How To BUILD a Smitty Sled! - Ice Fishing DIY!

[@aaronchadwick143]

I built a Polk sled before building a Smitty sled. The difference is the Polk sled is meant for hauling firewood but I liked having different areas to tie down to. Anyway, then I put the Polk sled on top of my Smitty sled. I didn’t use wax rope. I figured any rope would do. Boy was I wrong! Use the waterproof rope!! For those of you building this, look up Polk sled too. You can get some ideas for those of you that pull with a snowmobile or 4 wheeler. You won’t be sorry!! Loved the video btw.

[@tacrewgirl]

One of the most comprehensive videos on for a DIY sled system. I really like the part explaining about the torsion of the slats on top of the risers. Great points. Thanks!

[@johnanderson7949]

Thank you for the video. Going to build mine this weekend. Very informative, great tips!

[@edbrown3047]

You have everything on this channel..I love it..im building 1 of these..just got a line on 2 sets of skis for 40 bucks!!..thanks for the video and tips

[@DWSOutdoors]

Glad I could help 👊🏼😎

[@j.j.clingman4083]

Thanks for the how to buddy!! I ended up buying a couple sets of skis last year & never got to make one yet!! I wasn’t quite sure or I guess I wanted to look into more ways in. How to put one together!! I definitely like the idea of the sled being able to fit inside the sled in the back of a truck!! Very good idea!! I never even thought about that & I also have a tonue cover & definitely like to put my stuff under the tonue cover so I don’t loose stuff out of the pickup bed going down the road!! I absolutely cannot weight for ice season this year!! I’ve only been out once early spring for some nice eating walleyes & haven’t been able to get back out but since I’ve found the new sport of ice fishing 4 years ago I will not miss a season now on!! Absolutely a blast!!!

[@juice-man320]

Thanks for the great video sir, it helped out a lot, God bless you on your fishing, hope you catch a ton! 😉❤️🙏🏻👍

[@brianmcgrath6349]

Found my skis roadside pickup, project on the go thanks for the tips

[@PamCarlson-v4x]

I just built mine based on your video. COOL! Thanks for the tips. I used cross country skis bkz that is what goodwill had, but I am betting that the tips will snap at some point. But, I will keep an eye out for downhills in the meantime. I can easily swap out to new skis. Thanks for the great video! P

[@naterose9856]

Started seeing this around the ice world lately so your ahead of the curve it seems. Got ski’s and lumber, your tips will be helpful. 🤟🏻

[@buck19]

Built one exactly like that. I used weld rod for pegs on the uprights to hold the cross braces. You can take it down with out tools.

[@nicksprague4685]

Great vid! One of my most helpful pieces of equipment for hardwater when it’s time to walk on. Super inexpensive way to make life easier. About the only difference in mine is that I added eye bolts to the tip of each ski. From there I have webbing with a carabiner attached to each end. These, in turn, clips to a body harness. Hands free pulling! Keeps my hand free for my spud bar when needed or completely free if a spud isn’t required.

[@DWSOutdoors]

Body Harness was my next upgrade!

[@nicksprague4685]

DWS Outdoors huge upgrade! I use the one by Clam and upgraded the carabiners. Still keeps the cost low.

[@SavageVoyageur]

Thanks, I’m totally going to build one of these.

[@ronniejones9144]

Thanks so much for this video. I have the same shanty and was wondering about the weight of it. Seen other videos but they all seem to have the smaller and lighter shanty. Just subbed to your channel

[@mindo2008]

Nice. If I had the tools and was good with wood I would build one!

[@DWSOutdoors]

Pretty simple to make just hit up your closest handy friend and bring food 😂

[@supitsdosh]

Question. Wouldn't the robe coming out of the skis on the top do the opposite? Sorry if it's a dumb question but I'm in the middle of making a smitty sled myself

[@DWSOutdoors]

No such thing as a dumb question when building things! The rope is put in from the bottom to the top so the part you're pulling from is lifting from the bottom so it keeps the front light and the part that you put through is just knotted to prevent it from coming through if that makes sense?

[@webjay1]

Hi from Canada. Wondering how often you take that sled out in the winter. Up here we just drive trucks after the first week of December. First ice we pull sleds but there isn't much snow so no need for skis.

[@DWSOutdoors]

webjay even pulls easier on ice 😂 so easy I ride it with the wind sometimes! Oh on a side note I fish all over WI so I can go from no snow thin ice to tons of snow thin ice to no snow super thick ice to way to much snow to even think of going out! 🤣🤦🏼‍♂️

[@cheungd08]

@@DWSOutdoors Great video! Question, what happens when you encounter snow that is > 5" deep? Does the Smitty not work and the sled design take over? I wanna build one but don't know if 2 X 6 is high enough. thanks

[@DWSOutdoors]

Sorry just seeing this now but it kinda floats up on the snow and that allows for more clearance! If you build it too high I don't think it works as good?

