Idea to prevent your hole from freezing for tip ups??

[canoesota]

I just scoop the ice out with my ice scoop if I'm jigging. Works great!

[Wellsy]

Not my idea, have to give he credit to iceenut0.
But the black plastic slip sheets they put on pallets are free for the asking at most places and you just use your ice fishin bucket to trace out the circles.
cut em out, put a slit with a small notch to fit around your tip up, and for travel they just lay flat in the bottom of your bucket taking up 0 space, and 0 weight.


Wellsy

[Walltrout]

I tried the black plastic sheet thing last year and it did not work to well for me.  I would try to use snow and slush to hold the sheet down so the snow wouldn't blow it away, but when I put the snow on the plastic it would slide down to the slit I had cut then fall into the hole.  By the time I got enough snow on it to hold the plastic down, my hole would also be filled with snow.  I think something with a little backbone would work better such as pieces of luan or that plastic cardboard stuff. 

[Wellsy]

I tried the black plastic sheet thing last year and it did not work to well for me.  I would try to use snow and slush to hold the sheet down so the snow wouldn't blow it away, but when I put the snow on the plastic it would slide down to the slit I had cut then fall into the hole.  By the time I got enough snow on it to hold the plastic down, my hole would also be filled with snow.  I think something with a little backbone would work better such as pieces of luan or that plastic cardboard stuff. 

I never had that problem, those plastic pallet covers are pretty rigid for their thickness.
Did you cut a slit or a notch? And did you put it "under" the crosslegs of your tipper or over?
Don't mean to drill you with questions, just that we have used them on about 30-40 trips.
And the only one I ever saw blowin across the Lake came out of the hole with the tip up and they both went for the ride. never had to put snow on em either?
Maybe we are using different types of plastic.


Wellsy

[TogueHunter]

I use ones I made from inexpensive rubber car mats.  I cut the bigger ones in half, then cut a hole in the center, and a slit from the hole, so it can be slid over the shaft after the tip-up is set.  I cut the holes in the center just a little bigger than the vertical shaft so I can look down to see if the spool is turning without disturbing the tip-up. 
The ones I use are black rubber so they will absorb any sunlight, and I never get a freeze up.  You also have a nice dry surface to kneel on while you are working with your gear. 
I first tried carpet squares, but they got wet and froze to the ice and were just a big frozen mess when I got home.

[Mainedog]

I just wanted to say thanks IceDawg for the good info.
Giving me ideas for the upcoming season.

[pirkaus]

Chip,and check!

Thats the best way and it keeps the bait moving too

[Master Angler]

I just check them one and give them a jig when its not too cold, and freezing fast.  But on those really cold days up here like -25-35 celcius when the holes are freezing over in seconds, I use the lazy mans hole cover...snow!  Its cheap and best of all I can never forget to bring it!  I'll just fill the hole in, especially when fishing for big pike, where the action usually isn't super fast.  I have no problem yanking em through a little slush and snow. The one problem is you can't see what the fish is doing at the ice, but, by feel you can usually tell what they're doing anyways.

[Walltrout]

I never had that problem, those plastic pallet covers are pretty rigid for their thickness.
Did you cut a slit or a notch? And did you put it "under" the crosslegs of your tipper or over?
Don't mean to drill you with questions, just that we have used them on about 30-40 trips.
And the only one I ever saw blowin across the Lake came out of the hole with the tip up and they both went for the ride. never had to put snow on em either?
Maybe we are using different types of plastic.


Wellsy

Wellsy,

I misunderstood what type of plasic you were talking about.  The stuff I used is the heavy duty landscaping plastic.  Is has no rigidity to it so it didn't work.  I am in the process of making some new ones now out of some thin plywood.  I am cutting them so I can fit a stack of them in the bottom of my 5 gal bucket.  I am painting the top black to absorb heat from the sun and the bottom white so it blends with the ice from the fishes point of view.  I don't know if that would make a difference or not but I have white paint so what the heck.

[AirManCam]

I use these tipups most of the time
And as far as jigging, pour few dabs of vodka in your hole, that usually works for a bit 

[Mainehazmt]

I use these tipups most of the time (Image removed from quote.)
And as far as jigging, pour few dabs of vodka in your hole, that usually works for a bit 

Thats alcohol abuse!    no wasting booze on the ice!!!   this needs to be moved to the ice shanty laws (aka miller man laws)

[deadsmelthead]

I am gonna try puting hand warmers in zip lock bags this year, that is if we ever get any ice,freakin elnino.