Author Topic: Frabill Pro-Thermal Tip-Up (Read 8303 times)

walliceman · « **on:** Nov 15, 2003, 09:46 PM »

I was thinking about buying one or two and trying them out. Anyone else use them? they look awsome and look easy to store, so if anyone here uses them tell me your like dislikes anything that would make me or vice versa buy some. thanks in advance

-Evan

P.S.- Would they fall through on an 8" hole?

taz54868 · « **Reply #1 on:** Nov 16, 2003, 05:28 AM »

I picked up a couple this year have not used them yet. my nephew has a couple and likes them a lot says they are worth a try.

Bob_G · « **Reply #2 on:** Nov 16, 2003, 07:20 AM »

I have 4 of them. I bought 2 last year and used them and they seemed to be nice. Not alot of fussing with them. I think they are a little to expensive. I found them at a gander mountain and they had them for $11 so I bought two more. Just my 2cents.

jp · « **Reply #3 on:** Nov 16, 2003, 09:25 AM »

I have 5 of them they work good. they do store good in a bucket but don't leave them in it for a long period of time because they won't dry and start to rust. if it is windy out the snow will drift them in and the flag will stick. the hole will never freeze.

crappie_attitude · « **Reply #4 on:** Nov 16, 2003, 02:37 PM »

Have 5 also...used them one year and swore never to use them again. They drift over too easy, and the trip mechanism seems too stiff. They work fine for larger species, but perch and crappies will set them off about half the time. $:-\$

walliceman · « **Reply #5 on:** Nov 16, 2003, 03:25 PM »

i planned to go for walleye and bass, so thanks for the input, yea they are a bit pricy but they looks awsome.

-Evan

Bob_D · « **Reply #6 on:** Nov 16, 2003, 08:10 PM »

Evan,
I have not heard too much good about these, but I personally have never used them. I like Heritage tip-ups myself. Talk to Blaine and get some of those Polars from him. They work very well, except in the deep snow, but you don't need to worry about that. It's always good to tend your traps...check the bait (if it's there it makes it more active after you put it back down),clean the hole, make sure everything is working alright. Just remember....A lot of stuff "looks good on paper", but it does not always work really well in the real world.

It's getting close...Did you see my post on the other site? I got out for a couple of minutes...boy do I feel better.

walliceman · « **Reply #7 on:** Nov 16, 2003, 08:39 PM »

i know man i so wish i couldve been there... get any hits?

-Evan

Bob_D · « **Reply #8 on:** Nov 17, 2003, 04:32 AM »

No...I could not fish long (5 minutes) because the wife and kids were in the car. But...It was oh so nice to stand on hard water again.

GatorSlayer · « **Reply #9 on:** Nov 17, 2003, 12:54 PM »

The Pro Therms are OK, good if you object to light penetration through your holes. They are all plastic, so you have to deal with freezing and cracking. Be careful in freezing temps, dont drop or they could shatter easily. The spool shafts are too short for my liking. Storage is easy, yes, but as said earlier, rusting became a problem for me. I just had too many problems with the flags either tripping to easy or not tripping at all. I remember one pretty good. Had one set up close to the shanty, and I look over at it and see the spindle going but the flag was still down. They also can get drifted over pretty easy in blowing snow. The heavy plastic flags are more prone to "wind tip ups". If you set one up in a hole too soon before the water from drilling the hole freezes, it can freeze your tip up onto the ice and make it difficult to take off if you have a fish on, where as wood tip ups you can be a little rougher with. We cracked one trying to remove it when frozen in, and the styrofoam also got frozen to the ice and was ripped out of the bottom. The one thing I did like was the small tackle storage area. You could keep extra sinkers, leaders and hooks right at your tip up. Oh, one other thing, its harde to use the lights I like on these, the spring had a tough time staying up right when tripped. If you're like me and check your tip ups often to keep the bait active, you shouldn't need something like this to keep your hole open.

Just my opinions. Good luck fishing.

The Wad · « **Reply #10 on:** Nov 17, 2003, 04:16 PM »

The Frabill Pro Thermal are the only ones I buy, they are easy to use, store easy, and work great. I have never had the wind trip my flag, and I have never had them drift over with snow. I've never used them for smaller fish, usually just northerns and bass, although I will agree that they are kind of expensive, but I guess you get what you pay for.

