How to Build an Ice Shack
The main purpose of an ice shack is to protect you from the elements while you are ice fishing or hunting in cold weather. It should be lightweight and simple to transport from place to place. Contrary to the implications of its name, an ice shack is usually made of tarp or corrugated metal. For this model we will use a tarp, which is easier to work with. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- 12 48-inch long 2-by-4s
- 5 4-foot-by-4-foot square plastic tarps
- A box of 3-inch self-threading screws
- A screw gun
- A staple gun with ½-inch staples
Instructions
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1
Lay out the frame. Place one of the 2-by-4s on the ground, the 2-inch side down. Lay another 2-by-4 down perpendicular to the first, also with the 2-inch side down. Butt the ends together so that the two boards form an 'L' shape. Use the screw gun to thread three screws into the corner to hold the L together. Repeat to create a second L with the remaining 2-by-4s. Arrange the two Ls to form a 48-inch square, then connect them by threading three screws into each corner.
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2
Install the uprights. Holding a 48-inch board on end, snug it flush against the inside of one corner of the frame and secure it in place with three screws. Repeat until you have installed uprights inside all four corners of the frame. It does not matter which way the uprights are oriented as long as they are flat against the sides of the frame.
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3
Follow the directions in Step 1 to create a second frame. Flip over the shack structure built in Steps 1 and 2, and insert the uprights into the second frame so that the uprights are snugged flush against the inner corners of the frame. Secure each upright to the frame with three screws.
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4
Attach the tarps as walls. This will keep the wind out, and if you have a portable heater it will keep the heat in. At one corner of the upper frame, line up the corner of a tarp with it and staple it in place. Continue attaching the tarp along the length of the top frame, putting in a staple every 2 inches or so. Then continue stapling the tarp along each upright until you have one finished wall. Repeat to make two more walls. When you attach the fourth wall, be sure to leave a flap adjacent to one of the uprights for entering and exiting the shack. To create this "door," start stapling at the top of one upright and continue putting in staples until you're halfway down the upright. Leave the bottom 2 feet of tarp unstapled.
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5
Install the roof. Lay the last tarp on top of the shack and secure it to the upper frame, stapling at roughly 2-inch intervals. The finished ice shack will be fairly light and easy to maneuver. You can load it onto a trailer or into the back of a pickup truck to haul it out onto the ice.
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Tips & Warnings
Never fish on ice that has not been tested for thickness and safety.
