IceShanty.com's Ice Fishing Community

Ice Fishing Tips -Check your local regulations! => Tipups => Topic started by: wi iceguy on Jan 04, 2009, 07:55 PM

Title: Making a tip-down
Post by: wi iceguy on Jan 04, 2009, 07:55 PM

I see that a lot of you guys enjoy using the tip-down, and was wondering how I can make my own. If you how to make one and would share it with me I would gladly appreciate it. Thank you, Sam

Title: Re: Making a tip-down
Post by: topher7694 on Jan 04, 2009, 08:01 PM

Very simple-
(http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/hh235/tubby67/Winter07-08002.jpg)
the base and riser are 1x4 cut to whatever size you like mine are like 9" base and riser, cut at angle and attach hinge, make notch in riser for dowel to ride inwith a slot on either side for the piece of coat hanger to ride in.  attach coat hanger to dowel with a rubber band or other suitable device ( makes it adjustable) for the reel you can attach one of those plastic reels that you can buy for like 2.99 or so or use 2 small dowel pins as seen in the pic.  There is a whole section in PA general on tipdowns and also in NY general if you have any other questions

Title: Re: Making a tip-down
Post by: Woodsman on Jan 05, 2009, 03:17 AM

Check this recent thread.
http://www.iceshanty.com/ice_fishing/index.php?topic=90975.0 (http://www.iceshanty.com/ice_fishing/index.php?topic=90975.0)

Title: Re: Making a tip-down
Post by: pooley on Jan 10, 2009, 09:09 PM

topher, those worked great today! ;D

Title: Re: Making a tip-down
Post by: topher7694 on Jan 13, 2009, 07:06 PM

the rod is 1/2 inch dowel I made mine 18" long. The coat hanger is held in place with a heavy rubber O-ring which makes the coat hanger adjustable for if you want more tip up or down or level. Its mainly adjustable because you use different size baits. This past Saturday I used my tip downs and landed 2 pickeral over 23" and 4 lbs. Very useful piece of ice fishing equipment in my eyes :)

Title: Re: Making a tip-down
Post by: wi iceguy on Jan 14, 2009, 04:13 PM

I'd like to thank everybody that gave so much useful info., thanks.  :icefish:

Title: Re: Making a tip-down
Post by: topher7694 on Jan 15, 2009, 08:32 PM

here are a couple pics of my latest tip downs--
(http://i288.photobucket.com/albums/ll174/Kildato/PICT0415.jpg)
(http://i288.photobucket.com/albums/ll174/Kildato/PICT0414.jpg)
(http://i288.photobucket.com/albums/ll174/Kildato/PICT0418.jpg)

Title: Re: Making a tip-down
Post by: Kevin23 on Jan 16, 2009, 06:41 PM

Made this one today. Took me 5 minutes. It disassembles into 3 peices.



(http://i97.photobucket.com/albums/l213/shebadog_01/tipdown.jpg)
(http://i97.photobucket.com/albums/l213/shebadog_01/tipdown3.jpg)
(http://i97.photobucket.com/albums/l213/shebadog_01/tipdown2.jpg)

Title: Re: Making a tip-down
Post by: Huckster on Jan 18, 2009, 10:30 AM

We have use tip downs for 30 yrs.  I dont understand why anyone would build them with a wooden dowel and nails to put line onto the puts kinks in the mono.  The stands we make are the same as many pictured.  Instead we use a rod bought at Fleet Farm for $5 that has the plastic reel on it.  Find the balance point of the rod and drill a hole through the handle and put a nail in the hole and cut the head off the nail.  This was you are using a regular rod with a reel, it just has a nail through it.  Works great!

The new model I have been building just cradles a spinning rod built after the rod rocker design.  I make them 30" tall and balance the spinnng rod on it.  Best design for a tip down yet and the best part is you can use a spinning rod.  They cost about $1.00 each to make for the steel rod and I use an old deck board for a base.  I have caught tons of crappies on these as well as perch and walleyes.
To see the design:    http://todaystackle.com/rodrocker2.html

Title: Re: Making a tip-down
Post by: pooley on Jan 18, 2009, 11:04 AM

http://todaystackle.com/rodrocker2.html  (http://todaystackle.com/rodrocker2.html)

Title: Re: Making a tip-down
Post by: hillmann on Jan 18, 2009, 08:44 PM

What do you use them to fish for? Just pan fish or do you use the for game fish as well?

Title: Re: Making a tip-down
Post by: topher7694 on Jan 18, 2009, 08:48 PM

I've caught everything from 6" gills to 25" fat pickeral--I set them up basically for whatever will eat the bait that is on the hook, fatheads and medium shiners

Title: Re: Making a tip-down
Post by: hillmann on Jan 18, 2009, 10:24 PM

Don't the bigger fish just spit the bait when they feel resistence because their is no spool on it?

Title: Re: Making a tip-down
Post by: pooley on Jan 18, 2009, 10:54 PM

not tophers fish! i was there when he caught 2 24-25 inch pickerel! those things work well! :o

Title: Re: Making a tip-down
Post by: topher7694 on Jan 19, 2009, 07:20 AM

no.they don't spit out the bait plus I use #12 hooks on the bait-they usually get it caught in the side of the mouth as they take off and when the resistance of the rod being against the ice, it in theory sets the hook for you

Title: Re: Making a tip-down
Post by: Iceman314 on Feb 13, 2009, 11:34 PM

topher...liked the design, and made some for myself with a little modification
(http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x169/zeedeevil21/0213092227.jpg)

Title: Re: Making a tip-down
Post by: topher7694 on Feb 14, 2009, 03:32 AM

I'm going to get ahold of a set of those little HT reels for next year's batch so it will eliminate link kink--great job there iceman :tipup:

Title: Re: Making a tip-down
Post by: bart on Feb 14, 2009, 04:32 AM

Here are my tip-downs, I used PVC.
(http://i244.photobucket.com/albums/gg22/bart607/tip-downs017.jpg)
(http://i244.photobucket.com/albums/gg22/bart607/reel002.jpg)

Title: Re: Making a tip-down
Post by: Iceman314 on Feb 14, 2009, 10:17 AM

I am going to have to get a few of the reels too.  have had a hard time finding them in stores around here..right now my reels are made from filler spools i had used up when putting new line on my rods.   Bart...those are awesome...really like the design.  If i had more time i would make some like that.

Title: Re: Making a tip-down
Post by: wallyboss on Feb 27, 2009, 11:17 AM

first picture show the main part of the tip down, just add the part that sticks in the snow
The second picture shows how I adjust for sensitivity.

(http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n148/wallyboss/P1050001-1.jpg)
(http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n148/wallyboss/P1050002-1.jpg)

The sinker you see with a snap on it is just hooked up there for transport.  that is what I use and I just snap on a 12" fluorocarbon leader on the end .