on carbines that need to be kept cool. If you’re looking for some ideas for ATV or UTV mods, look at photos from any panfish tournament in the ice belt.
Most ATVs and UTVs have existing boxes like a truck, so you’ve got instant storage built-in. The cab frame on most machines is metal tubing, which gives you existing mounting points from the get-go. Winches, hitches, heated cabs, tons of mounting points… ATVs and UTVs are just begging to be modified. I’ve even seen people drill holes in the cab of their UTV for max comfort and ease-of-use. If you really want to get fancy, you can even add tracks to your ATV or UTV to make it the ultimate ice fishing tool. Check out MatTracks.co to find some tracks that are right for your machine.
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UTVs and ATVs make a great option when snow hasn't piled up too high, or especially later in the season when most of the snow has melted. SnoBear You’ve probably seen one of those goofy boxes with big tracks and huge skis on the front, and wondered what it was. Likely, a SnoBear. The ultimate in luxury travel during the coldest parts of winter, SnoBear machines lift up and down with hydraulics, so you can travel at speeds up to 22mph across any terrain, in any condition, then drop the unit down, open the covers for the holes in the floor of the unit, drill, and start fishing. You never have to leave the heated cab. Even when it’s -30 degrees fahrenheit outside, it’s sunny and 70 in the SnoBear.
The SnoBear is the machine to beat all machines. Deep snow? Long runs? Super cold? No problem, the SnoBear has you covered. Every SnoBear has heat, and there are a pile of switches and options. You can set a generator on the front rack that will run power to things like fans, Vexilars, TV screens, satellites dishes, forward facing sonars, etc… The sky is the limit. 4-5 anglers can fit in a SnoBear comfortably. A 20lb. or 30lb. propane cylinder on the rear rack is the source for heat. Most machines have a bench seat and/or swivel seats on posts, storage under the benches and/or along the headspace. They really are neat units.
The author has spent some quality time with some quality fish from inside a SnoBear. The author's son with a huge crappie caught from the comfy searts of a SnoBear. My son and I recently took a trip with John from No Boundaries Guide Service during a frigid -29-degree day in northern Minnesota in his SnoBear. With a thermostat set at 68, two Livescope screens, two Vexilars, good music, great company, and plenty of fish, we can’t say enough good things about the experience. If you’re looking to check out a SnoBear in real life before purchasing one, we recommend giving John a call so he can show you what it’s like to fish in one. You can reach him at (218) 368-7246 or check out SnoBear machines online at SnoBear.com .
