Few questions anglers have about ice fishing gear have answers that impact their fishing success as much as this one: What size sled should I buy? The answer depends on how you fish, how much gear you carry, and whether you’re pulling it by hand or towing it with a snowmobile. Keep in mind that bigger isn’t always better. In fact, for many anglers, a smaller sled is easier, lighter, and more efficient.
How Big of a Sled Do You Really Need?
For most anglers dragging a sled on foot across the ice, the ideal size is 45–60 inches long, 22–30 inches wide, and 9–12 inches deep. This strikes the best balance between capacity and maneuverability.
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Small sleds (under 54" long): Great for quick trips, hole-hopping, or anglers carrying only the essentials (auger, bucket, tackle, heater).
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Medium sleds (54–60" long): The sweet spot for solo or duo fishing, with room for a shelter, auger, rods, and extra storage.
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Large sleds (over 60" long): Useful if you’re hauling gear for a group or camping on the ice, but they can be a burden when walking in deep snow.
A smaller sled often makes more sense for the average angler—it’s lighter, pulls easier, and still holds everything you need if organized well. The key phrase there being "organized well", which we'll discuss later.
How Much Weight Can You Pull?
Walking with a Regular Sled
When pulling by hand, most anglers find 60 to 100 pounds to be the comfortable limit. That includes the sled itself, your shelter, auger, tackle, heater, and other gear. Anything heavier becomes a real workout, especially in snow or slush. We generally have about 60 pounds of gear in each of our sleds and they could easily handle more.
Smitty Sled Advantage
A Smitty-style sled, which raises your tub on skis, can handle far more weight because it reduces friction. Loads of 200–250 pounds are possible if the frame is built strong. That said, your own endurance still sets the limit when walking long distances to your favorite ice fishing spot. Our Smitty sleds can handle around 200 pounds but I'm not willing to lug around that much weight. It's easier than carrying it on your back but it's still a workout to be sure.
A Smitty sled is easier to build than you think and absolutely changed how I ice fish. Check out these videos to see how you can build one in and afternoon.
If towing with an ATV or snowmobile, sled tubs and sturdy Smitty builds can often handle 300+ pounds safely, as long as the hitch and mounting hardware are sufficiently reinforced.
Sled Organization: Packing Smarter, Not Bigger
No matter the size of your sled, smart organization makes the difference between frustration and efficiency. Instead of upgrading to an oversized tub, maximize the sled you already own.
This is where our Fishing Duo Store accessories really shine and help you catch more fish:
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Rod Holder – Mounts rods securely to the sled wall on the outside so they don’t tangle or take up floor space.
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Bucket Bracket – Holds a 5-gallon bucket outside the sled, freeing up the tub for heavier gear while keeping bait or gear accessible. Easy disconnect clip lets you quickly remove the bucket to be used for a seat or carrying gear for hole hoping.
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Bump Board Holder – Stores your measuring board neatly along the side of the sled, keeping the interior uncluttered and your bump board straight.
By shifting buckets, rods, and aluminum bump boards to the sled’s exterior, you free up valuable interior space for shelters, augers, and heaters without needing a bigger sled. Get all three together and you'll have the ultimate sled organization kit on the ice!
To find out more about our Ice fishing sled products and see how we are revolutionizing ice sled customization, check us out at fishingduostore.com.
Key Takeaway
The best sled size for ice fishing isn’t always the biggest one. For most anglers:
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54–60 inches long is ideal for versatility.
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100 lbs or less is manageable when pulling by hand.
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Smitty sleds allow heavier loads with less drag.
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Smart accessories like a rod holder, bucket bracket, and bump board holder from the Fishing Duo Store maximize capacity and keep your setup organized.
We have learned through lots of grueling days on the ice that a well-packed medium sled often beats an oversized tub, saving you energy and making your day on the ice more enjoyable.