What's the better tip up?

[Home Wood]

All my tip ups consist of the 3 sticks of wood, 2 make an X and the third holds the reel and flag in a vertical position. They have been around for a while, but seem to work just fine. What are better, the ones I have or the ones that lay flat and the reel sit horizontal, Polars is what I think I am trying to say. Does the actual tip up make a difference anyway? Thanks

[Haywood]

I have all of the ones that sit on the ice and although I really like them, I usually have to leave a bucket or cooler or something neer them to keep snowmobilers from running them over.  Even though most of mine are blaze orange, they some how manage to occasionally take one out. 

[Hookset]

I use the Polar Arctic Fire, probably the same as mentioned in the first post.  I prefer those because of the flag catch.  If a fish takes the bait, the flag catch can be seen spinning(if the fish is taking line) long before I arrive at the tip-up.  Helps with wind flags and such.  The downside is that they do tend to get run over by the less-than-careful machine operators out there.  Usually a few 'choice words' to the operator and that takes care of things.  I have both, but usually only set the Polars.

[icejunky]

I use the polar tipups, I think they are the easiest to get set up. My buddy uses the other style and he seems to always be playing with it and sometimes he looks like is on the on bomb squad...tiptoeing away and always ready for it to go off in his face.

I bought the jigging tipup last year as well. It only made it on one outing with me since the lake i fish the most only allows one line. It worked well but takes some time to set up.

[NorthwoodsIce]

I am designing two jigging tip ups, I like to make stuff and well sometimes i like my own features instead of some cheap lame ideas some non ice fisherman thought up.  I will post pics once they are complete.

[Home Wood]

Thanks for the tips, no pun intended. I think I will buy a few Polars and give them a try. Maybe I will have better luck this year. I'm going to try and do some jigging too.

[{RPF}Rapala Pike Fisherman]

My dad and i just have 2 $10 plastic Frabill leaders, and they work fine.

[billybono]

i picked up 5 of the polar insulated ones and i love em. but i may be leaving them home and using slammers

          billybono

[Wissota Bear]

I have used a lot different tip-ups.  My favorite ,by far, would be the Winnebago Wind Tip-Up.  It is simple and very productive.

 

[Doe]

Beaver Dam tip-ups are the best.  They will work for years with little to no maintenance.  I remember when they were only like $10 apiece, but now they're $35 apiece at Gander Mountain.  Made in the USA quality.   

[Gamalot]

Keep one thing in mind when you ask questions like this one. The answers you get will be strictly personal opinions.
I don't think Beaver dams are the best, not at all bad but by far not the best.
I have sets of each type mentioned here and use them all depending on conditions and species I am fishing for.
I like Beavers, Heritage Lakers, Jack Traps and Polar extremes.
The very best one is the one with the fag up and the reel singing!!

I don't use Beavers on snowy/windy days or when there are motorized vehicles spinning around.
I use Jacks or HLs when I go for deep water fishing or at night and need the visibility.
I like the polar extreams when the ice is new, it is very cold or when I have to pack in to the fishing spot. They suck when you have a 10.25" auger.
All of the above are great at avoiding wind flags but the Beavers are the hardest to see all of the time.

Gary

[Doe]

Windless tip-ups take too much time to setup.  I want setup to be quick as possible to maximize my time on the ice.

[Gamalot]

I could not agree more Doe, I want my set up in the water and fishing with in 20-30 minutes from arrival on the ice. We get 5 tip ups here and two hand lines or jig rods.
I normally get 7 holes drilled and all set up in 15 - 20 minutes and then get the shanty set up.
Have to love those days when while setting up the second rig the first one goes up.
Think the only thing better then that is when I am dropping the bait on the first rig the line gets ripped out of my hand!!!!

Gary

[Mongo]

Been using 5 new Heritage Lakers and have nothing but good things to say about them, glad I bought them. Just can't wait to use them this year.

[Doe]

Have to love those days when while setting up the second rig the first one goes up.
Think the only thing better then that is when I am dropping the bait on the first rig the line gets ripped out of my hand!!!!

Gary

How about when your pulling them and the last one tip-up goes off when you think your gonna get skunked. 

[Gamalot]

Everyone likes when that happens but I sure like it better when a day starts out on fire rather then when a boreing one ends with a bang.
I find it much easier to start packing to go home when you have dinner on the ice already.

Can't wait for ice but not wishing for it to get so cold just yet and have my heat running 24/7.

Gary

[Doe]

Can't wait for ice but not wishing for it to get so cold just yet and have my heat running 24/7.

Gary

It can get as cold as it want to.  My landlord pays for the heat.   

[Gamalot]

Quote by DOE;

It can get as cold as it wants, My landlord pays for the heat!

Now there is a common misnomer, He ofcourse uses your rent money to do so!
Can you spell "RENT INCREASE"??

This is not a good direction for the thread to go in but I know the price of fuel this season will be cutting into my available fishing funds. It hurts when all my money is going into tanks but it is not my bait tank.

