Thoughts on/about beaver dam tip ups,

[Agronomist_at_IA]

So whats the thoughts worth the dough or not?

[nofishfisherman]

All of them that I have were worth the money. Of course I got them free from my neighbor who was going to throw them all away. Ended up rescuing 6 of them from the garbage.

I don't know if they catch any more fish than the cheaper ones but they certainly are more durable.

[motley man]

I have a couple that I have been using for 30+ years so I have to go with a yes. The cost of them has tripled from the time I bought mine, but I see them at garage sales and auctions for a decent price quite often. I have a couple round ones that have got broke and had to repair, but never had to done anything to the Beaver Dams !

[Whopper Stopper]

I also have 6 that are all of 30 years old. Last year I had to re-pack my first one as it was getting stiff. Would I buy them again? Definitely, I like things that work.

WS

[Hawg]

They work the same and cost 4 times more. Not worth it to me.

[jake125]

I would not trade my $10 polars in for any others. I will never buy another brand

[Gus]

I've never found a cheaper one that worked well. Beav's for me.

[AlligatorDundee]

ALL DAY

[Agronomist_at_IA]

Yeah I figured guys liked the beaver.........lmao

[Kyle]

I in no way mean this as a shot to anyone, so please don't get emotional about this, but in my opinion, if you don't prefer a beaver dam tip up over everything else then you probably don't/haven't tip up fished enough to understand why they are superior.

It's fine if you are OK with a $10 tip up. If it works well enough for you that's great. But in my reality, with the kind of tip up fishing I do, and the trips I make based on tip up fishing, there simply isn't anything else that I would use. Bottom line, you get what you pay for.

[Alagnak]

I in no way mean this as a shot to anyone, so please don't get emotional about this, but in my opinion, if you don't prefer a beaver dam tip up over everything else then you probably don't/haven't tip up fished enough to understand why they are superior.

It's fine if you are OK with a $10 tip up. If it works well enough for you that's great. But in my reality, with the kind of tip up fishing I do, and the trips I make based on tip up fishing, there simply isn't anything else that I would use. Bottom line, you get what you pay for.

+100

[folke2000]

But what exactly is better about them? I am in no way a big tip up fisherman, but would be willing to "get what I pay for" if I can be convinced it's worth the money.

Thanks,

Folke

[Alagnak]

But what exactly is better about them? I am in no way a big tip up fisherman, but would be willing to "get what I pay for" if I can be convinced it's worth the money.

Thanks,

Folke

The fact that I still have ones from the early 70's kind of says it all. Can't say that about my fishing rods or too many fishing items for that matter. They can be run over multiple times, have just the right adjustments for sensitivity, metal durable spool, ability to re-lube when needed - which might be 20 years or it might be every 3-4 years if you have a bad seal or a slightly bent shaft, you can replace parts if broken (from being run over), hold up to the abuse of being frozen in, chiseling out, banging around in buckets, back of truck etc over the years. They're not just 12.99 plastic junk. Also takes me 5 minutes to cut out and paint a new body if they ever break.

[Hawg]

Replacing parts? That's just plain crazy, they're both a rod threw a lubed shaft. If you like heavy wooden frames then so be it but I've had lots of both and Polar's are smoother. Some guys will spend $500 for a lighter auger or house but still carry a tip up that weighs 5 time more. They are antiques but I know lots of people like to collect them. JMHO

[Alagnak]

Kyle said it best up a few posts-

I in no way mean this as a shot to anyone, so please don't get emotional about this, but in my opinion, if you don't prefer a beaver dam tip up over everything else then you probably don't/haven't tip up fished enough to understand why they are superior.

[Hawg]

What a condescending answer, I just don't know any better. You don't even deserve an answer. I'll put my experience with tip ups up against yours any day.

[DTro]

He asked you nicely not to get emotional.

[Agronomist_at_IA]

What a condescending answer, I just don't know any better. You don't even deserve an answer. I'll put my experience with tip ups up against yours any day.

I wouldn't get to worked up about it. I have a couple blue plastic tip ups, and a wood ht polar 2, and a couple frabill orange thermals. I would agree they all work and do the job. For Me I bought a couple new beaver dam tip ups so i can do the "hand me down" to my kids later in life. Also, i really like the metal spool and line guide on the beaver's. the flags being cloth are cool to. Now Are the Beaver dam tip ups over priced. Probably, but they are heavier built with higher quality parts from the metal spool line guide, flag parts, and harder higher quality wood that has been seal/stained. is $39 worth that vs the $9-$19 range for others maybe maybe not. I guess in my case the small little higher quality parts is what I saw value in. Also, they have resale value. I can prya seel them Used for dang near what i paid. Havent seen other cheap tipups that i can do that with.

