Author Topic: Any solutions for frozen Tip Up reels?  (Read 2935 times)

Offline scott.mantua

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Any solutions for frozen Tip Up reels?
« on: Jan 22, 2021, 09:32 AM »
Almost missed a great fish the other day, It was well below freezing, and just in the time it takes to hook a shiner, my tip up reels were freezing. Not on the plastic type, but on the wooden style metal reel ones (pic attached). They seem to defrost underwater, but not fast enough. First time the fish took the minnow, must have been shortly after I put it in the water, the flag didn't trip. I noticed the tip up was leaning, but it was too late. Re-baited the hook, and same situation, but I noticed in time to have a pretty stressful fight, due to a frozen reel and only having 4 feet of line to work with. (fish pic attached too)

Anyone have this issue, and have you been able to solve it? I'm sure some sort of oil or grease would help, but I'm not sure which kind would be best.

Thanks in advance,

Scott




Offline Raquettedacker

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Re: Any solutions for frozen Tip Up reels?
« Reply #1 on: Jan 22, 2021, 09:38 AM »
WD40 after there good and dry...
 Also heard it works well as a fish attractant on lures....   ;D
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Offline Stickhick86

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Re: Any solutions for frozen Tip Up reels?
« Reply #2 on: Jan 22, 2021, 09:41 AM »
WD40 after there good and dry...
 Also heard it works well as a fish attractant on lures....   ;D

This is copied right from WD-40's sight

WHAT A FISH STORY!
Myth: WD-40® contains fish oil.

Fact: Consumers have told us over the years that they have caught some of the biggest fish ever after protecting their fish hooks and lures with WD-40®. We believe this legend came from folks assuming that the product must contain fish oil since it appears to attract fish.  Sorry Charlie®, it just ain’t so.
WD-40 Company has taken steps to respect and conserve the environment, and encourages its users to do the same. While WD-40® can be used to help protect fishing equipment from rust and corrosion, WD-40 Company does not recommend using WD-40® to attract fish.
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Offline PikePetersen

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Re: Any solutions for frozen Tip Up reels?
« Reply #3 on: Jan 22, 2021, 09:44 AM »
If the line is partially frozen on the spool, I'll strip 10-20ft extra off after setting the depth then wind it back on.

Offline 2MuchStuff

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Re: Any solutions for frozen Tip Up reels?
« Reply #4 on: Jan 22, 2021, 09:47 AM »
  wd 40 can go wet equipment,   the wd stands for water displacement the  40 is their 40th try.
as far as I know  , but I am a fisherman 
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Offline nbourque

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Re: Any solutions for frozen Tip Up reels?
« Reply #5 on: Jan 22, 2021, 09:47 AM »
White lithium grease on the spool

Offline youngblood

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Re: Any solutions for frozen Tip Up reels?
« Reply #6 on: Jan 22, 2021, 10:45 AM »
If the line is partially frozen on the spool, I'll strip 10-20ft extra off after setting the depth then wind it back on.
This and ditch the Dacron line. Get some good braded line. You will get more line on your spool so you don't get spooled. It will not absorb as much water and freeze. Nice fish.

Offline Zeker259

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Offline Stickhick86

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Re: Any solutions for frozen Tip Up reels?
« Reply #8 on: Jan 22, 2021, 11:50 AM »
This and ditch the Dacron line. Get some good braded line. You will get more line on your spool so you don't get spooled. It will not absorb as much water and freeze. Nice fish.

Wouldn't braid cut into your hand more using braid? I ask this in all seriousness because if you get a big fighting fish on there, it might be harder to fight with that thinner line.
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Offline fishermantim

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Re: Any solutions for frozen Tip Up reels?
« Reply #9 on: Jan 22, 2021, 12:17 PM »
Simple...as you are baiting the hook, pull off a little line so you can keep the spool in the water.
Then lift the tip up, drop the bait down the hole and put the tip up back down.
The spool will only be out of the water seconds and should be good to go.
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Offline scott.mantua

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Re: Any solutions for frozen Tip Up reels?
« Reply #10 on: Jan 22, 2021, 01:50 PM »
Thanks to everyone, Highs are in the 20's this weekend, hopefully the fish are still biting