[@matthewandre7348]

What size drill bit did you use to make your pilot holes on the bottom of your skis? I am thinking I will be using decking screws to screw into the wood for the bottom. Thanks, and great video btw! I am going to follow your video here when I do mine very soon! Thanks again!

[@DWSOutdoors]

I actually only used a big enough drill bit for a counter sink hole for the screw head if I remember right otherwise just screwed it together lol But if I did it again I would just use a drill bit less than half the diameter of what ever screws I planned on using! Good luck and safe walking this season!

[@matthewandre7348]

@@DWSOutdoors thanks for your feedback! Appreciate it! Good luck to you as well and tight lines!

[@matthewandre7348]

@@DWSOutdoors forgot to ask you what kind of saw you used to make the notches in your wood? Didn’t know what would be the most efficient way to do this

[@matthewandre7348]

@@DWSOutdoors sorry, not the best person when it comes to wood work lol. The notch is prolly the only part that I think I will struggle with lol

[@DWSOutdoors]

I did it with a Jig Saw but you could use a hand saw if you really needed to!

[@michaelgorman8339]

Did you use downhill skis or x country skis

[@DWSOutdoors]

Always use Downhill Skis!

[@michaelgorman8339]

@@DWSOutdoors thank you great video

[@critter9857]

downhill skiis or cross country.does it matter?

[@DWSOutdoors]

100% go with Downhill Skis! You need the floatation!

[@ShannonMarie79]

Love the video. Would it still pull down the front of the ski with an eye bolt on the top of the ski with the rope?

[@DWSOutdoors]

Yeah you really want it mounted under the tips!

[@ShannonMarie79]

@@DWSOutdoors thanks for the reply! My husband just did the sled tonight but with the rope as questioned above. Will have to have him switch it to the bottom side.

[@ShannonMarie79]

@@DWSOutdoors how does it compare to the rope mounted on the sled or the 2x4?

[@DWSOutdoors]

100% better lol You'll love how easy heavy weight pulls!

[@ShannonMarie79]

@@DWSOutdoors awesome, thanks!

[@DABURG4ME]

How do you secure the actual sled to the smitty?

[@DWSOutdoors]

The eye bolts

[@fishlovme]

Don't think you mentioned it, but type of skis you used, downhill or cross country? I've heard positive and negatives of both. I think cross country skis are narrower which then there's less surface area on the snow. But wider I'd assume could hold extra weight. Two things I want to do with mine, if possible, will be to make it available to disassemble while in the vehicle. I don't have a lot of clearance in my little Jeep so it might not fit with both the sled and the sled in there without being disassembled. I also want to make mine wide enough for my widest sled but still able to use it for my smaller sled. Also, have you ever used this behind your three wheeler so once you get out to an area you can pull it around by hand? If so, I'm wondering if I can make a tow bar adapter on it somehow so I don't need to pull it with the rope when behind the atv. Great tip about notching the wood! I definitely see some who don't do that and I think to myself why????

[@matthewmarcussen461]

Find me on fb and pm me I have a tip for disassembling

[@buck19]

What ever is free. I used cross country skis on a 100lbs setup. Just be sure to wax them or wet snow will stick and quadruple the drag weight.

[@DWSOutdoors]

Best skis are downhill as you want everything to float and I never pulled it behind my machine as I drive entirely too fast for that to handle 😂

[@buck19]

I like my cross countries cause they are scaled so they dont slide backwards downhill

[@DWSOutdoors]

That’s a random good perk lol

[@Bluegillandbass]

This seems really useful I love ice fishing but I’m not very good at it I’m more of an open water fisherman 👌🏻🔥 great diy

[@matthewmarcussen461]

Updating mine thanks for video

[@DWSOutdoors]

Matthew Marcussen glad I could help 👊🏼

[@unbehaunjake]

I got lucky today and bought two pairs of skis at goodwill for $11, one for me and one my dad

[@DWSOutdoors]

SCORE! 👊🏼😎🎣

[@jh2666]

skis on kijiji 30 bucks

[@Fyyt]

Try a thrift shop

[@googtube8938]

@@Fyyt yep, $ 5 bucks, cheap skis at thrift store.

[@swampratt9700]

I just got me some 🎿 for 20 bucks at a thrift store.