As much as we enjoy ice fishing, it does have some faults. The main one is the difficulty of changing spots once you've gotten settled, especially if you're using a permanent ice shelter. Then there's the safety factor. Every angler has concerns about going through the ice in the dead of winter. Well, one Minnesota angler set out to try and fix both of those problems at the same time. Back in 1998, Tom Roering invented a vehicle he calls the Wilcraft. The first three letters stand for "water, ice, and land." This machine was invented as an ice fishing rig first and foremost, but it also excels for other outdoor activities.
Minnesota TV news channel KARE 11 recently caught up with Roering to check out the latest version of the machine. They take the vehicle out on the ice to give it a test run. It's an interesting look at one of the more unique vehicles we've seen for ice fishing.
We're not sure you can call this a full-on ice shanty. Maybe more of an amphibious vehicle? Either way, it's a fascinating solution for staying mobile and safe on the ice. We really like the safety factor offered by this machine, and it makes fishing on thin ice seem a lot less risky. The vehicle you saw in this video isn't a prototype either. The Wilcraft has been manufactured for a while now. They were first offered for sale in 2006 and the company has grown steadily since then.
"After 2018, we were seeing double-digit growth year over year," Roering told KARE 11 News.
The company has sold 500 of the machines since then. We know what you're wondering; the price tag is $26,000-$32,000 depending on the variant of machine and the options that go with it. Still, there's something appealing about being the first one on the ice and the last one off every year. We'll be watching to see if this machine becomes more popular in the years to follow with ice anglers everywhere.
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