What is the Best Tip-up, and Why

[Gamalot]

Yea, Lots of good info here on most of the currently available tip ups. We each have our favorites and to go a step further we each have particular features we demand.

Gooseblaster added his opinions and I can't argue since it is his personal opinion and he is entitled. Some guys here think my pick for "My Best" stink and I also think theirs stink.

I think I have tried just about all of them and sold or trashed the ones I did not like. Of the sets I kept I still had to do some tweaking on every one of them to get them working the way I want them to.

The one thing that shines throughout this entire discussion is that one guys opinion of "Best" is another guys garbage and that is just the way it is. I still always decide which set I will use based on the conditions where I will be fishing and no opinions here will change that.

[Otto]

XJMA, I looked over the Indian Hills website, very nice stuff there!  There were several sizes listed there, which size would you recommend for walleye, perch and the occasional pike?  I do like the H style more than the cross style. 
Thanks, Otto

Very true gamalot. 

I have a mix of traps and I don't dislike any one of them.  Some are better suited for this while others are better suited for that, but they all catch fish!! 

I've got some Frabill pro-thermals which are the most compact and easiest to carry around, you just drop them in a bucket.  They're great for when holes ice up quick as well.  Not so great when there is 3' of snow on the ice....hard to see the flag.


I also have frabill bigfoot classics, and one of my favorite things about these are that you can usually hear a noise from the metal holder thingy dropping down onto the spring once the flag pops up.  The pro-thermals and the bigfoot classics have the added bonus of being able to see if the spool is spinning before you even get to the hole.  If it's not spinning you know that it might just be a flase alarm before you even get there.  They are solid and hold way more line than I need them to!  They are kinda bulky and not as easy to transport though. 


I've got a bunch of heritage lakers which are all around good.  I've done a few mods to them to make them a little better with better hardware, etc.  Good tip ups for moderate money, and parts are readily available. 

Then, there are the Indian Hills!!  Not that any of the others that I have are poor quality, but when you hold one of these things in your had you can tell that no corners were cut in making these traps!  From the stain, to the rounded edges to the nylon washers on all the bolts they just scream high quality.  I don't usually have many wind flag issues, but with the design of the Indian Hills, it is a non issue.  If anything I would say that the spools are way overkill!!  They're not cheap, but you definitely get what you pay for.  Hold one in your hand and you'll know you got a good deal for your money.  Also, despite being totally wind proof, the trip mechanism is totally seamless...there is no increased resistance right before the flag trips.  I hear that years of trial and error went into the final designs and it shows.  Here are some pics I stole from other people on IS to show you guys from outside of new england that haven't heard of them yet.  http://indianhillicetraps.com/


The white piece that you see below the mechanism slides up and down on the tube and keeps the flag from tripping while in storage/transport.

[RIVERRAT2]

REALLY GREAT,
I JUST like polar,but you must have a love of what you are using,and every PERSON is different,it is what you like,what
works for you,the way you use it,WHAT A PLACE TO GET DIFFERENT thoughts,you know what you like and why
 
RAT

[treehopper]

big spool tip ups, suttons bay MI

[Guinea]

Whew! Long thread to get through! 

With my tax return I decided to spend crazy unnecessary money. Jacktraps were on sale at Cabela's, so I bought one. It just came in today. I'm going to try it tomorrow after work.
I did notice that the wood is very well varnished and heavy. That split ring design seems as though it will be a pain to set, though. Yeah, I was trying it at work today, inside with unfrozen hands. I'm thinking a modification might be in store. 

All I've ever had were hand-me-downs....I especially love the ones that don't trip.  lol

After reading many posts about the Jacks, I don't feel so silly about spending $35 on it. Thank you all for the information!

 

[Gamalot]

Whew! Long thread to get through! 

With my tax return I decided to spend crazy unnecessary money. Jacktraps were on sale at Cabela's, so I bought one. It just came in today. I'm going to try it tomorrow after work.
I did notice that the wood is very well varnished and heavy. That split ring design seems as though it will be a pain to set, though. Yeah, I was trying it at work today, inside with unfrozen hands. I'm thinking a modification might be in store. 

