Author Topic: Beaver Dam Tipups  (Read 1277 times)

Offline Foxinfish

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Beaver Dam Tipups
« on: Jan 03, 2023, 02:10 PM »
What is everyone's opinion on these? Are they worth the extra money compared to some of the cheaper options out there?

Offline dearjimschmidt

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Re: Beaver Dam Tipups
« Reply #1 on: Jan 03, 2023, 02:22 PM »
Beaver Dam makes some of the longest lasting hardware. We use the hardware along with premium woods for a product that costs the same as a beaver dam but looks a heck of a lot cooler.




River City Baits - Fort Wayne Indiana

Offline DR.SPECKLER

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Re: Beaver Dam Tipups
« Reply #2 on: Jan 03, 2023, 02:51 PM »
I made a few in black walnut and oak.i also used bd components.didnt save a dime barely on making my own but it looks better than the plain pine board.


Offline dearjimschmidt

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Re: Beaver Dam Tipups
« Reply #3 on: Jan 03, 2023, 03:20 PM »
I made a few in black walnut and oak.i also used bd components.didnt save a dime barely on making my own but it looks better than the plain pine board.


Those look nice!
River City Baits - Fort Wayne Indiana

Offline DR.SPECKLER

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Re: Beaver Dam Tipups
« Reply #4 on: Jan 03, 2023, 03:29 PM »
Those look nice!
thanks. when we moved to the farm it has a full equipped woodshop and her gpa used to be a avid woodworker and theres lots of nice lumber here to work with and all the tools.

Offline Den58

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Re: Beaver Dam Tipups
« Reply #5 on: Jan 04, 2023, 08:40 AM »
Definitely worth the money I have 2 that has lasted over 20 years

Online Nitz

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Re: Beaver Dam Tipups
« Reply #6 on: Jan 04, 2023, 10:25 AM »
"What is everyone's opinion on these?" - My opinion on these is that they are the best tip-up on the market.

"Are they worth the extra money compared to some of the cheaper options out there?" - To me, absolutely.


So any inquiry that approaches "What is the best type/brand of tip-up?" ...well wars have been started with less lol.  What I can share is my experience with the Arctic Fisherman tip-ups (aka "Beaver Dam" tip-ups).

I have several Beaver Dams that are 20+ years old which I still use regularly.  I have friends (and some parents of friends) who have Beaver Dams at least twice that age and they still work great.  So the longevity is definitely there.

I also have a handful of Beaver Dams which have been purchased over the past three seasons.  Are the new ones as awesome as the old (20+ year) units?  I would say, not quite.  They do not spin as smoothly.  But, they are well constructed and still have a smoother spin than any other tip-up I have tried.  And my hit rate and hook-up rate seems to be the same on my new Beaver Dams as my old Beaver Dams.

I will add that I believe the current quality of the Beaver Dams is better than it was ~12 years ago (when Uncle Josh Bait Company acquired Arctic Fisherman LLC).  IMO, the product's quality took a hit for a few years after that acquisition.  Note that Beaver Dams are now sold under the Acme Tackle Company, which was acquired by Uncle Josh Bait Company ~10 years ago.

I have tried several other board style tip-ups.  Results - mixed, but nothing nearly as effective nor durable as the Beaver Dams.  The plastic HT Polars work, you will catch some fish.  They are not anywhere near the quality nor smoothness of the Beaver Dams.  IMO - you would be better served putting this money towards an Arctic Fisherman.  We occasionally fish with people (usually younger folks just getting into the sport) who run HT Polars.  Even when rigged up in similar fashion, they never seem to have as many flags.  I cannot be certain, but I attribute this to the smooth, low-resistance rotation of the Beaver Dam reels.

Over the years, there have been several copycat designs of the Arctic Fisherman: Frabill 1664 and Celsius WDLX-5 are still out there, HT has a version and I believe they used to have other similar versions, South Bend used to have one, and probably others I am not recalling.  I have tried a few of these.  Again, none of them match the quality nor smoothness of the Beaver Dams.  Also noteworthy --> the line-guides on these knockoffs tend to be cheap, bent, paperclip-like with a pinch-point and lead to line hang-ups and tangles.  The Beaver Dam line-guide is a smooth casting (no pinch-points) - I have never had line get snagged up on one.

Time and again, I have seen people new to the sport start with HT Polars or wooden copycats.  Sooner or later, they all switch to the Arctic Fisherman.

To anyone new to tip-up fishing and unsure about spending this much on a tip-up, my advice would be to see if anyone you know fishes with Beaver Dams.  They would likely let you fish with one or more of their tip-ups if you go out with them.  You will see for yourself.

Offline Foxinfish

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Re: Beaver Dam Tipups
« Reply #7 on: Jan 04, 2023, 01:32 PM »
Sounds like I'll have to pick some up. I've always used the polar HT tip ups and the round frabill ones. Thanks for the help.

Offline dearjimschmidt

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Re: Beaver Dam Tipups
« Reply #8 on: Jan 04, 2023, 02:04 PM »
Sounds like I'll have to pick some up. I've always used the polar HT tip ups and the round frabill ones. Thanks for the help.

Are you close to Fort Wayne?
River City Baits - Fort Wayne Indiana

Offline Baetis62

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Re: Beaver Dam Tipups
« Reply #9 on: Jan 04, 2023, 02:46 PM »
I made a few in black walnut and oak.i also used bd components.didnt save a dime barely on making my own but it looks better than the plain pine board.

They sure look nice Doc.  Cabinet grade BD's!  Is that post for the flag spring BD Hardware or something you had on hand?  Are they set in some type of epoxy?

Offline fishinator

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Re: Beaver Dam Tipups
« Reply #10 on: Jan 04, 2023, 03:58 PM »
I guess I'm lucky, I have had the same round insulated frabills for about 15 years now. I take them apart and lube the shafts occasionally and they work fine. Picked them up for about 10 bucks each at the end of the season.  Also have several of the H type and have no problems with them except for freezing on cold days.
Dude.....Dude!! Greg! Wake up! You're on fire!

Offline DR.SPECKLER

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Re: Beaver Dam Tipups
« Reply #11 on: Jan 04, 2023, 05:05 PM »
They sure look nice Doc.  Cabinet grade BD's!  Is that post for the flag spring BD Hardware or something you had on hand?  Are they set in some type of epoxy?
the flag posts are roll pins and smothered in marine spar urethane.my olady works in  a fastener shop and i can custom order anything.i used all stainless hardware too.bd does not use all stainless.i did not glue them in case i have to replace them.

Offline Foxinfish

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Re: Beaver Dam Tipups
« Reply #12 on: Jan 04, 2023, 06:33 PM »

Offline Baetis62

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Re: Beaver Dam Tipups
« Reply #13 on: Jan 04, 2023, 10:24 PM »
the flag posts are roll pins and smothered in marine spar urethane.my olady works in  a fastener shop and i can custom order anything.i used all stainless hardware too.bd does not use all stainless.i did not glue them in case i have to replace them.
[/quote
Stainless?...Holy Cow!  Those babies are top shelf...outstanding job!

Offline dearjimschmidt

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Re: Beaver Dam Tipups
« Reply #14 on: Jan 05, 2023, 07:12 AM »
Yes

If you'd like to see a River City Tip Up in person I can make that happen - I live near New Haven.
River City Baits - Fort Wayne Indiana

 



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