Offline Jgbooboo

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Re: Any solutions for frozen Tip Up reels?
« Reply #11 on: Jan 23, 2021, 10:20 AM »
We use methanol to keep our holes open and pour a little on the rattle reel to prevent ice up...it’s by far the best option I have found...in South Dakota it’s legal to use in your holes ...even if it’s illegal to put down the hole you should be able to pour a little on your rattle reel

Offline Kevin23

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Re: Any solutions for frozen Tip Up reels?
« Reply #12 on: Jan 23, 2021, 10:57 AM »
Sounds like it just needs some new lube. The frozen line on the spool should thaw almost immediately when setting it back in the water.
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Offline pooley

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Re: Any solutions for frozen Tip Up reels?
« Reply #13 on: Jan 24, 2021, 07:59 PM »
Simple fix. Pull 15 ft of line off the reel after you put the minnow in the hole. This will break the ice off the line. Keep the Dacron. Stand by the hole for a bit if you just missed one.
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Offline kpd145

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Re: Any solutions for frozen Tip Up reels?
« Reply #14 on: Jan 25, 2021, 10:37 AM »
Simple...as you are baiting the hook, pull off a little line so you can keep the spool in the water.
Then lift the tip up, drop the bait down the hole and put the tip up back down.
The spool will only be out of the water seconds and should be good to go.

this, I know before I even get in my car if spool freezing is gonna be an issue, so when I setup, I pop my holes and drop my traps in them to thaw out, then set them like I normally would in any temp. Sure you can use grease or WD, I just don't like the idea of that stuff in the water so I avoid it. I used WD once years ago and the "slick" it left in the hole bothered me so I stopped.

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Offline mikez

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Re: Any solutions for frozen Tip Up reels?
« Reply #15 on: Jan 25, 2021, 11:55 AM »
When it's really cold I never leave my wet tip up on the ice while I run for the bait bucket, rebait, untangle etc. Just drop the trap back in the hole.

I also don't store my tipups in my trunk between trips. I bring them in so the line dries and I don't start the next trip with frozen spools.

Offline Nofishem

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Re: Any solutions for frozen Tip Up reels?
« Reply #16 on: Jan 25, 2021, 12:04 PM »

Offline Fishingjg

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Re: Any solutions for frozen Tip Up reels?
« Reply #17 on: Jan 25, 2021, 01:28 PM »
I don't know I never thought about it. The line may freeze but as soon as you wind it back on the reel and dip it in the water a few times you are good to go. Never really had an issue with the reels freezing.

JG

Offline esox_xtm

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Re: Any solutions for frozen Tip Up reels?
« Reply #18 on: Jan 25, 2021, 01:39 PM »
First you need to determine the actual cause of the issue: Did the spool freeze so it wouldn't turn OR did the line freeze to itself so it wouldn't easily come off a spool the would otherwise turn?

First case remove the spool, clean and lube both the spool shaft and the bearing surface of the spool. In the second case this works pretty well:

Simple fix. Pull 15 ft of line off the reel after you put the minnow in the hole. This will break the ice off the line. Keep the Dacron. Stand by the hole for a bit if you just missed one.

You can also treat your Dacron with a silicone product to keep it more water repellant. Doesn't need to be the whole thing, just what usually goes down the hole and a bit more. Silicone is pretty innocuous stuff commonly used to clean and treat fly lines if you're worried about polluting.

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Offline eriksat1

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Re: Any solutions for frozen Tip Up reels?
« Reply #19 on: Jan 26, 2021, 09:47 AM »
This is why I like Vinyl coated non freeze tip up line. Doesn't freeze or stick to the ice. I tie to a barrel swivel, then a 18" flouro leader to hook.

