I'd stay with a fan cooled unless the L/C sled has a radiator. Do to the slow speeds you tow and the usual low snow or crusted conditions on the lakes it's difficult to get proper cooling with extrusions.

 

whats the budget, and what distances?

 

Towing capacity isn't as much of an issue as most people would think. Snowmobile clutches are an extremely versatile system. Any adult-sized snowmobile made in the last 30 years has enough power to pull a equally-sized dead snowmobile with a rider on it. So, I wouldn't worry about power, if your main goal is ice fishing.

Last year, we saw a lot of snow on MN lakes - more than I can remember for a long time. Long track snowmobiles were the best for towing ice fishing shelters and sleds. Other years, I've crossed a lot of glare ice and studs made the difference.

So, I would say: fan-cooled (but there could be exceptions), longer than 121" track (136" or higher preferred), studded, good tow hitch.

Dave Genz is the complete gadget guy, and any snowmobile he uses is always loaded with cool stuff. I saw him at an ice show a couple of years ago sporting a Bearcat, but before that it was a Polaris 136, maybe Classic Touring, I don't remember.

Speaking of Polaris Classic Touring, that was the original purpose for mine. It was the last iteration of liquid cooling heat exchangers under the running boards. For whatever reason, that thing is extremely tolerant of low snow. I have yet to get it to overheat... knock on wood.

 

Dave Genz, himself:

Another Ice Team member who borrowed a lot of Genz's ideas:

Both running a Bearcat, but those aren't the only game in town, by any means.

 

Most people are using atv/utv rigs some will put tracks on them. If your only going to use the rig for fishing I would probably go with one of them instead of a sled.

 

I use my Turbo Enduro to tow my 400 lb flip over everywhere. It's a great ice fishing machine. Don't let anyone tell you a 4 stroke or a liquid is not acceptable for ice fishing, they are. I fish on average 20 hours a week year round.

 

My dad has had 2 bearcat widetracks. First one was the 4 stroke liquid. He would go across glare ice and as long as he had the scratchers down, no issue. He traded that for a 570 fan widetrack, he still uses scratchers to keep the sliders and track lubed but it is fan cooled so engine temp is not an issue. Any of the longer track sleds work just fine. I HIGHLY recommend studs no matter what. Many of the utility sleds out there, if they are liquid cooled, had a radiator as an option.

 

Any of the doo utilty sleds, Tundra, Skandic, Expedition.

The doo 600 and 900ace fourstrokes are the bees knees. You wont have to worry about overheating, but some picks or ice scratchers are good insurance.

Last fall my buddy bought a leftover new 2017 Grand Touring Sport with the 600ace. The Grand Touring is a 2-up. He uses it for ice fishing and some trail riding. My next sled will be a 600ace, gets up to 65 fine in Sport mode and can get up in the mid 20mpg range in Eco, top speed is like 45 in eco mode.

Im sick of running gas through the tank like drinking beer, and sick of oil injection.

 

Ski Doo 600 or 900 ACE Renegade (137"). Definitely a long track whatever you buy for the deeper snow, drifts, etc. Wouldn't go under a 129". At least a 1.25" lug also. If your going to buy a sled for ice fishing might as well cover all the bases and get one that will work for all conditions.