Gary

[Home Wood]

Thanks for the replies. I figured it was really going to be an opinion topic, but it seems that the Polar style tip ups seem to be pretty popular. I will have to pick up a few and a nice jigging rod.

[sphynx_000]

I don't use Beavers on snowy/windy days or when there are motorized vehicles spinning around.
I use Jacks or HLs when I go for deep water fishing or at night and need the visibility.
I like the polar extreams when the ice is new, it is very cold or when I have to pack in to the fishing spot. They suck when you have a 10.25" auger.
All of the above are great at avoiding wind flags but the Beavers are the hardest to see all of the time.

Gary

how smooth do the extremes trip in really cold weather, compared to other tip ups?

[Gamalot]

I never had a problem with the Polar Therm Extremes even when they got drifted over. The shaft and reel spin great and very smooth and the telescoping Antena flag works great. The trip mechanism works very smooth and has a light and heavy setting. As I said, these are designed to fit five of them in a 5 gallon bucket. If you have a power auger with a 10.25" drill you might find these to be a bit narrow, especially when there is water on the ice.
Overall they are a fine tip up but I do like the X styles that stand rather then site on the ice. Strictly a personal choice.

Gary

[Hoppes]

I tend to use my Jack Traps (allagash style) exclusively.  I have some Heritage traps and they are a fine trap also.  Both pack up nice and easy in the pack.  My Jack Traps are over ten years old and work like new.  Might pick up a Big Bob or two this year for traps set aways from the shack or to mark the end of the line.  Traps are getting expensive like everything else....my wife works at LL Beans which allows a little employee discount.  I hear you guys on the fuel bill, both in vehicles and home heating oil.  I was lucky to contract for $1.89 this year. 
Hoppes

[MikeMunn]

I love my Jack Traps.  They are a little pricey, but I can't imagine every having to but another set (unless the yahoos on the sleds run them over!).  Great visability, no wind flags, smooth spool action, easy set up, what's not to like?  I've used polars too, and they are a very good product, but there's nothing prettier than a big red Jack trap flag standing up proudly on a cold Maine morning.  Tight Lines!

[Sax_]

I have the polar ones and some old wooden ones I like the polar ones better than the wooden ones for a few reasons
1.The water doesn't freeze in the holes causing the tip up to freeze in
2.On windy days snow doesn't fill in the holes
3.I can set the flag for a light bite or a harder one so if you have a large minnow on he doesn't trip the flag
4.On mine I can see if the fish is running or not without taking the tip up out
5.I can adjust the height of the flag
but the key thing is just to take care of what you have and check up on them and you'll catch fish .

[RUGERGUNZ]

Is there any other tipup besides a Heritage Laker??

Seriously, my brother fishes some of the cheapest traps known to man, and they seem to work OK for him.  I have only used Heritage traps and can't find any reason to change now.

I did notice the newer Heritage Lakers this year have smoother edges and better finish.  Almost makes me want to trade mine in.

[IceTroll]

Do what I do RugerGunz and strip all the hardware off of your tip ups, buy some new stock and rebuild them and finish them your own way. That way you get what you want. I had to build my own pretty much out of necessity. I found some real cheap wood tipups with an awesome, windlass trip system, took em all apart, bought heavier wood and used a heavier bolt to attach the reel. I finished them rather plainly, with a clear waterproofer, because I didnt want anything fancy. I did burn my name into them using a wood burner. Now my tipups can handle the 20 plus lb Northerns and Lakers we catch in my favorite honey hole. I have seen some of these Northerns and Lakers rip the reels right off of a Polar or the cheaper made wood tipups. Some of these monsters can spool you and hit the end of your line like a runaway freight train.

[Gamalot]

Some of these monsters can spool you and hit the end of your line like a runaway freight train.

Now why did you have to go and say something like that?

Got me all excited and there is not enough ice to go find them YET!

Gary

[AD]

I'd like to re-build my own tip-up or build one and may give it a try this year.     

  Its jsut a personal preferance, but the one sI liek to use are frabil's version of the polars,    the ones I liek have the extendable flag shaft.     They seem to wrok really well.   
   Pros:
     Smooth flag trip for big and or small fish
     Even if the tip-up freezes to the hole, or it gets covered by snow on a windy day, the flag can still go off.
      Big spool if needed for deeper water fishing for lakers.   
      I find the flat type the easiest to handle after the flag goes off, Im more comfortable with that type
    Cons:   They are heavy, and fairly expensive.       




But a lot of it depends on where you fish,     If it is higly trafficed by 4-wheelers these ones may not be a good idea unless you set a bucket or something right by the tip-up.      Mostly it will have to do with what you are comfortable with,   but a few different types and try them out youll figure out which one will work the best for you pretty quick.   

[IceTroll]

I dont know why you guys with the low profile tipups worry about ATV's or snowmobiles running over your equipment. Just get your self some of those lightweight wood surveyer stakes about 24" long. Paint the tip bright orange or some other hi vis color. After you punch your hole, mound up some slush and stick your stake into the slush and you have instant tipup marker. If someone still runs over your tipup I would have to say, it would not have mattered and they are probably blind, stupid or both.