Offline hardwaterhonkey

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Re: Any solutions for frozen Tip Up reels?
« Reply #20 on: Jan 26, 2021, 09:52 AM »
Here’s an idea bring your traps inside for the night after a day of fishing... you don’t catch fish by being lazy

Offline Doppler2

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Re: Any solutions for frozen Tip Up reels?
« Reply #21 on: Jan 26, 2021, 05:21 PM »
In trips where I can't dry and warm my tipups before, when i find my homebase site i put my tipups in the first few holes i drill. Sometimes the time it takes to walk it from the home base hole is enough to freeze the tipups. In this case, setting the depth is a pain in the ass, but once i get it to the desired depth I take out exta line and then reel it back. For perch, walleye etc I pull maybe 5 extra turns. For fish that like to run with the line, I will do 10, 15 feet or more if it's lakers. (Had one get close to spoolling my buddy's tipup in the short time it took to walk over to the flag) you could also keep a thermos of hot water with you for when you set up depending on how cold/windy it is outside.

Offline derekinhawaii

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Re: Any solutions for frozen Tip Up reels?
« Reply #22 on: Jan 27, 2021, 07:55 PM »
Anyone suggesting to use WD40 is a complete moron.... Let me see,  we all love ice fishing, we all love fishing.  We love going to a pond or lake to fish.   So someone is suggesting to use oil? in a pond/lake.  Lest I remind you, it's ILLEGAL to pollute the waters of any state.   Thee are plenty of alternative solutions to lubing up your reels.  Honestly keeping your reels underwater is the easiest, and cleanest way.  Yes it takes a little longer, SOOO, just put it in the water sooner..... Something else to think about regarding using WD40... There will be an oil skim on the water service in your whole.  The moment you drop your lurer, worn or others bait, it will pick up the sent/task of that oil.  YOU will have a lot harder time catching a fish with a oil soaked bait.... just sayin.

Offline Shepbc

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Re: Any solutions for frozen Tip Up reels?
« Reply #23 on: Feb 01, 2021, 05:33 PM »
"Almost missed a great fish the other day, It was well below freezing, and just in the time it takes to hook a shiner, my tip up reels were freezing. Not on the plastic type, but on the wooden style metal reel ones (pic attached). They seem to defrost underwater, but not fast enough. First time the fish took the minnow, must have been shortly after I put it in the water, the flag didn't trip. I noticed the tip up was leaning, but it was too late. Re-baited the hook, and same situation, but I noticed in time to have a pretty stressful fight, due to a frozen reel and only having 4 feet of line to work with. (fish pic attached too)

Anyone have this issue, and have you been able to solve it? I'm sure some sort of oil or grease would help, but I'm not sure which kind would be best."

You maybe able to loosen the nut that pushes against the spring on the spool of the tipup, sometimes they tighten up.  Another option would be to replace the threaded bolt that holds the spool on the tipup frame.  I have used stainless tubing to replace several bolts on some of my older wooden tipups.  Then I tap both ends of the tubing and use brass screws with washers and spring spacers to hold my spools on the frame of the tipup. They don't tighten up and they don't rust.   

Offline WARRIOR_ON_ICE

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Re: Any solutions for frozen Tip Up reels?
« Reply #24 on: Feb 02, 2021, 06:57 PM »
I have found that in addition to pulling extra line off the spool if it is stuck to itself, sometimes the cause of the spool not spinning, in much below freezing weather, is that a film of ice between the spool shaft end and the spool body prevents it from rotating freely. Usually when I just rap this area with my pliers and it breaks the film of ice and the spool once again spins freely. Keep the spool under water between rebaits as much as possible.
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Offline empirej

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Re: Any solutions for frozen Tip Up reels?
« Reply #25 on: Feb 03, 2021, 09:43 AM »
wd I deep six mine 30 years ago

Offline flagup!

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Re: Any solutions for frozen Tip Up reels?
« Reply #26 on: Feb 03, 2021, 01:13 PM »
I put mine back in the water.
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Offline buz23

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Re: Any solutions for frozen Tip Up reels?
« Reply #27 on: Feb 04, 2021, 07:45 AM »
I have had very few problems with the reel freezing on an old fashioned spool under the water tipup., but occasional, especially on poorly made ones, water will get into the trigger tube and freeze.  That will prevent the spool from turning.  On older tipups the trigger tube was aluminum or sometimes copper and it was swaged around the ends to make a good seal after loading it with grease of some sort.  Newer cheap tipups use a plastic tube which isn't sealed very well at the ends, or a metal tube which is not swaged at all, both of which lead to problems. 

 



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