Are Polar tip ups good?

[Home Wood]

I did a search on the first few pages under tip ups and did not find much on the Polars. Cabelas has them for $15 a piece and I was thinking of getting a couple. Are they good quality and function well? All but a couple of my wooden tip ups are starting to wear out. Any maintenance to them also?

[Bean]

Home Wood, You'll find plenty of people use them, including myself. They are good tip-ups. You can get them with 3 reel sizes, 200', 500', and 1500'.  Most are 200'.  Search for "Polar" under the "Tipups" section by itself. Go to search, uncheck "check all", then click on "choose a board to search in, or search all", then click on just "Tipups".

Here's how to relube them-->  Re-lubing Polars

Here's another link on relubing tipups-->  lubing tipups

[esox slayer]

I think the Polars are a good enough tip up for the money, but if you fish in a lot of heavy blowing/drifting conditions I think you'd be disappointed in them.  I use the Heritage Lakers and love them, they're a great quality tip up, durable, has the 500 foot spool and is nearly impossible to wind trip....Esox

[big big rdg]

I too use the Heritage Lakers and love them for the price. If you are looking for some other high quality traps check out Jack Traps.

[Iceshanty]

If get a lots of snow also check out Jacktraps A wooded finely crafted tipup. These tipups are much better suited to deep snow.

http://www.jacktraps.com/store.php?crn=204

If you don't get a ton of snow Polar tipups are awesome. I always have a dozen or so on hand. If cared for they can last a lifetime and will never break as long as you don't smack them with the ice chipper on a cold night. I like HT's black frame 500' model for all purpose use. Cheap, they pack light, run smooth and have a super multiple setting trip shaft. They also never "freeze up" in sub-zero temps if kept lubed properly. Best price I can find for them is at sportsmans guide.

http://www.sportsmansguide.com/cb/cb.asp?a=36576




-Scott

[camo_fish]

I go with nothing but a wooden jacktrap type of tipup, they are the easiest and best all around tip up. 

[brujharr]

Polars are a great tip-up, for finesse, finicky fish, light fishing, fun for the kid's, and walleyes in the night. Their some what delicate, can't stand harsh weather, and sooner or later the plastic warps. Save the spindale, and mount in a home made Board.

[archbishop]

i dont like them, any kind of snow or wind and there gone? or if the sun is out they melt down into the ice, and if your there for a while they are a pain to get back out if the sun goes away

i find the wooden tip-ups like camo suggested are in fact the best all around, you may have the occasional false flag, unless you set them up right and back to the wind, but it gives you a reason to go check your bait and clean the hole

[Home Wood]

Thanks for the replies. I think I'll buy just a couple to add to my arsenal. I'll check out jack traps and heritage's too. Like I said, all but a few of my typical 3 wooden stick tip ups are splitting and getting brittle. The spool holes are getting worn and don't seem very smooth.

[ifishhi]

go with the jack-traps,you wont have any trouble. i love mine.

[rumdrinker]

I dont care for the polar tip ups, the best ones I have used were the yellow frabil tipups.  They dont melt into the ice like somone else complained about and they are visible to see in the dark with a flashlight.  They are well constructed for a reasonable price!!! Also frabill makes a good light for another 10 bucks that makes them great to use at night!!

[Bean]

Polar doesn't just come in black, they are also available in a bright orange.

[billditrite]

Polar doesn't just come in black, they are also available in a bright orange.

I got a set last year , orange ones with the 500' spool. I bought them as a lighter packing alternative to my heritage lakers for crappie fishing. with last years light snow conditions they were awesome and i used them for everything. they are only 10 bux at walmart 

[Home Wood]

I think I'd prefer the bright orange myself. I think shopping for gear may even be more fun than actually using it. 

[archbishop]

Polar doesn't just come in black, they are also available in a bright orange.

ididnt even know they came in black? i know they are hard to see if there is any snowfall or wind at all

[P.I.K.E.]

