Even for a well-dressed angler, ice fishing on a bitter-cold day is often no more than tolerable. But it can be downright enjoyable with a shelter or wind shield. The difference between misery and comfort on the rawest winter days often is merely the shelter of a tiny windbreak, a simple hut or tent.

Ice-fishing shelters range from simple windscreens improvised from a toboggan or sled to elaborate shanties complete with roofs, walls, heaters and floors with trap doors to the ice.

In Michigan, ice shanties cannot be left unoccupied on public waters without a  your name address on the ice shelter.

A simple temporary shelter or windbreak is ideal for most anglers. Inexpensive and fairly hassle-free, they are also lightweight and very mobile, allowing anglers to move around on a lake in search of fish or to move easily from lake to lake.

The simplest shelters include small, three-poled tipi-like affairs covered with canvas or plastic and open on one side. Others are simple frames covered with plywood, canvas, plastic or cardboard. Some shelters are reinforced and double as a sled or skid.