Daughter wants to customize her tip ups

[Swamphunter]

So my 10 year old daughter who is addicted to ice fishing wants to customize her Heritage Laker tip ups and I had a couple of questions for those of you that have painted unfinished tip ups. She wants to paint them purple and have purple flags. What kind of paint should I use on them and where can I buy purple flag material? 

[adkRoy]

instead of paint go with an exterior opaque stain. you can get it dyed any color you want. it will last longer. as for purple flags, you can go to a fabric store and buy purple cloth and replace the flags on there.

[Bugman1964]

I second the stain, then coat them with clear poly. They will last for years. Make sure you "help" dad.

[gooner]

You definatly want to clear coat it when your done. As for a flag. Any craft store has cloth. Just cut out a rectangle twice as long as the size of flag you want, crazy glue or hot glue the flag to the pole.

[Svengalli]

, crazy glue or hot glue the flag to the pole.

When I used to do alot more tip-up fishing, about 10 yrs ago, we would affix small alligator clips to the tops of the poles and then clipped the flag on.  That way we could change it without having to unglue/reglue.  We'd put bigger flags, different colors depending on who's tip up it was, did skull and crossbones, stuff like that.  Made it real easy to change out.

[Swamphunter]

Awesome! All great information!!! Where is the best place to buy opaque stain? Craft store or paint store?

[Kevin23]

Make sure purple flags are legal in your state. In Iowa we can only use orange and red flags, make sure your state isnt similar.

[Svengalli]

Awesome! All great information!!! Where is the best place to buy opaque stain? Craft store or paint store?

I would go to a paint or hardware store and get the stain and poly coat, done properly it'll last years.  If you have trouble finding purple for the flag, I know there are a ton of quality tape suppliers on the web.  You may even be able to find purple in a high-vis style and have a roll delivered for a few bucks and then stick two pieces back to back and cut to size.

Good Luck!

[Svengalli]

Make sure purple flags are legal in your state. In Iowa we can only use orange and red flags, make sure your state isnt similar.

Interesting.  I assume you have laws directly related to tip-ups than?  Here the regs don't differenciate b/w a tipup or rod or hand line or stick in the snow.

[Bullelk34]

Make sure purple flags are legal in your state. In Iowa we can only use orange and red flags, make sure your state isnt similar.

Please tell me you're kidding, right?

[Whopper Stopper]

Pretty nice you are going to fix up the traps for her. It certainly sounds like you have a good little fishing buddy.

I sure hope he was kidding about the flag color.

          WS

[gooner]

He is decking out the tip up for his daughter lol 

[Kevin23]

Interesting.  I assume you have laws directly related to tip-ups than?  Here the regs don't differenciate b/w a tipup or rod or hand line or stick in the snow.

Yes I  spoke to the DNR directly and they said it has to be marked with a high-viz orange or red flag. Tip-downs too, they have to have the butt of the rod painted orange or red to be counted as a tip-up. Odd regs, I know.

Try to convince the game warden that you are fishing with illegal equipment to please your daughter and see how that goes over.

Officer, my daughter shot the deer with a high powered rifle during bow season becasue she wanted to... she's just a little girl, cant you let it slide?

[Bullelk34]

Holy cow, you IA guys need to take your state back! I would be taking steps to get the law changed on that one. What legitimate purpose does having a red or orange flag serve? Sure it's more visible in the daylight, but is it a legitimate safety concern? Can you think of an instance where someone was injured or killed because a flag was a different color?

[Kevin23]

No clue. I fish tip-ups once or twice a season... not my place to change the law. I just follow the laws... its much more enjoyable to fish and not have to worry about who is coming on the ice and if they are carrying a badge.