I prefer using my polar tip ups when I'm fishing for Walleye at night. They are very sensitive. I do prefer the wooden polars over the plastic ones. I've seen guys drop and break the plastic ones more times than not.

[brujharr]

They are very delicate! When fishing walleye at night, we pack the ends down with wet snow or slush. That way it doesn't sound like a gun when it trips, or flip over. The spring on the flag is the toughest part of the whole tip-up.

[P.I.K.E.]

They are very delicate! When fishing walleye at night, we pack the ends down with wet snow or slush. That way it doesn't sound like a gun when it trips, or flip over. The spring on the flag is the toughest part of the whole tip-up.

I do the same thing.

[brujharr]

P.I.K.E.  You've must have had the same thing happen? If their not frozen in the hole a little, they go off big time when a fish hits, making noise and even falling over. This means I'm not crazy, RIGHT! 

[icejunky]

I have a few polar tip-ups and they work great, they are quick and painless, and even the wife can set one up (if she feels like it).

I akways feel like a member of the bomb squad when setting up the vertical style tip-ups, nothuing like getting a flag in the face...the wife would not find it as funny as I do

[MXFISHER656]

I like my polar tip-up's, I use them for everything from pan fish to pike. You can set the flag for a light or heavy trip (4 postition's) and then adjust the tension even more by raising and lowering the center shaft. I've had a few wind flags, but I'm sure all tip up's do, it's not a major problem, beside's if you get to the hole and the button is still there......wind trip, reset

Dan

[P.I.K.E.]

P.I.K.E.  You've must have had the same thing happen? If their not frozen in the hole a little, they go off big time when a fish hits, making noise and even falling over. This means I'm not crazy, RIGHT! 

I've never seen that happen with the wooden ones but I have seen that happen with the plastic ones.

[BUCKSKI]

Yep love the polars with the hole cover, really keeps em from freezing on the cold days.
Have found that sometime the flag extended all the way out will freeze into the ice or snow. Sometime I fish em only half way out. Have only had to replace one telescoping flag in the last 5 years.

[brujharr]

Should, mention the best point, about the Polar?  One, can move the shaft, up or down!!  8)  8)

[icy mike]

Beaver Dams ALL... THE... WAY...!!!!!!  I have used the Polar brand, but I gotta stay with the classic.  I used to live in Beaver Dam, Wis and had the privilege of meeting the owners and tours their little factory.  It was great and the people are first class.  I bought a mess of Beaver Dam tip ups at an estate auction (in Beaver Dam, Wis) that must be from the 60's.  They still work great.  I even left the previous owners custom tags on them for nostalgia's sake.

Icy Mike
Palmer, Alaska

[big j 2520]

I've had my polars for 12 years. The only problem I've ever had with them is they will drift over in heavy blowing snow. I've never had one break and I'm not real easy on them either. Be careful with new ones. The minnows can spin the eye lets pretty easy. Make sure you read the instructions. They have lots of good pointers on how to use and trouble shoot most problems you may have.

[Flash_King]

12 polars bought in 1984  only had 2 fail 1-DAMM ATV 2- base of spring broke(xtra expoxy aok)

[SKUNK-MASTER]

I got a set last year , orange ones with the 500' spool. I bought them as a lighter packing alternative to my heritage lakers for crappie fishing. with last years light snow conditions they were awesome and i used them for everything. they are only 10 bux at walmart 

you used them for crappie fishin'? thats a pretty lite bite for tip ups eh???

[Home Wood]

Four or five of my tip ups need to be replaced. I think I'll grab a couple Polars and a couple Heritage lakers to give a nice selection in the tip up bucket. I can't wait for ice fishing. It's pretty chilly down here in NC and it's making me crazy wanting to be on the ice.

[billditrite]

you used them for crappie fishin'? thats a pretty lite bite for tip ups eh???

maybe...i agree maybe tip downs may be a little more sensitive for crappie but i caught lots of em...i really use them to help me locate the school then go to work with my jigrod and flasher    after dark i put them away