Pop-up ice fishing shelters are common, and a lot of anglers find themselves wondering, “can I sleep overnight in this thing?” The Women On Ice club slept overnight in their shelter for four nights on Lake Minnetonka in MN, and share what they learned. With the right gear, it can be very safe and comfortable!
There are a few essential items to make your overnight stay comfortable. First and foremost, you have to stay safe, because CO2 buildup is a real possibility. We used heaters that have an auto-shutoff in the event of excess CO2 as well as back up CO2 detectors in every shelter. These two safeguards combined with a vent ensured everyone’s safety.
We were sleeping two people to a shelter, and the most comfortable way to do it is with a bunk bed cot setup from Disc-O-Bed. It left plenty of room for fishing and getting dressed in the morning. Two floor cots simply wouldn’t have worked, because there isn’t enough space. Lastly, make sure you have cozy sleeping bags rated to zero F. Far better to have a warmer bag than you need if you’re going to sleep overnight on the ice.
