Fishing Michigan

Sometimes you have to repair your shanties, and sometimes you have to replace the parts.  That was the case for me after getting back from the championship, one of my Fish Trap Pro’s developed a couple of holes in the sled.  This is the backup that I had bought off my old tournament partner when he moved to Florida.   He had never installed the optional runners to the base (sled section) of the shanty.

The first thing I had to do was make a warranty call to Clam, the parent company who makes the Pro.  I explained the circumstances in which the holes developed in the base.  The solution was if I bought the runners, then the company would send me a new base.  That was more than fair in my book, so that’s the route I went with.  Here is pic of the runners still in the shipping tube.  The same runners will also fit the Fish Trap Scout, a slightly lighter model that uses the same base/sled for its platform.

The runners actually arrived a couple of days before the new base, so I had some time to think of what improvements I might make with the shanty as before actually starting the work. There weren’t too many and I decided to make this a step by step piece for the blog.  This is a fairly common repair to many types of shanties, and folks should think of ways to install runners of some type onto any brand they might happen to buy.  This is also a good idea for any sleds that you might use to haul your gear across the ice.  That is Guage nosing around under the table.

All the repairs made can be done by one person, and you can also put any shanties together by yourself the first time as well.  That doesn’t mean things won’t go a little smoother with the help of a second pair of hands.  This true when installing the runners, but you can do it by yourself like I did here.  You are going to need a drill, some wrenches, screwdrivers and either a heat gun or hair dryer.  Start in the front of the sled where it curves up, on each side measure your starting point and drill your holes through the runners and sled/base.  Then install your first bolt through the bottom and use the washer and locking nut on the interior of the sled.  Next  you take the heat gun and begin to mold the runners to the sled by warming them up to the point they become pliable.  When you get it to where it fits tight against the sled, drill your next hole and install the hardware.  Repeat the process till you have both runners installed.

This is a quick look at the bolts coming through the shanty’s new base.  Now the directions said to install six sets of bolts, washers and nuts,  but they had a whole more than that in the bag of parts.  I just decided more has got to be a little better, and put in a few extras, specially in the front where the sled curves up.  I did it just to draw the runners tighter to the sled.  See the holes to the right, which is the front of the sled?  Instead of waiting I installed the old rope from the original base through these.  You can also use a hitch if you so choose.

Here is the original shanty with the old base still installed.  Notice how Kyle (old tournament partner) had offset the seat base to the right in the picture.  He did this to make it easier for him to jig with his right hand while fishing inside on cold days or sight fishing.  With the new design of the FT Pro’s, the person really can make the unit roomier and easier to fish out of, to their own preferences.

The easy part is the tear down of the original.  The first thing I removed off was the molding that goes along the bottom edge of the sides and rear of the sled.  The molding is secured by small screws and anchors the edge of the fabric to the base.  Next came the corner brackets for the support poles of the shanty’s tarp.  Finally I removed the seat assembly.  That blue material is a rod hammock which I left attached.

The next step is all about placement, where do I want my gear in the sled to sit?  The easiest way to settle the issue is to bring your gear out and put it in different positions so that fits and you can get the most out of its location.  This is really a good idea to do before you mount the rest of the old brackets and assemblies.  I placed some buckets, my Vexilar and tackle bags in the places I thought they would be the most accessible to me while fishing and still be secured while traveling.

After settling that issue and doing a little measuring, my next step was to install a set of eye bolts in the interior of the base.  I used two bolts, a washer for the interior, and then a washer, locking washer and nut on the outside.  The inside washer prevents the “eye” from digging into the base and weakening the material around the installation.  Then I ran a bungee cord from front to back, not only to help secure items that might get bounced around, but to reinforce the strength of the sled as well.  I was using and empty cat litter bucket while trying to get the placements down.  Cali decided to hop up onto the table to see what was going on.  Not exactly a cat person, but since Bonnie almost ate the darn thing we adopted her, and she now rules the shop.  Not having a clue what to name her, Cali is short for “Calico” cat.  Original I know, I have heard it before!

With that done began the installation of the old parts onto the new base.  First off was the seat assembly.  I will use either hand for jigging, so I placed the seat more in the middle.  It also gives me more room to use my off hand for using the Vexilar or grabbing a fish out of the hole.  The seat already slides from front to back  allowing for leg length or just stretching out.  The corner brackets went on next with the support poles still attached.

You may have noticed the red cup being held in the right corner.  This is a common cup or can holder that can be found in any marine store.  I had done this on my original Pro that I bought in 2001 and Kyle had liked the idea and installed one on this shanty too.  It will hold a can, or insulated mug of coffee level while you fish.  There are arms on the top section that expand or contract to fit around the type of beverage container you are using.  When not in use, they tuck down, while the base of the holder folds up and closes flush to the bracket.  This is really handy while using a travel cover with your shanty.

When you go to mount the cover of your shanty, extend all the support poles ( if they do extend) and place the tarp material over the poles.  Stretch it out like it would look like while you are fishing with the unit.  On the sides and rear, along the edge of the base/sled, reattach the molding using the screws to secure the tarp.  Make sure you are wasting as little of the material under the molding as you can.  Start on one side, and work the molding over the tarp while securing the screws as  you go from one side to the other.

Once that is done, secure the velcro straps over the corresponding support poles to make sure everything fits securely.  Breakdown the poles and tuck in the material, and you are ready to go fishing again.  You can see the cup holder flush with the corner bracket in this picture.  Now we just need this cold weather to keep coming in from the North and we can go fishing again.