Finickys Fish Factory?

[Harp]

I picked one of these up at a garage sale yesterday the people really didn't seem to know anything about it so I had to take it home and figure it out. Anyone every use one or hear of them? It is a tip up built in a black box may be 16x16 and has Finickys FIsh Factory paint on it and on the flag with a angled flip door with a round window it runs off of 4 D cell batteries has a two speed jigging motor, a oil burning lamp built into the corner behind a glass sliding door and thermometer, a red light that lights up when the flag goes up. Who ever built these thought of everything it even has a foam block to stick the hook in when not in use? This was some idea.

I have never seen anything like this before anyone, anyone?

HARP

[Ed Carlson]

I had one..they are preaty nifty.

Tweaks for them you may wish to try is a light plainer board release in place of the wire keeper release thingy..proved helpful for me with heavy active live baits that caused false flags.

Use the recommended lamp oils.....the wrong stuff will gel up on you and not work well when you need it.

They work, prove very handy on days when it is cold and drifting takes the fun out of tip-ups.

[hawkeye43]

If for some reason you don't like it I would take it in a heart beat.

[S.D. Ice Angular]

Use the recommended lamp oils.....the wrong stuff will gel up on you and not work well when you need it.

What is the "recommeneded lamp oil"?

I have had one for 9 years now but have not used it with the lamp in over 6. I don't remember what I used at the time. I would like to blow the dust off it and have it for this winter season.

Thanks

[Jim Almquist]

I have one and it is way better then a regular tip up. I did some mods on mine so it would have a shorter jigging stroke which I think helped to get more fish (walleyes). I wish I could remember what the deal was with the oil but I know that it is clear and unscented and looks like this.

[bassislife]

We made the same style back 25 years ago. It had a wood box lined with aluminum tape on the inside with a candle burning in it. We took a coffee can and had it bolted above with the vinyl tip up line wrapped around it like a rattle reel. The line would go through the top and in a slot that was part of the door. Wind or snow could not penetrate.

It worked pretty slick and the hole would never freeze even when it got down to 20 below!

[Harp]

Thanks for all the info. A few more months we will be punching holes and I will give it a try.

HARP