Author Topic: Rattle Reels for new ice house (Read 8448 times)

freezedried · « **on:** Jul 11, 2006, 09:34 PM »

Well I have bought my first wheeled fish house it is a new 2006 Ice Castle. Now to trick it out what has others folks done to make there fish house home sweet home? I have been looking for some rattle wheels for it but have really only found one brand I think it is a good brand but I would like to look at others, Do you guys have any Ideals on where to buy them or even make them. Also any tips or tricks will would be appreciated

Phil

Skipper · « **Reply #1 on:** Jul 13, 2006, 07:42 PM »

Just about every tackle shop around here has them, I like the clamp on ones so they can be moved around easily

freezedried · « **Reply #2 on:** Jul 13, 2006, 08:21 PM »

Thanks Skipper

I live in Iowa so we don't have to many around here I have looked on the internet and have only found real cheap ones or very expensive ones. I have only used the wood ones with the bells in them. I am looking for something that will wake me up if I am sleeping. I see you are very close to Mille Lacs I have rented a house on the big lake one time and it was a ball. I hope to spend some time there this winter. Do you have a permanent or wheeled house you use on ML. About what time of year do they start taking them out on the lake? I know it depends on the year but just a guess. I have the week between X-mas and new years off and hope to be up your way fishing if the ice is thick enough.

Thanks for your reply

FD

freezedried · « **Reply #3 on:** Jul 14, 2006, 11:24 AM »

Thanks Mac I didn't see a link for rattle reels any where on their site

Skipper · « **Reply #4 on:** Jul 14, 2006, 05:27 PM »

freezedried,
The whole Mille Lacs scene is usually going in full force by the very end of December or the beginning of January. Some years there are guys out on the bays on foot before the first of December! Eddy's Mille Lacs Resort has daily updated ice conditions on their website until there is 24" on the main lake. Most guys will brave 14" with their pickups and pull behinds, I wait for 20". Mille Lacs makes the most excellent safe ice of all the lakes I fish around here, I trust the super slab more than I trust any other lake. As far as my shanty, I use a portable. I move allot, I cant just sit there if the fish aren't biting. The walleye bite is still hot, even now that the days are long and the water is warming up. There are allot of fish to be caught out of there, and I hope to spend more time out there this winter. I guess I will just have to discipline myself

to leave the little lakes and the bluegills alone so I can catch some walleyes.

Skipper · « **Reply #5 on:** Jul 14, 2006, 06:11 PM »

I almost forgot, hit Prince Bait on your way up to Mille Lacs, they can hook you up with all the rattle wheels you want. They are located 2 miles north of Milaca on Hwy 169. If you get some time, I would also reccomend Thorne Bros. (Mac put up a link) on Hwy 47 north of Minneapolis in Fridley.

DRabbit · « **Reply #6 on:** Jul 16, 2006, 12:01 AM »

I fish in a wheeled permanent most of the time and always use rattle reels for most of the holes. I have used the cheapo plastic ones and would not recomend them, they arent a bad unit but the bigger ones are much nicer. I considered getting the lindell ones, but after looking at the wooden ones with the bells i decided to make my one. I just cut some circles all out of 1/8th inch luaun plywood that i had left over from the paneling in the house. I then drilled holes and glued in dowels and added the bells. They turned out very nice, and will wake you up during a night on the lake. If your interested i can post some pics of them.

freezedried · « **Reply #7 on:** Jul 16, 2006, 09:47 AM »

That would be great, a picture is worth a 1000 words

Thanks
FD

DRabbit · « **Reply #8 on:** Jul 17, 2006, 07:25 PM »

Here are some pics of the homebuilt rigs. They are pretty much the same as the wooden ones you can buy in the stores, but cost much less. I already had the plywood from the interior walls of the house, and just had to buy some dowels and bells to put inside the reels. I got the bells at a craft store. I would recomend the bigger reels like this just because they work better, and are easier to work with.

Skipper · « **Reply #9 on:** Jul 18, 2006, 04:58 PM »

I like the swing arm to get them out of the way.

Looks like professional work to me.

freezedried · « **Reply #10 on:** Jul 18, 2006, 10:45 PM »

great looking reels I don't know if I have tat kind of skill

FD

OTIS · « **Reply #11 on:** Jul 27, 2006, 02:21 PM »

I'm very new to rattle reels, but I like your design. Soooo where do you put the bells? Sorry for the stupid questions, but I'm rattle reel challenged.

Skipper · « **Reply #12 on:** Jul 28, 2006, 03:45 PM »

The bells go inside the cage created by the dowles. They are actually under the line, inside the spool.

DRabbit · « **Reply #13 on:** Jul 30, 2006, 09:59 PM »

Quote from: Skipper on Jul 28, 2006, 03:45 PM

The bells go inside the cage created by the dowles. They are actually under the line, inside the spool.

Yep thats right, the bells roll arouind in the cage created by the dowels, they work good and are plenty loud even if you fall asleep.

OTIS · « **Reply #14 on:** Aug 03, 2006, 10:13 AM »

Gotcha! Thanks.

freezedried · « **Reply #15 on:** Aug 04, 2006, 04:28 PM »

Well I ordered 5 lindell ice rigs very nice units, now all I have to do is mount them. Whats the best place to mount them up by the ceiling, or by the floor or waist level. I would think it would be up by the ceiling so they are out of the way but I haven't really used rattle reels much so I don't know. They are very smooth but not real load so I will have to come uo with some type of alarm for when we are sleeping.

Thanks in advance
Freezeddried

DRabbit · « **Reply #16 on:** Aug 04, 2006, 11:40 PM »

I would mount them at waist level or maybe a little higher, then they are easy to reel up at the end of the day, and easier to get at if you need to do something else to them. If you think they will be in your way there i would go higher toward the ceiling then.

ifishhi · « **Reply #17 on:** Aug 05, 2006, 07:31 AM »

try looking on e-bay

Desperado · « **Reply #18 on:** Aug 07, 2006, 09:22 PM »

Phil
Here's what I like for a strike indicator that will wake me up.

Russ had them when we were up at Red Lake. Did you get any?
I have also ordered them from Cabelas. Just search their website for bitebuzzer.

BY THE WAY
CONGRATS on the purchase of your new toy

freezedried · « **Reply #19 on:** Aug 07, 2006, 09:51 PM »

Hey Don

I thought about them but I fish with Thorne Bros rods and would hate to loose on down the hole. you know us we like to drink a bit, so it would be hard to tell if one of them would wake me up. so have you fished much this summer? I hope to make a few trips to Mille Lac we may have to hook up some weekend. Anyway it was nice to hear from you take care and let me know when I can bring up the new house.

Desperado · « **Reply #20 on:** Aug 07, 2006, 10:28 PM »

I think we could find a way to rig up a bitebuzzer on the line of a rattle reel.

I have four bitebuzzers in my icefishing bag, so we can experiment some this winter when you come up.

freezedried · « **Reply #21 on:** Aug 08, 2006, 12:49 PM »

Hey Desperado
Did you hear that Russ is selling everthing? He had a heart attack this spring I guess

We were planning to head back up there this winter and rent ate least one ice house since I bought one we won't need two. He said if they don't sell he would be renting them this winter so I guess we will just have to wait and see.
Later

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Author Topic: Rattle Reels for new ice house (Read 8448 times)