[Kevin23]

I imagine its not even enforceable, as it is not listed in the regulations anymore. I'm sure you would just get warned and ask to change the color. Its similar to our trout fishing regulations. For all species you can keep fishing after you get your limit as long as you immediately release them, except for trout. For trout you get a ticket if you cast your line after you have your 5 on a stringer. Its not listed in the regs, but I've seen plenty of people get the ticket. I don't know how they enforce it in court, but they write the ticket on the spot.

[Bullelk34]

No clue. I fish tip-ups once or twice a season... not my place to change the law. I just follow the laws... its much more enjoyable to fish and not have to worry about who is coming on the ice and if they are carrying a badge.

I hear you there, you have to follow the rules and I do as well. I would encourage you to at least question senseless laws though. The Fish and Game laws are there for you and your resource, you should have some input. There have been several rule changes made here that were the direct result of suggestions from sportsmen. Public input comment periods are an excellent time to voice your opinions, they are usually announced in the newspaper or online out here.

[Swamphunter]

He is decking out the tip up for his daughter lol 

Yes Gooner I am... its a great way to keep them interested and, as a single father.... its a bonding experience for her and I both spending time making them custom to just her, and then using them to catch supper for us.

[Swamphunter]

Interesting.  I assume you have laws directly related to tip-ups than?  Here the regs don't differenciate b/w a tipup or rod or hand line or stick in the snow.

Not aware of ANY law like that in the gestapo state of NY even!!! I will definitely check first though... thank you

[adkRoy]

Not aware of ANY law like that in the gestapo state of NY even!!! I will definitely check first though... thank you

Don't have to worry about that in NY. your flags can be any color.

[Tainterslayer]

Crown Royal makes the best purple flag material...

[wirenut45]

if you take her to the paint dept. of home depot, they have a wall rack of diff. colored duct tapes. some pretty wild patterns. hope this helps

[toofuss]

I have a crankbait that my little sister "bejeweled" when we were younger. i wish i could get her to do me a couple  more one lake i.fish.it.is a proven producer along a certain drop off. i actually dove down in ten foot of.water to get it back once

[Swamphunter]

I found this.... think it will work good....

http://www.hartsfabric.com/ripstop-nylon.html

[capedeer/fish]

Show her these. 

[fish-kabob]

use a purple paint like you use in your house it has laytex in it then coat it with two coat of poly-crylic from minwax.  poly-crylic is water baced but very hard and will not wash off  once hard as a rock. it will be milky white going on but will dry clear. by the way poly-crylic is a pertective layer protects aginst water damage. if you do not like poly-crylic. i seen some one  use epoxy resin same in fiber glass resin and rod finishes etc.. just bruch it on thin and re-coat  staining it is a good idea in purple too  then coating it with a clear coat...  any ways best of luck hope this helps. 

[RAINMAN]

My wife's traps always get a laugh when we're on the ice. She just used some of that new fancy duct tape they sell at the box stores.

Last year my buddy forgot his tip-ups at home over an hour away & didn't realize it until he got to the lake. We made him use these all day. Nothing quite like a 250lb. man pulling up a Northern on a pink zebra print trap

[Bugman1964]

So how did or is the project going?

[Riffle]

So my 10 year old daughter who is addicted to ice fishing wants to customize her Heritage Laker tip ups and I had a couple of questions for those of you that have painted unfinished tip ups. She wants to paint them purple and have purple flags. What kind of paint should I use on them and where can I buy purple flag material? 

Funny, my daughter is 4 and wanted pink tip ups.

I called up Tim at Jack Traps and customed ordered two Trout traps with pink flags and pink line.

The funny thing is, that pink line is great in the water and I like it better than the black and green line I use on my other tip ups.

You could check your local walmart crafts department for some colored felt, shouldn't be too hard to track down, as for paint I would think any oil based paint would work, just put a couple coats of polyurethane on afterwords.

[beeverfishingscatch]

does anyone know if PA has flag color reg's? thinkin if i end up likin this ice fishin my girl will want camo (not pink camo either..lol) or skulls....lol....just dont want to b breakin any laws to do it lol