Butthead · « **Reply #11 on:** Nov 23, 2003, 05:00 PM »

I've got three. Two rigged for pike and one for walleye. I've never had any problems. I perosnally think they are pretty slick.

mnfisherguy1983 · « **Reply #12 on:** Nov 25, 2003, 12:59 AM »

I agree with Blue Ribbon. They work great.

shwung79 · « **Reply #13 on:** Nov 25, 2003, 09:42 AM »

Beaver Dam all the way!!

Flea_Dog · « **Reply #14 on:** Nov 27, 2003, 01:47 AM »

Used 'em last winter. Worked great. Gonna try Windlass tip-ups this year. Keepen' those fingers crossed.

fishfinder24 · « **Reply #15 on:** Dec 09, 2003, 12:09 AM »

I've got 4 of 'em now. Had 2 last year. Caught more pike on the frabills than my other ones. I fish pike in real shallow water so maybe it's because they block a lot of the light going into the hole. Wind does tend to trip them easier but you just have to position them right and you shouldn't have a problem. Personally I like them and will keep using 'em.

Fishinut · « **Reply #16 on:** Dec 09, 2003, 02:55 PM »

I have a couple. They do drift over easily and the flag isn't that high when its up. I like the HT polar a little better because I seem to catch more fish on them. With the Frabill the light bites do not seem to set the flag off. With the HT polar the sensitivity setting can be adjusted. The Frabills do store very easily and the tackle compartment is a great idea. The HT and frabill each have thier good and bad points. I guess its just a matter of personal preference. Tight Lines - Fishinut

CTShiman7612 · « **Reply #17 on:** Dec 10, 2003, 06:34 PM »

I have ten myself. When me and my buddies go out, we set them all up and never have to check them until a flag goes up. We've never had trouble with the trip being to hard or too easy. The tipup will cover a ten inch hole and about an extra quarter of an inch. I give them a ten. YOUR HOLE NEVER FREEZES OVER! you don't have to worry about breaking the tipup free from the ice when you're trying to lift it up gingerly to handle a bite.

Downside:

it's tough to use them on an old hole. When I say that, I mean one that had been drilled, froze over, and then has sluch above the ice level. You need a new hole for a good seal over the hole. Also, get rid of all the slush around the hole. You don't want your tipup sitting in slush off the ice, it'll freeze, and you run the risk of your spool being out of the water. When you put the tipup down, you need to make sure there isn't any holes around the rim of the tipup where wind could blow in. lightly pack fluffy snow around the edge of the tipup, no higher than the tipup, and don't use slush either, or you'll have freezing problems.

They are expensive, but when you're fishing in below 0 weather, you'll get your money out of them.

alloutdoors681 · « **Reply #18 on:** Dec 14, 2003, 10:06 PM »

I have a couple, don't care for the plastic all the time. But that is why I have Beaver Dams too. I figure if I have to clear the holes every now and again it gives me something to do to warm up a little.

Dihardfisher · « **Reply #19 on:** Dec 16, 2003, 11:24 AM »

I have 6 of them. I really like them because I have never had a single hole freeze over while using them. I have noticed that if you don't position the flag a certain way on a windy day the tip-up will be set off. I think that on any windy day any given tip-up will be drifted over. The storage compartment is a very useful feature. They also fit perfectly in a 5 gallon bucket. The price is a bit steep, but you pay for quality. Try one out, I'm sure you'll like it.

kenelz · « **Reply #20 on:** Dec 16, 2003, 07:20 PM »

I have a couple, they work fine, but I like my cheap old Polars the best, dont really know why.

MADTOM · « **Reply #21 on:** Dec 30, 2003, 08:17 PM »

I have five for 6 yrs now. I love mine. They set up and tear down quickly are are a snap to reset. In windy conditions clear all traces of snow and water away from hole. This will help the drifting issue. Also in windy conditions the flag can be set flat to keep it out of the wind. They don't work well in deep snow due to the short flag but the large flag and spinning tab can be seen from some distance. I can see fish running from as far as 70 ft.

To give options for trip settings I notched one side of the tab for a firm setting. Then put a 45deg bevel on the outer part of the other side for a light- quick trip setting. A small bend in flag shaft to keep it firmly set against center shaft should eliminate most wind flags. Just need to make sure flag doesn't hang up or freeze in or it won't trip.

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Author Topic: Frabill Pro-Thermal Tip-Up (Read 8303 times)

GatorSlayer

The Wad

Butthead

Flea_Dog

CTShiman7612

alloutdoors681

MADTOM