Video: Prepping Your Snowmobile Prior to Ice Fishing Season
Ross Robertson 10.06.17
Much in the same way that our snowblowers never seem to run right after the first snow of the year, taking a little bit of time to put the final prep on your snowmobile and other ice fishing mechanical gear will pay big dividends and keep you from a big bill and month-long wait at the dealership.
Here are the steps I take to ensure a winter of worry-free snowmobile use:
- Drain/siphon out all gas if it has sat for more than 6 months
- Use an ethanol-free gas to fill the tank
- Use a fuel additive or treatment
- Reinstall the battery after doing a quick maintenance charge and checking to make sure it is still good
Tip: Small wheeled carts and rollers are great for moving snowmobiles around your garage or storage facility. Trying to man-handle a heavy machine is a recipe for a sore back.
Now is a great time to inspect the track, grease any fittings, and check your owner’s manual for any suggested maintenance. Be sure to check out your travel trailer as well. Remember: An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of pain.
Check out the video below to see how I prep my snowmobile prior to winter.
Editor’s note: Capt. Ross Robertson of Bigwater Guide Service and his crew provide educational guide trips for monster walleyes and smallmouth bass. The Bigwater team fishes ice-out to ice-up on the Great Lakes, spending the majority of the year on Lake Erie’s western and central basins.
