Clam Outdoors
Minnesota company that grew out of the Fish Trap flip-over shelter and now runs its own direct store out of Rogers. The catalogue covers portable houses in two hub families, the C-Series and the X-Series, flip-overs on sled bases, Clam Pro Tackle jigs and plastics, rods, sleds, augers and winter apparel. Because the factory and the shop sit under one roof, spare poles, hubs, skins, seats and hardware are sold separately, which matters when an old shelter needs one part, not a whole new house.
Suits an angler who fishes hard and wants the shelter, the sled and the tackle from one source with a warranty desk behind it. Less suitable for someone hunting the widest brand choice, since competing shelters and electronics are naturally thin here. Dealer network is broad in the upper Midwest, so a shelter can often be picked up locally instead of paying freight on a large box.
Address: 12135 Brockton Lane N, Rogers, Minnesota, USA
Pros
- Own factory parts and repair kits
- Hub and flip-over shelters in many sizes
- Toll free line 1-800-ICE-FISH
- Tackle, rods and apparel in one basket
- Wide dealer network across the Midwest
Cons
- Mostly house brands, few rivals stocked
- Large shelters cost a lot to ship
- Popular models sell out mid winter
Didn't read every entry but the top three grabbed me since they're genuinely different businesses, not the same catalog with a new logo. Clam Outdoors makes and sells its own shelters, C Series and X Series hubs plus flip overs, from Rogers, Minnesota, with factory and shop sharing a roof so replacement poles and skins actually exist. FishUSA in Fairview, PA runs a pro shop leaning hard into Great Lakes fishing, small tungsten jigs included, plus a women's line. Thorne Bros builds custom ice rods near the Twin Cities, their series copied by other brands for years.