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Minnesota Ice Fishing: Storing Your Ice House/Sleeper Shack

Sleeper shack

As we get closer to spring, it’s time to start thinking about the best ways to store your gear and make sure everything is good to go once the temperatures once again start to drop. One of the biggest things that will end up making or breaking the start to the next season is correctly prepping your sleeper shack for storage. We want to share a few helpful tips to getting all those ducks in a row and making sure your ice house is ready for the summer months. 

Keeping Your Sleeper Shanty Out of the Elements

Just like anything that is put into storage, keeping your sleeper shack out of the elements is the absolute best way to make sure it stays in good condition. April showers bring May flowers, but they also bring warped wood, leaks that cause water damage, and even high winds that can end up creating problems for your fish house. Some are fortunate enough to have a shop or shed to keep their sleeper shanty tucked in nice and cozy throughout the off-season, but if you don’t have that available space, there are a few other great options. 

Car Ports- Not only are car ports a good place to park your vehicle, they can be fantastic for keeping your sleeper house safe. With at least having a roof overhead, you will be more likely to avoid things like hail damage, collecting debris on the roof, and avoiding excessive moisture from causing any sagging or erosion. 

Weather Wrap- If you don’t have a carport or garage/shed, another option is weather wrapping. Like many anglers that own boats, you can “winterize” your sleeper shack by wrapping it so that moisture is less likely to make its way into the seams and leaking inside your sleeper shack. 

Home Sweet Home: Deterring Pests

Sleeper shackMother Nature tends to have a full arsenal of things that can cause issues with our stuff. Most of the time, we think of bad weather making the most problems, but one thing that can ruin a great space from the inside out are pests. Mice, being one of the top offenders, can be kept out of your sleeper shack a few different ways. Rather than placing traps all over the place and risking forgetting to check and ending up with a stinky situation, use fabric softener. Yes, fabric softener! Mice hate it and it gives your sleeper shack a nice fresh scent. The best method of keeping mice out that can also be used in campers, is sealing up any obvious holes that they might fit into – don’t underestimate how small of a hole they can fit through – and then tuck dryer sheets into the corners of your structure. Make sure to get them in the corners, between seat cushions, under cabinets, and anywhere else you might find fitting. Mice like small, dark spaces and run along baseboards, so these spots are definitely where you want to target. As for bugs and spiders, the best suggestion might just be to spray around the seams on the outside of your sleeper shack so that they aren’t tempted to enter. 

Saying “Until Next Time” to Lake of the Woods Sleeper Houses

Though we are always sad to see the ice fishing season go, this is just a reminder that open water starts soon and there is even more to look forward to. Whether you are getting your own sleeper house or are going to be using our up north fish house rentals at our resort, there will always be another season to get out on the ice with us! Discover the best Minnesota ice fishing resorts and continue to enjoy Minnesota winters to their fullest on Lake of the Woods!

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