All I've ever had were hand-me-downs....I especially love the ones that don't trip.  lol

After reading many posts about the Jacks, I don't feel so silly about spending $35 on it. Thank you all for the information!

I don't like the split ring either. Get a pack of PC 7 2 part epoxy. Clean the area around the top of the flag where the split ring goes through with alcohol or acetone to remove any grease or oil. Set the flag, mix a small dot of the PC 7 and with a toothpick just put enough on to close the hole and hold the split ring in place. This makes it much easier to set with gloves or frozen hands and I have not found it to impede the trip process at all.

I had no idea Cabela's even sold Jacks and thought the only retail place offering them was LL Bean. They really are an excellent trap and Tim Jackson pays very close attention to quality and finish.

[Guinea]

It took me a while to find this thread again. Search feature leaves a bit to be desired!

Gamalot, I wanted to thank you for your input. When I got out the next day, I understood what you meant about the epoxy!
Sitting at the computer the night before I was a bit perplexed...but now I get it!

I "borrowed" epoxy from work (yeah, I brought it back lol) and did what you said. The Jacktrap is a perfect rig now!

[Gamalot]

You are welcome and you can go back in this discussion to about the third page and see close up pics I took of how I glued the split rings.

What I like most about Jacks is the quality of all the materials and the rock hard finish he uses. Stainless steel, aluminum and hard woods plus his slotted cap over the trip is the best I have seen. There are very few tip ups that are sure to be generational hand me downs but Jack traps are at the top of my list. Short of pure neglect I can't see any reason why they will not last a few life times. I'm sure in the future they will come out with some sort of remote controlled, digital do hicky but the Jacks will always be ready to catch fish.

Beaver Dams, if you like that style are great tip ups too. As I have said a few times here, they all need a little personal tweeking to get them to your liking. Most work pretty good right off the shelf but with a little added ingenuity they can be perfect for our own needs and desires. If you buy just one full set of Jacks, Beaver dams or Heritage lakers and fix them up you will be good for your life time. I have a full set of each plus a couple other pretty good sets and they all suit my needs depending on where I fish, what I am fishing for and the weather conditions I am fishing in. If I could only have one set for all conditions the Jacks would be my preference hands down.

[Guinea]

I just looked at your pictures (you were right, page 3 lol) and that's exactly what I did! Great advice.

Of course, with the warm temperatures now I won't get to try it out with frozen fingers until next year!

[hawkeye68]

what about moosehead traps

[HUNTnFISHSD]

Jack Traps by far. They don't freeze and they work for all species. I own a 26" inch standard dark center with a hunter green flag. I am going to use it for largemouth bass and crappies this weekend. Last weekend I caught 3 decent pike using fathead minnows. The reels are silky smooth and they will last you a lifetime. 

[coboy]

I bought two Beaver Dams last year and have landed a few large pike on them. They work great and are very smooth. I've used a similar plastic HT or Polar and they worked fine. There is a bit
of aesthetics involved with the Beaver Dam. Uncle Josh's owns them now, and according to some reviews, don't have as nice a finish as the originals.

[FRESHBAIT]

Giving it a.bump for Hawkeye moosehead were my first set of traps,   now it's heritage lakers.

[Kip]

I like Frabil Pro Thermal. The hole never freezes over and you can see the reel spin when your flag goes up.   FLAG!!!

[pooley]

this thread is following the course i had hoped it would. pictures of any Modifications you made would be great! maybe i should have worded it differently, but it's too late for that! 

Sorry Guinea, it is long, but i knew it would be. LOL!

[TIBS]

I bought two Beaver Dams last year and have landed a few large pike on them. They work great and are very smooth. I've used a similar plastic HT or Polar and they worked fine. There is a bit
of aesthetics involved with the Beaver Dam. Uncle Josh's owns them now, and according to some reviews, don't have as nice a finish as the originals.

Arctic Fisherman (Beaver Dams) has changed hands multiple times over the last few years, with quality suffering and price increasing.  I will not buy a Uncle Josh era tip up unless they go back to the brass spools and guide eyes.  Sucks to see my hometown tipup go downhill.

[bait trap]

There are lots of good tip ups out there.  they all have their pros and cons,  just what ever works best for you.