What Tip Up to use?

[iCanoe]

Never tried tip-ups. Which is the best? Also type of line to use mono/braided... thanks.

[Slade247]

I like using those Frabill insulated things, bright orange they are supposed to keep the hole from freezing up. Can't say I have had the best luck on them this year but anyways. I use that black braided line with a little mono right before the leader. I use that because I have seen that a couple times on here so I just went with it.

[BuckKiller]

I really don't have one that I prefer over another, except when its cold... then you want one that covers the hole so freezing doesn't set in as fast.

As for line it really doesn't make a difference, just use one that doesn't hold as much water, such as mono or that black tip-up line.

[mrfish1991]

the orange disk frabill ones do work pretty well...i dont fish with tipups much but when i do i use the black braid icefishing line with about a 2-3 foot mono leader and a jig

[Bigslugger]

I used tip up line and a 5 ft, 65lb power pro leader. Then there is no need for the steel leader

As for tip ups I really don't think there is a good or bad on. As long as it has a metal spool you should be fine

[mnguy152]

i use black tip up line then put on about a 4ft mono leader on the end . I use the frabill with a hole cover on it

[hartner62]

I used tip up line and a 5 ft, 65lb power pro leader. Then there is no need for the steel leader

As for tip ups I really don't think there is a good or bad on. As long as it has a metal spool you should be fine

I wouldn't be so sure about not needing a leader with the 65lb power pro. I have lost two fish already this year because I thought the same thing that you do. I thought it was enough but northerns have razors for teeth.

[Bigslugger]

My bad, I used the 65 pound on my rattle reel.

I have 100lb on my tip up

[pdk511]

I used tip up line and a 5 ft, 65lb power pro leader. Then there is no need for the steel leader

As for tip ups I really don't think there is a good or bad on. As long as it has a metal spool you should be fine

u would prolly want some type of metal leader bucause 100 lb wont stop teeth

[mrfish1991]

He never said he was pike fishing with the tipups

But yes a steel leader is food for pike but mono is fine for eyes

[Cold_blood]

i have a 65lb leader attached to the rigs i make myself and haven't lost a nord yet you just gotta make sure your watchin the flag cuz if it swallows it thats when you get in trouble with the leader and the leader doesn't have to be that long i make them bout 12-16" long cuz sometimes i'm only fishing them right under the ice but have the black tip up line and some thermal tip ups from first ice

[&JAG]

Beaver Dam Tip-ups by far the smoothest bar none and a heavy leader. I like to use mono or floro for a leader instead of steel just for the stealth factor.

[DonBo]

Another vote for the Arctic Beaver Dam. Far and away the finest tip-up made. They are expensive, but well worth it.

Mine are over 20 years old and still work like the day they were new. No other tip-up out there can claim the same.

[BKB]

I may be a little bias because I grew up in Beaver Dam but there is no better tip up out there, I still have one of the old green ones that I got from my Gramps, not exactly sure how old it is but I still use it and performs flawlessly. One of those you get what you pay for in my opinion.

[gardn184]

Hands down go with the beaver dams, they're the smoothest tip-up on the market. My dad bought 4 of them when he was in college(back when the dinosaurs were around) and I'm still using them. Plus Beaver Dam offers excellent customer service and tip up repair.

[TMauer14]

Beaver Dam all the way.

[Drewski]

Beaver dam!

[snoozebutton]

Another vote for Beaver Dams. Been using them for more than 40 years. I use a braided nylon with a 3 or 4 foot leader of mono on them.

[Steve Foss]

iCanoe, what type of fish are you going to target? Walleyes, pike, crappies, lakers? All of the above?

I target lakers a lot, and I need a bigger spool because they'll really sprint away sometimes, so then I go with a standard Polar HT with the high-volume spool. That one gets 20 lb mono and a 14 lb fluoro leader. For 'eyes/crappies, I have a small Frabill with smaller spool that I keep 10 lb mono on with a 6-ft fluoro leader. For pike I use the round insulated Frabills and spool with 50 lb fireline with a sevenstrand wire leader on the end.

When I'm using any tipup but the round Frabills or similar that completely cover the hole, I add a round closed-cell foam hole cover you can buy for $5. Make a really big difference in cold weather when it comes to holes icing over.

You can get one tip-up to do multiple duty by spooling it with 14 lb mono and then swapping out leaders, using wire leader for pike, lighter fluoro for 'eyes and crappies. The Beaver Dams are darn good tip-ups, but I haven't priced them lately. They used to be a good bit more expensive than the simple Polar HT tip-ups.

I generally prefer mono over braid because of how a lot of braids soak up water and freeze stiff when you're fighting the fish. I use a limp mono like Trilene XL so it doesn't kink/coil up so bad in the cold.

[Quetico]

I agree with Steve when it comes to limp lines. I hate dealing with stiff and high memories lines on the ice. I'm trying out Berkly Vanish this winter and liking. Those black vinyl clad lines are the worse because they are extremely high in memory.

Go with the beaver dams. They are my personal favorite.

[B-man715]

I have owned at least one of every major brand of tip up made today. Beaver Dams are the most durable (I own 2), BUT they (and every tip-up of that design are a pain in the a$$). I like a tip-up that packs away easy, won't freeze over, has a line winder, big minnow clip, tackle storage for leaders/weights, won't trip from the wind and a cork for your hook to stay put. FRABILL THERMAL TIP-UPS deliver all of this and more! They are plastic and foam, so 3 years of use from me is about all they get, but they are the most user friendly tip-ups available. You can stack 3 of them on top of your minnow bucket in a five gallon pail. I have friends that have home-made tip up carrier things for their beaver dams, that take up 1/2 a car trunk or 1/4 of their truck bed!! I just laugh when all I carry out is a bucket and auger and they need a sled just to pull their tip-ups around