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Tip-up holes freezing over-night

berke99

By berke99
in Ice Fishing

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Bob Clausen Explorer

Bob Clausen

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I've bought some things that didn't work like I wanted, so a few years ago I made some insulated "boxes" out of 1/4" plywood. They're 12"X12"X2"(deep). I glued 1-1/2" foam board to the inside and cut a whole in the center slightly bigger than the tip-up reel and made a notched cover that rotates over the tip-up shaft. I also painted them black so they absorb sunlight during the day. The most I get when I bank a little snow around the base is skim ice, and what I like is that I can work the tip-up and leave the hole cover in place unless I get the fish up to the hole. I'm also the guy that rigged the tip-up to a cordless doorbell for a strike indicator...$9 for a pair vs. $70 apiece. I can send a picture if you give me an email address.

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berke99 Community Regular

berke99

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I set my tip-ups up with the remote door bell also. I was dissapointed in the set up because the distance that they would work wasn't very far. The package said up to 150 feet. It would barely work at 100 feet so I decided to go with the Strike Sensor set up.

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Steve Foss Grand Master

Steve Foss

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I just use the 11-inch diameter round soft foam hole covers sold by Frabill for under $5 each. There's a slit running from the edge to the center to slip the shaft of your tip-up in. They're about 3/4 inch thick, and if you mound snow or slush around the edges to make a seal against the wind, they keep a hole open or skimmed lightly for a very long time, even when it's below zero.

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hanson Grand Master

hanson

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Can I ask an odd question? I'm going to anyway. grin.gif

What are you doing leaving your tip-ups out overnight?

Maybe I'm just reading into your subject heading TOO much.

When I fish tip-ups, I check my tip-ups at least every half hour. I'm checking on the condition of my bait, if I have any bait, and a quick hole clean out as well. I would never consider letting a tip-up sit for more than an hour without taking a look at it at least once. If nothing else, it gives you something to do when the flags aren't flying.

With that said, the Frabill Thermal tip-ups do a very good job of keeping your holes from freezing. I also just picked up some foam hole covers from Arctic Fisherman to use with my Beaver Dam tip-ups. They sound like the same thing stfcatfish is describing.

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Bob Clausen Explorer

Bob Clausen

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I've tried the polar therm tip-ups and the soft hole covers. My quarrel with both of these was that, when they froze to the ice I either had to give the polar therm a kick to break it loose or try to handle the tip-up and tear the soft covers free from the ice at the same time. I fish mostly Buffalo Bay on LOW and when fishing big northern use an 8 to 10" (dead) suspended tullibee or perch. It's not unusual for the northerns that take that size bait to run out 100 yd. of line before they stop and turn the bait in their mouth which is when I want to set the hook. With the covers I made, I don't have to give any resistance to the fish until I'm ready to set the hook. If I get the fish on and the hole cover is frozen to the ice I just give it a kick to break it free without ever having to give up contact with my line. When fishing walleye up there, I use frozen shiners since there's no place close to get live bait. I can check my bait without having to move the hole cover or repack snow around it since I have a "swinging" door to let me raise the tip-up.

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Corey Bechtold Veteran

Corey Bechtold

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My uncle and his kids have a great setup for overnight tip-ups. It sounds similar to the doorbell setup. Their tip-ups aren't normal. They are made out of boxes and they keep a candle in them to keep them open all night. A wire is run to the box and when the flag tries to trip inside the box the metal on metal sends a signal back to their house. There are lights on a board to tell which box has a fish. Kinda like the Finicky Fish Factory but a lot cheaper.

I also made my own tip-ups out of a bucket and they are great at keeping the holes open too. I will also run a small candle in there if it is really cold.

Good luck,

Corey Bechtold

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Dogzlife000 Enthusiast

Dogzlife000

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I just had to try that doorbell tipup alarm system. This is what I came up with. Two cable ties and a dime. Flag only comes up just over half way now but it triggers every time and only triggers once instead of constantly ringing.

doorbell.jpg

I would very much like to see pics of other rigging ideas. Just always looking for a better way.

Pete

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