Frabill’s lightest portable flip-over ice-fishing shelter, the Recon, gets enhancements well beyond a fresh new exterio. Avid ice anglers know that dabbling a lure through one hole all day long rarely cuts it. Fish have tails and they’re not afraid to use them. The bite over here can suddenly turn into a better bite over there, and it often takes several moves per hour to make rather than break an outing.
This was the principal reason the engineers at Frabill fashioned the one-man Recon ice-fishing shelter. Since then, however, the lightest-weight, most portable unit in Frabill’s fabulous line of flip-over shelters has proven to be much more than mobile-framed-fabric.
“The Recon is much more than a one-angler shanty that’s easy to pull while hoofing across a frozen lake,” said Minnesota ice-fishing pacesetter and Frabill prostaff Brian “Bro” Brosdahl. “Think of it like a sliding tackle and gear box to carry all your ice-fishing essentials and keep them within a fingertip’s reach. And the Recon is easy to lift and load at day’s end; fitting easily into even the smallest hatch-back vehicle or on a rack behind a snowmobile or quad.
“The Recon is also a great shanty to pack into wilderness lakes, and excels for the angler who can only fish for a couple hours after work. It’s a condensed sled, seat and shanty all in one.”
New for 2016, the advanced Recon flashes a conspicuous new look on the outside and even more fish-catching qualities within.
First off, you’ll notice the new black, silver and yellow-trimmed tenting. Cool looking? You bet. Take a closer look and you’ll notice the newly-shaped windows. That’s right, a trapezoid in front and parallelograms to the flanks. The novel shapes and configurations were conjured up as ice-fishing pros sat within the Recon and fished; leaning forward, back and in all different directions. The windows took their final forms to provide the best and most comfortable views of outside happenings, especially a tip-up flag flying.
Also newly designed is the sled itself, now rounded at the nose to ride up and over mounds of snow with ease, and several inches longer, to store even more gear. And speaking of gear, the Recon’s standard bench seat has been replaced with a padded trunk seat. Just lift the cozy cushioned top to reveal secure storage for the smaller items that tend to get lost in the shuffle. Talk about the ultimate sliding tackle and gear tote, the newly remodeled Recon is all this and more.
And like the ever-popular Recon of the past, the doorless-entry, tough 300 Denier tenting and unyielding aluminum frame give anglers a 93” L x 31”W x 57”H (that’s 8.5 feet of fishable space plus storage) shelter when erect, yet it all folds down into a 50”L x 31”W x 15”H easy-to-pull package. And the whole unit weighs in at a mere 40 pounds. So light you’ll forget it’s in tow.
Frabill’s super-tough Hyfax skis and tow bar assembly (each sold separately) still fit just as snug as before, and an optional cover can be purchased for keeping snow and slush out while being towed.
With more than just a snazzy new look, the newly updated Recon is still one of the lightest, most portable ice shelters on the market today, offering more space, more comfort, more convenience, and more Frabill quality than ever before
Drill. Fish. Catch. Repeat… The entire lake is yours.
Recon 100 Flip-Over Shelter with Padded Trunk Seat
- Padded trunk seat/storage
- 300 D tent material
- 8.5-feet of fishable space
- 40 lbs.
- Setup: 93”L x 31”W x 57”H
- Collapsed: 50”L x 31”W x 15”H
- Model # 640100
- MSRP: $229.99