Tip Ups?

I have a few junk tip ups (HT I believe) that never really worked and would like to replace them. I’ve always used the regular style, but would be open to the disc style ones. What do you recommend for brand and/or style? Mainly used for walleye and occasionally pike.

Never tried them, but these intrigue me: https://jacktraps.com/

I have a few round orange Frabill insulated ones and I like them, they store compact and easy and will slow your hole from icing up in colder temps. Make sure they’re dry and free of ice before stacking and storing them, though. The springs on a couple of mine rusted out because I neglected to do this. Just take care of them and they’ll last you forever. I also was gifted a beaver dam tip-up, I only have one in my collection but that’s my favorite of the traditional style. Built really solid; steel spool/components, composite solid frame and it’s my favorite of the bunch.

I run the regular style beaver dams and then a round piece of foam for insulation. Easy as it gets and they store nice. I have round ones to but they are bulky and hard to store.

I have 2 of the finicky foolers and really really like them. Allows you to use a rod. Not a traditional tip up I guess, but they work really well.
Otherwise the orange Frabil round one I used in the past, but I gave them all away after getting the finicky foolers.

These things have caught my eye, I think I might pick up a couple this year
https://fishhousesupply.com/fire-house-folding-tip-up-orange/

X2 on the Beaver Dams. One is over 30 years old and still works like new. Work well if you fish 10 inch holes.

-J.

I’m hooked on the Frabill thermals, everything stows away nice, i can get 6 in 5 gallon bucket which is handy at pickup and setting. Also helps a ton with the hole icing over. Various brands in that 15-20 dollar range, so i don’t feel bad about throwing away and replacing them.

Ralph Wiggum wrote:

Never tried them, but these intrigue me: https://jacktraps.com/

I really like the jack traps I have. They are expensive but very well built. For light biting walleyes I haven’t found a better tip up.

I have used the round Frabils in the past and after a few years, the spools/shafts became very stiff and would not spin very well.

I have went back to the standard style tipup, use the Frabil Arctic Fire ones (yellow plastic frame with a ruler up to 18in on the side) with a foam hole cover. The shaft on mine were a bit stiff at first, but they are able to be taken apart and lubed easily (unlike Beaver Dams). I lube them up as needed (normally its once every 1 to 2 seasons)

I know a few guys that have bought Beaver Dams in the past 3 to 5 years and each has said that the new ones are not as good as the older ones, the shafts leak after a year or 2 and the only fix is to order new shafts from Beaver Dam

Hard to beat a beaver dam. Best spool on a tip up and you can set it up to either be a hair trigger or hold large sucker minnows.

Dustin Tichy wrote:

These things have caught my eye, I think I might pick up a couple this year
https://fishhousesupply.com/fire-house-folding-tip-up-orange/

I could see these freezing in and plastic breaking when chipping them out.

If your fishing tip-ups when it’s dark I like the Fire-house. You can see them a mile away.

I use a frabill “classic” (beaver damn knockoff) for warmer weather and inside shacks. I like the insulated round ones, any brand really, because they pack away nicely inside a 5 gal pail.

The round frabils the last couple years are junk, my older ones are still great. For 10$ more you can buy the insulated beaver dams…

I would not give a round thermal tip up to my worst enemy. It’d be too cruel. In all seriousness, the ones I had were the worst things I’ve ever used.

The spools spun nicely. It was just the trip tab and spring flag required too much force to set off. No matter how light I set them it was still too hard to trip for walleye. Pike would probably be fine. I gave mine away.

I use the black HT tip ups with an insulated disk with great success. You can set them super light and even in real cold conditions they won’t freeze in.

https://www.cabelas.com/shop/en/ht-enterprises-the-original-polar-tip-up?ds_e=GOOGLE&ds_c=Shop%7CGeneric%7CAllProducts%7CHigh%7CSSCCatchAll&gclid=CjwKCAiAiML-BRAAEiwAuWVggt5HHi9qRUrBOvQFy8-8Ujd2YVSrdwzVITWgQvxs8tSCcp2e0poTeRoCc0UQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

I’m sure Beaver Dams would be equally as good, if not better. I just prefer the smaller plastic ones.