[Whopper Stopper]

Kyle said it best up a few posts-

I in no way mean this as a shot to anyone, so please don't get emotional about this, but in my opinion, if you don't prefer a beaver dam tip up over everything else then you probably don't/haven't tip up fished enough to understand why they are superior.

LOL Well played

Then again.........I agree.

WS

[jake125]

What a condescending answer, I just don't know any better. You don't even deserve an answer. I'll put my experience with tip ups up against yours any day.

I would agree with this

[Alagnak]

What a condescending answer, I just don't know any better. You don't even deserve an answer. I'll put my experience with tip ups up against yours any day.

How about give one guy plastics and one guy beavers. They ice fish the same amount of days a year for 10 years. One will have the beavers still and the other guy will be on his 3rd set of plastics.

Some guys buy a set of glasses and put in the cabinet to drink out of and hope they last a few years if they don't get dropped. Other guys might buy plastic throw away solo cups once a year and perhaps don't do glass. That's fine. Nothing wrong with either one.

So I guess beavers are better for the environment too. ;-)

[Gus]

The Biggest difference I have found is in function.

I have a box of probably a dozen or more various plastic ones which I tossed out a while ago. The biggest problem with cheap tipups, AND NOT ALL PLASTIC TIPUPS ARE CHEAP, are in the details.

1. The wind "proof" flag concept. Helps keep wind trips to a minimum and also helps keep those vibrations at bay which finicky fish will detect.

2. They stay lubed and spool out better! Grab a cheapo and grab a beaver and pull line. Now try it again after sitting in your freezer overnight. You'll see what I mean.

3. The large Brass line guide. I've had cheapo's that just have some small bent wire line guilde which will simply turn it self around the shaft instead of letting the spool take out line. Some of these come with a POS clip to keep this from happening. Pure junk. One wack with a skimmer to remove built up ice and that clip is gone. I ended up using JB weld on a number of them to keep the line guide in place. Beavs just work with the heavy brass guide.

Overall I think they just plain WORK better.

There are some things I dislike and I wish Beaver dam would change.

1. Spool diameter. I really like the larger spool capacity that some others offer.

2. Line winder handle on the spool. Plastic spools are easy to build this into, and I would not concede to a plastic spool, but if they could somehow incorporate a winding peg onto the metal spools that would be awesome. I have a wooden line winder that I use, but it can be a pain.

Overall, with all of the tipup fishing I do, I've replaced every plastic one I have of various brands with beavers. I'd be $100's ahead if I had just conceded to the price in the first place.

[BartmanMN]

Are the new Beaver Dam's today under UncleJosh produced in China now? Are the old Beaver Dam's produced in Wisconsin superior to the new ones? Just curious as I have always heard great things about the old one's and know people speak highly of the old ones, but just wanted to make sure the new ones are on 'par' with them.

I don't tipup fish enough to have an opinion. I have HT wood ones in my bag.

[AlligatorDundee]

[quote=Anomist_at_IA

Now Are the Beaver dam tip ups over priced. Probably, but they are heavier built with higher quality parts from the metal spool line guide, flag parts, and harder higher quality wood that has been seal/stained. is $39 worth that vs the $9-$19 range for others maybe maybe not.

Definitely not overpriced!

Anglers spend MULTIPLE HUNDREDS on a single rod n reel for open water.

The Arctic Fisherman tip-ups are handmade in the USA and will last longer than a

lifetime.

Well under priced treasure for me. THANKS UNCLE JOSH!

[Gus]

I guess I haven't heard that they went to china or not. I'm pretty sure the last one I bought a couple years ago had USA on the box.

If they did go to china, they are hiding it.... This is right from Uncle Josh's HSOforum:

Beaver Dam tip-ups have been designed, tested and proven to meet the ever-increasing demand for better ice fishing equipment. The Original Beaver Dam Tip-up is ALL handmade, and assembled, one at a time. It's made in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin with pride. Each tip-up is Freezeproof, Windproof, and Foolproof allowing you to enjoy your time on the ice.