Tip Up Flags

[vaughan]

I have about 20 older tip ups that could use new flags.  I saw a lot of different ideas at various posts but one caught my eye and it was using black flags as they show up better than the red or orange ones.  Anyone have black flags on their tip ups?  If so how are they when there is no snow on the ice, I would think they are hard to see on the black ice.   

[Kevin23]

Make sure it is legal first. The head CO in IA told me tip ups and tip downs must have an ORANGE indicator on them.

[Nosaj]

In the snow black flags work great.  If the background is a dark brown wooded shoreline not so great.

This is a good thread on flags.  http://www.iceshanty.com/ice_fishing/index.php?topic=261024.0    Check out Powow's (Indian Hill Ice Traps) post on making the flags on page one.

[iceman260]

I put american flags on mine.

[shoitsma]

I bought some orange duct tape and made some gigantic flags on my tipups. They're so big you can probably see them from space. I love it.

[Bumski]

Make sure it is legal first. The head CO in IA told me tip ups and tip downs must have an ORANGE indicator on them.

Where is that in the Regs?I can't find anything.....
I fish Iowa water on the Miss a bunch and don't need to get busted for a stupid thing like that.......

[wolfpak3770]

Orange duct tape X2

[DR.SPECKLER]

for some reason I can see my beaver dam jolly roger black flags better than the usual flo orange or red flags.im glad I switched colors.black really sticks out against a white background.

[mdc92589]

Orange duct tape x3 ..... I believe the duct tape flags on all my tip ups have outlasted the originals!

[boss j]

i use orange plastic and duct tape it onto the tip-up. the plastic is from bags that the towns use as they clean the side of the roads. i make then BIG so i can see them easily from a distance. the good part of the plastic from those bags is it is thick and very little weight. this way they go up high year after year and dont hold down the springsteel riser for the flags at all. been using them for about 10 years and they still fly high.

[jimyoumook]

have to give the nod to duct tape what ever color you choose   

[buz23]

I don't like duct tape although I have used it in the past.  It catches the wind too easy and leads to wind flags.  I like to cut pieces of felt (I use orange) and fasten them to the flag spring with a small piece of aluminum sheet folded over.

[Huntindave]

Make sure it is legal first. The head CO in IA told me tip ups and tip downs must have an ORANGE indicator on them.

Wonder how he came to that conclusion? What is the officers name you  talked to?  Was this recently?  I don't see any reference to flag color in the regulation booklet.

"Tip-up Fishing Device A “tip-up” is an ice fishing mechanism with an attached flag or signal to indicate fishing action, used to hold fishing line and a hook. You may fish a combination of one tip-up and one additional line, or two tip-ups and no additional lines. An additional line or tip-up may be used when possessing a third line fishing permit. When fishing the Mississippi, Missouri and Big Sioux rivers and their connected backwaters, the following regulations apply: you can use up to three tip-up fishing devices. You can use two or three hooks on the same line, but the total number of hooks used by each person cannot exceed three. Each tip-up fishing device used in fishing must have a tag attached, plainly labeled with the owner’s name and address. You cannot use a tip-up fishing device within 300 feet of a dam or spillway or in a part of the river which is closed or posted against use of the device. Three tip-up fishing devices may be used in addition to two lines with no more than two hooks per line."

[Bucket Brigade]

I put american flags on mine.

Amen brother! Question- do you salute when the flag goes up or rise to attention and run?   

[woodstock]

I put flow green flags on 5 of my tip ups for this year. Found a kids flow green shirt at Wal-Mart and cut them from the bottom then fished the wire through the hem and put a drop of super glue to hold it. When your out with 3 or 4 others there gets to be a lot of tip-ups out there (5 per man in Pa.). I wanted to help distinguish between who's are who's quicker.

[Kevin23]

Its not in the regs anywhere. When I pressed further he clammed up and said "not all regulations are in the handbook". I dont feel the need to dig through the laws to try and find it, I just painted the end of my tipdown orange and never worried about it.

[rball]

My plastic ones broke up and I was lucky enough to still have the metal clamp. Had an old Blaze orange hunting jacket that was in rough shape. cut some fabric from that and works fine.

[Huntindave]

Its not in the regs anywhere. When I pressed further he clammed up and said "not all regulations are in the handbook". I dont feel the need to dig through the laws to try and find it, I just painted the end of my tipdown orange and never worried about it.

LOL,,,,,,,Kevin,

I believe the officer may have misspoke and was too proud to admit to it.  Never seen it in the regs. in all the years I have been fishing (going on well over 50 years).   I guess I'll  continue to not worry about my tip downs at all (as defined, a tip down is NOT the same as a tip up) and I'll also not worry about my flag colors.    or maybe I should use these smilies instead 

[Bumski]

LOL,,,,,,,Kevin,

I believe the officer may have misspoke and was too proud to admit to it.  Never seen it in the regs. in all the years I have been fishing (going on well over 50 years).   I guess I'll  continue to not worry about my tip downs at all (as defined, a tip down is NOT the same as a tip up) and I'll also not worry about my flag colors.    or maybe I should use these smilies instead 

I think I'll do the same Dave....

Back to the original post-I bought a set of 10 "Jolly Rodger"homemade flags years ago-black/the skull and bones logo.
They work just a well as red.

[Nightbird]

I cut up safety vests bought for almost nothing at yard sales or charity used store. Used both yellow and orange vests, leaving on a piece  of the reflective stripping for low light.

[ICEHOLE]

I did both 

[Strippnthedream]

I'm quite fond of the high vis green like the green vest used for highway road work. U can even get the reflector fabric or sticker stuff on there for finding them in the dark with your wheeler lights, works great if the tip up as been tripped.

[Kevin23]

LOL,,,,,,,Kevin,

I believe the officer may have misspoke and was too proud to admit to it.  Never seen it in the regs. in all the years I have been fishing (going on well over 50 years).   I guess I'll  continue to not worry about my tip downs at all (as defined, a tip down is NOT the same as a tip up) and I'll also not worry about my flag colors.    or maybe I should use these smilies instead 

Actually that was the question I called to ask about, if a tipdown is a tipup (for river fishing, wanted more lines). He said it is considered a tipup as long as it is not spring loaded and signals a bite without hooking or fighting a fish and the rod is connected to the unit. If its the rod on a pivot style then it is simply a rod holder and counts as a rod.

[mjk67]

Make sure it is legal first. The head CO in IA told me tip ups and tip downs must have an ORANGE indicator on them.

Come on...
So, he will ticket you for using a Beaver Dam?

Someone has a screw loose.

[Huntindave]

Actually that was the question I called to ask about, if a tipdown is a tipup (for river fishing, wanted more lines). He said it is considered a tipup as long as it is not spring loaded and signals a bite without hooking or fighting a fish and the rod is connected to the unit. If its the rod on a pivot style then it is simply a rod holder and counts as a rod.

Aha, gotcha on the tipup/tipdown question.  Never thought about adding a flag to a tip down just to get an extra line for the Mississippi fishing.  I might have to consider that.

[VTWoodchuck]

I bought some orange duct tape and made some gigantic flags on my tipups. They're so big you can probably see them from space. I love it.

This is my favorite idea yet!  Where I live we call duct tape "Vermont Chrome", most commonly used for patching rusted out rocker panels on our old cars so we can get them inspected.   Tip-up flags are yet another fine use for the most versatile tool in any tool box.  Red Green would be proud of you sir, I salute you!