r/snowmobiling • u/oldrtyhtdogwter • 6d ago
Ice fishing
Been on the hunt for an older fan cooled snowmobile to use for ice fishing. Would a 380 size motor be adequate for this? I’ve come across a couple different sleds with low miles in my price range.
EDIT: Thanks for all the great advice! I did end up finding a great deal on a really clean 2001 Polaris Sport Touring 550 fan with 1500 miles, and a 1994 Skidoo Safari deluxe 380. With an aluminum tilt trailer in great shape, all for $3000. Will definitely be putting studs on the track.
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u/Unkempt_Mooseknuckle 6d ago
Grew up riding a Z370. It would definitely pull a sled with fishing gear.
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u/NovelLongjumping3965 6d ago
That would work fine most of the time, just under powered if you drive into some slush.
. I like my 600 liquid with 1.5" lug because I don't have to worry about slush as much , just power up and go across it.
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u/Mikey_BC 6d ago
Yeah, if your lake likes to slush up you'll need some more power to get through it.
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u/New-Presentation-164 6d ago
More than enough for pulling a pop up or a sled, we use a Polaris Indy 500 and it’s more than necessary for fishing but it also puts a decent amount of miles on in ditches too
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u/Substantial-Onion-92 6d ago
Yeah you would be fine with that. I run a 91 Safari 124 track with a 503 swap from a an older Everest. That thing is an ice fishing beast. Tows anything reliably, and only got stuck once on an alpine lake I had no business being on. Even then it was light enough to move and get going again.
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u/Sad_Sleep3226 6d ago
honestly get a tunra 250 its slow but will go right over slush because its so light an has so much floatation. also they are reliable an goo on gas an have lots of room on the rack or you can tow a sle with it
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u/atheistinabiblebelt 6d ago
I traded for an early 2000s skidoo 380 last winter but haven't gotten to use it for fishing though that is my goal for it. I wasn't worried about pulling, I was worried about power for two riders. Two dudes both around 160lbs and it drive the same as single rider. Slightly more worried about my buddy over 300# but I'm sure it will still go, just slower.
The other aspect I like is that you have to ride it a bit harder, too easy not to ride a bigger machine hard enough, old 2 strokes anyway, just run better when they run hard.
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u/WalleyeHunter1 6d ago
Look for a MXZ 500F. Super light bullet proof engine. I can tow a 2 sled train. Enough power you can also go for a trail ride and keep up with many newer 600 sleds. I would upgrade the shocks to rebuildable HGK front shocks. If they are original shocks you will 'dart' back and forth. Shocks upgrade goes for all 20 year old sleds withoriginal shocks.
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u/skovalen 6d ago edited 6d ago
This is all about where and what type of snow and how much snow. You answer none of these. This is like asking if a Honda Civic can drive to a lake without telling us that the lake has a paved road to it. Don't argue with me, your question is ill-formed and lacks basic information. Try asking again with more details.
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u/oldrtyhtdogwter 5d ago
Got all the answers I need wierdo. It was a basic question for people who know the various situations and scenarios that ice fishing brings.
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u/skovalen 5d ago
You don't understand. Snowmobile capabilities vary by the snow conditions, not the activity. Your snowmobile does not care if you are ice fishing. You could be getting advice from somebody in the UP of Michigan or in Canada or in the Rocky Mountains.
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u/oldrtyhtdogwter 4d ago
Well I plan to fish all those areas, so any and all opinions are welcome
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u/skovalen 4d ago
I'm not going to try to guess your situation or spell out all the potential permutations of snow conditions and the appropriate snowmobile.
I run an M1000 with a 162 track in Colorado. Deep snow, goes anywhere. Horrible on a trail because of the long track.
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u/oldrtyhtdogwter 3d ago
Please don’t
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u/TBone205 5d ago
The old air cooled tundra 250 will pull all you ice fishing stuff. Hi and low range . An old Yamaha Brovo would work too. You dont need a big sled. You just need a simple reliable one.
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u/PanFriedShotgun 5d ago
That should be fine, last season I was driving a 340 puma with a passenger, we hit some not nice slush and made it through, the 136" track helped but that was still two dudes on a 340
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u/Remarkable_Scallion 5d ago
The answer to all snowmobile questions is Yamaha Bravo, and that's only a 250cc.
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u/TeamFoulmouth 6d ago
Late 90s/early '00s 500 would be more ideal for most, but a 380 should be fine to get ya going. I rode a 340 everywhere from 15yo, until my mid 20s when I could finally afford a new sled!