Ice fishing shelter and method of ice fishing

Abstract

A vehicle-attachable ice fishing shelter comprises a shelter body formed from flexible sheet material including a vertical wall panel defining three sides of the shelter and a generally horizontal top panel adjoining the wall panel. The shelter has an opening on one side. Top and side edges of the opening are secured during use to a road vehicle, e.g., a car, truck, SUV, etc., above a door of the vehicle and along the front and rear edges of the door opening so as to position the shelter adjacent to a door of the vehicle for enabling a fisherman sitting in the vehicle with the door open or closed to fish from the vehicle through an ice hole that is located within the shelter. The vehicle heater provides a draft of inflation air for heating, expanding and supporting the shelter.

1 . A vehicle-attachable ice fishing shelter comprising, a shelter body formed from flexible sheet material that includes a side wall defining three sides of the shelter and a top portion to form an ice fishing shelter that extends downwardly to the ice surface, the shelter having an opening on one side thereof, the opening having top and side edges, connectors for attaching the edges of the shelter to the vehicle adjacent to a door of the vehicle for positioning the shelter outside of and proximate the door of the vehicle to enable a fisherman sitting in the vehicle to fish from the vehicle through an ice hole located within the shelter.  
   
   
       2 . The shelter of  claim 1  wherein all of the walls and top portion are formed from the same piece of flexible sheet material.  
   
   
       3 . The shelter of  claim 1  wherein the side wall is formed from at least one piece of the flexible sheet material and the top portion has a top wall that is connected to top edges of the vertical wall by a seam.  
   
   
       4 . The shelter of  claim 1  wherein the connectors comprise a plurality of magnets attached to the top and side edges of the opening of the shelter for connecting the edges of the shelter to the vehicle by magnetic attraction.  
   
   
       5 . The shelter of  claim 1  wherein the shelter includes a barrier member for being positioned to extend from the door opening of the vehicle to the ice surface below the door opening of the vehicle to thereby close the shelter on all sides.  
   
   
       6 . A vehicle-attachable ice fishing shelter comprising, a shelter body formed from flexible sheet material and having a top portion and sides to define an enclosure that extends downwardly to the ice surface and communicates with the ice hole and includes an opening therein that is constructed and arranged to fit the perimeter of a door opening of the vehicle and to be connected to the vehicle adjacent the door opening so as to enable a draft from a vehicle heater within the vehicle to expand the shelter adjacent the vehicle and to maintain the shelter inflated during use for allowing a fisherman seated in the vehicle with the door open or closed to fish from the vehicle through an ice hole located within the shelter.  
   
   
       7 . The shelter of  claim 6  wherein the shelter is formed from a single piece of the flexible sheet material.  
   
   
       8 . The shelter of  claim 6  including a vertical wall formed from at least one piece of flexible sheet material and a top panel that is connected to top edges of the vertical wall.  
   
   
       9 . The shelter of  claim 6  wherein the shelter includes connectors that comprise a plurality of magnets for securing the edges of the opening of the shelter to the vehicle by magnetic attraction.  
   
   
       10 . The shelter of  claim 6  including a barrier member for being positioned to extend from a door opening of the vehicle to the ice surface below the door opening of the vehicle to thereby close the shelter on all sides.  
   
   
       11 . A vehicle-attachable ice fishing shelter comprising, a shelter body formed from flexible sheet material, said shelter having side portions and including an opening on a side thereof for attachment to a vehicle around a door opening of the vehicle and connectors formed from magnetic material for securing edges of the shelter opening to metallic portions of the vehicle proximate the door of the vehicle to thereby position the shelter outside of the vehicle adjacent to the door thereof for enabling a fisherman to fish through an ice hole located within the shelter.  
   
   
       12 . The shelter of  claim 11  wherein the shelter is formed from a single piece of flexible sheet material.  
   
   
       13 . The shelter of  claim 11  including a vertical wall formed from at least one piece of the flexible sheet material and a top piece of said sheet material is seamed to top edges of the vertical wall.  
   
   
       14 . The shelter of  claim 11  including a barrier member for being positioned to extend from the door opening of the vehicle to the ice surface below a door opening of the vehicle to thereby close the shelter on all sides.  
   
   
       15 . A vehicle-attachable ice fishing shelter comprising, a shelter body formed from flexible sheet material with a top portion and sides walls and including an opening on a side thereof having edges adapted to be attached to a vehicle adjacent a door opening of the vehicle on the top and sides thereof and a skirt that comprises a barrier for being positioned to extend from the vehicle door opening downwardly to the ice surface below the door during use to thereby close the shelter on all sides.  
   
   
       16 . The shelter of  claim 15  wherein the shelter is formed from one piece of flexible sheet material.  
   
   
       17 . The shelter of  claim 15  including a vertical wall formed from at least one piece of the flexible sheet material and a top wall that is connected to top edges of the vertical wall.  
   
   
       18 . The shelter of  claim 15  including a connector comprising a magnet attached to at least one edge of the opening of the shelter for securing the edge of the shelter to the vehicle by magnetic attraction.  
   
   
       19 . A method of ice fishing comprising, 
 driving a road vehicle out onto the ice surface of a frozen body of water,    providing a shelter body comprising flexible sheet material having a top portion and a side wall with an opening on a side thereof,    securing edges of the opening to the vehicle adjacent a door of the vehicle so that the shelter is positioned proximate the vehicle door with the shelter enclosing an ice fishing hole,    turning on a vehicle heater to provide a draft of air for the shelter so as to heat both the interior of the vehicle and the shelter and    dropping a fishing line into the ice hole to thereby fish through said hole while the shelter is heated by means of the air draft from the vehicle heater.    
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 19  including the step of providing the shelter with a lower edge portion, placing the lower edge portion on the ice surface and placing a weight thereon to stabilize the shelter.  
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 19  including the step of providing barrier material below the door opening of the vehicle in a position to extend downwardly therefrom to the ice surface to thereby close the shelter below the vehicle door.  
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 19  wherein the fisherman sits on a seat of the vehicle and fishes while seated within the vehicle.  
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 19  wherein the vehicle heater draft provides inflation air that expands and supports the shelter.