Beaver Dam for sure! Silky smooth spool even when cold. Built tough.

Any minute now the ultimate tip-up man will make his annual visit…lol

I’m another fan of beaver dams. Mines fairly old and it’s never had an issue. Hopefully they still make them like they used too!

Beaver dam. Hands down. I have the older ones. 70s and 80s. Nothing better. If you see those come around grab them.

grubson wrote:

Never tried them, but these intrigue me:

I really like the jack traps I have. They are expensive but very well built. For light biting I haven’t found a better tip up.

X2. The Jack Traps are awesome to use!

Boy it’s tough to beat the dependable beaver dam. I have one from my dad in the 70’s. Components are cheap to buy. They are rebuildable. They fit in a L&M soft bag. It’s easy to hang lights on them. I can get them for $35 at the local bait shop. Buy or make some decent hole covers and your set.

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Bigpike,
I’m curious where you buy your Beaverdam components from? I’ve accumulated 18 of them over the years. Half of them work great. The other half have been abused and have bent shaft/spindle/spools. I haven’t been successful in trying to straighten them. Was wondering if it is possible to replace and how much it would cost. Thanks for any info you can provide.

bigpike wrote:

Boy it’s tough to beat the dependable beaver dam. I have one from my dad in the 70’s. Components are cheap to buy. They are rebuildable. They fit in a L&M soft bag. It’s easy to hang lights on them. I can get them for $35 at the local bait shop. Buy or make some decent hole covers and your set.

Thats the same bag I put mine in. And I also agree. Great tip up and very dependable.

I’ve been using the round thermal Frabill tip ups for the past few years. I have not had much success with them (maybe it’s user error). I have a classic Beaver Dam and hole insulator pad on delivery. Lots of people are loyal to BD on these types of forums and that’s what sold me.

What? This is IDO and not a single thing about the big/bulky/plastic contraption that is the ifish pro? Wow!
Personally I love Artic Warrior tip ups. Almost the only clam product worth talking about. Get to use rod and pack very nicely in side pouch of rod bad.

Red Eye wrote:

What? This is IDO and not a single thing about the big/bulky/plastic contraption that is the ifish pro? Wow!
Personally I love Artic Warrior tip ups. Almost the only clam product worth talking about. Get to use rod and pack very nicely in side pouch of rod bad.

LOL everyone I know who bought ifish pro regrets it big time. They sure look like a pain in the butt, but I have no first hand experience.

The Frabill Classic I mentioned above is identical to a Beaver dam and I would argue of the same quality. it might even be made by BD and branded as Frabill? Not sure. Love it. Wish I had 3 more of them

KPE wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Red Eye wrote:</div>
What? This is IDO and not a single thing about the big/bulky/plastic contraption that is the ifish pro? Wow!
Personally I love Artic Warrior tip ups. Almost the only clam product worth talking about. Get to use rod and pack very nicely in side pouch of rod bad.

LOL everyone I know who bought ifish pro regrets it big time. They sure look like a pain in the butt, but I have no first hand experience.

I sold my 3 after a few outings. I did not like them at all. I did like the idea of rod and reel but though the I fish pro was awful to use.

I always thought the HT Windlass was kind of a neat idea. My buddy has one and when we run tip-ups together, it’s usually good for a flag or two. I don’t have a ton of experience with them but could see how a lighter bait could benefit from some movement when walleye fishing.

Both styles(stick and round) have their pros and cons. Another plus to the round ones that is often overlooked, is they block out the light which helps in certain situations

Ralph Wiggum wrote:

Never tried them, but these intrigue me: https://jacktraps.com/

The only thing I don’t like about those is the lack of a spindle that turns to show if the fish is taking line.

I found these and really like them. When the flag goes up you can see them for a mile.