Author Topic: Windlass tip-up freezing    (Read 8446 times)

-Dan

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Windlass tip-up freezing  
« on: May 03, 2002, 01:43 PM »
I was wondering if any one has a remedy or trick for preventing the line from freezing up in the hole on my H-T windlass tip? Today is the first day I used one and other than the fact that my line kept freezing up it seemed to work okay.

Thanks,

Dan  

JP

  • Guest
Re: Windlass tip-up freezing  
« Reply #1 on: May 03, 2002, 01:44 PM »
When it's really cold, there isn't much you can do. Afterall, when water freezes, it freezes.

On those borderline days when ice is in fact forming but you can still fight back a little, try a roof shingle. Note that the sun has to be out of this to work.

Slit it from the edge inward, and run your line through the center. It will draw in enough heat to keep the temp that critcial few degrees higher, keeping your hole/line trouble-free longer.

Block slush from blowing in and gathering on the line and in the hole by setting a wind-break on the windward side of. It doesn't have to be more than 10-12" high, as all the snow is close to the surface of the ice. A piece of rectangular wood paneling works fine. Heaped snow works also.

Keep using the Wind-Las: they're super-deadly. Best of Luck.  

-Chris

  • Guest
Re: Windlass tip-up freezing  
« Reply #2 on: May 03, 2002, 01:45 PM »
Tom Grunewald has published a few books on ice fishing.
In at least two of his books he profiles the Windlass. His solution to your problem is to take a piece of plastic pipe/tubing and run it through a piece of wood so that 1/2 is protruding from either side of the piece of wood. Let the wood float in the hole and run your line through the plastic tubing. Supposedly this prevents freezeups. The windbreak trick JP describes helps too.

Snag

  • Guest
Re: Windlass tip-up freezing  
« Reply #3 on: May 03, 2002, 01:46 PM »
------------------------------------------------------
Try a little tablespoon of cooking oil in the hole. but if it is sub zero...forget it.  

singleshot

  • Guest
Re: Windlass tip-up freezing  
« Reply #4 on: Oct 05, 2002, 03:05 PM »
H-T produces a black foam rubber hole cover that I use under my tip ups. It has a slit to center and a small plastic tube that goes through the center of the cover. The cover does a good job of stopping my holes from freezing and I suspect it would do well with the windlass. I intend to find out as soon as there is hard water.

stickman

  • Guest
Re: Windlass tip-up freezing  
« Reply #5 on: Oct 11, 2002, 02:02 AM »

    I've heard about a homemade device called a hot water spitter that you make by soldering one end of a copper tube to a hole punched or drilled in the bottom of a coffee can and spiralled up and out to the side on top. You put an inch or so of sand in the bottom of the can and charcoal briquets on top. Light the charcoal, and it will get hot water perking up through the copper tube like an old-fashioned perk type coffeepot. Partially drill a hole next to the one you have your windlass tipup set up in, and chip out a channel between them with you spud bar so the shallow hole fills with water. Light the charcoal in the spitter and set it in the shallow hole so it can heat the water and perk it into the the hole you're fishing.  I haven't gotten a better than verbal description yet, but I tried making one  last season with inconclusive results. I used a half pound size coffee can that I believe was too small. I also spiralled the copper tubing up along the inside surface of the can, which I think wasn't  hot enough for the water to perk. Next time I'll spiral it up through the middle of the charcoal to make a sort of chimbney and let in air.

travis

  • Guest
Re: Windlass tip-up freezing  
« Reply #6 on: Oct 18, 2002, 07:45 AM »
;D

I got a question about having a tip-up from freezens on the ice and never can get it out

stickman

  • Guest
Re: Windlass tip-up freezing  
« Reply #7 on: Oct 20, 2002, 03:48 AM »
You can use pieces of old carpet to make covers for your holes. Just cut them about 18 x18 inches and make a cut in to the center so you can center your tipup in them. If you put the cross sticks on top of the piece of carpet it should be able to get your tipup back out easily since it won't freeze onto the ice. If you put the tipup directly onto the ice and it freezes in, use a spud bar to chip out around it. You should be carrying one to test the ice for safety anyway.

okaucheelak

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Re: Windlass tip-up freezing  
« Reply #8 on: Nov 28, 2002, 08:09 PM »
they make special bobbers for these tip ups. i have the mr. tip-up type i have 6 of them. alls it is really is a black sponge bobber with a narrow plastic tube running through it. so the bobber part will freeze but the line can still run through the plastic tube smoothly. if you need mr. tipups number i can get it for you. there the best type of windlass tip-up on the market with built in lights.

Offline Sturge1

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Re: Windlass tip-up freezing  
« Reply #9 on: Dec 02, 2002, 10:54 AM »
I picked up two Mr. Tip Ups last year. By far the best heavy duty wind tip up on the market. I use the weighted slip bobbers and drill out the stopper in the top of the shaft. It works great. If you can't find the weighted slip bobbers drill out a egg sinker and glue it to the shaft under the float.Good Luck!
Sturge1

Offline buck4dave

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Re: Windlass tip-up freezing  
« Reply #10 on: Jan 22, 2003, 08:49 AM »
if you are checking your bait every half hour or so
you s/b able to keep them from freezing up to bad.

 



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