Tip-ups—in their simplest form a spool of line on a stick with a warning flag—remain top tools for presenting baits to catch fish. They work for pike, lake trout, stocked trout, largemouth and smallmouth bass, hybrid stripers, white bass, perch, crappie, and ’gills. It’s no wonder HT Enterprises alone offers a line of over 30 different models that continues to expand and evolve. Let’s take a detailed look at tip-up designs, add-ons, lines, lubes, storage systems, and more.

Reliable Classics

The most dependable tip-ups have a metal tube filled with lubes that ensure the internal spindle turns smoothly, even in extremely cold weather. An underwater spool is attached to the lower end of the tube, with a horizontal trip bar attached to the other end.

Circle Thermals

Holes freeze in frigid weather—tip-ups and all. HT Polar Therm Extreme and Frabill Pro Thermal tip-ups combine a fluid-filled vertical tube with an insulated plastic circle frame that covers 6- to 10-inch holes. Pile snow or slush around the circular frame to help keep the hole free of ice and snow—possibly all day. The HT Polar Therm also features a telescopic flag for visibility, while the new Frabill Lighted Pro Thermal comes rigged with their bright Lil’ Shiner light. This tip-up style also conveniently stacks inside a 5-gallon bucket.

Motion Tip-up

Wind tip-ups, like the HT Windlass, are used to flutter deadbaits for pike and lake trout, but they also keep livebaits active. The spool is mounted to one end of a pivoting frame, with a metal fan mounted to the other end. The angle of the fan can be adjusted to change the amount of movement depending on the bait. The spool, however, rests above the surface so it’s more prone to freezing.

Maine Style

Tip-ups like the HT Maine Trap and Fisherman are simple and inexpensive tip-ups featuring a folding “X” wood or plastic frame that holds the tip-up over the hole, while a vertical stick and spool are beneath the surface. Loosening or tightening a wing nut on the side of the spool adjusts the tension. A spring-loaded flag wire rests in a notch on the vertical stick and is tripped when the spool begins to turn. Some styles, like the Jig-A-Whopper Mammoth tip-up, feature large reels that allow you to crank about 1 foot per turn.

Tubular Tripod

Tubular tripod styles work well for all fish and are exceptional for panfish. Two magnets—one on the line spool and another on the bottom of the spring-loaded strike-indicator flagstick—are the heart of the operation. The spring-loaded magnetic system holds the strike-indicator stick down inside the tube and the line spool in place until you get a strike. The adjustable tension spring can be set to trigger even when small panfish bite.

Auto-set Tip-ups

(Editor’s Note: These may not be legal in some states, such as Minnesota.)

1) To load this tip-up, the Slammer uses the natural flex of your rod, the specially designed slammer arm, and an adjustable open-coil rod-holder. Bites release the arm, sending the rod tip up, hooking the fish, while a flag simultaneously pops up. The company recommends using a 5-foot light-action spinning rod. Popular for trout on the Great Lakes, the Slammer works on all fish.

2) When a fish bites on an Automatic Ice Fisherman, a bobber on the line between the guides is pulled up and eventually nudges the steel trigger shaft near the tip, causing the rod to fling up and set the hook. Setting the drag to match the rod flex allows the system to fight the fish until you get your mitts on things.

3) When the fish strikes the bait, the spring-loaded Hook-Set Tip-Up automatically sets the hook firmly in the mouth of the fish. Three settings on the main shaft allow you to adjust set-power.

Specialty Tip-up

Clam Corporation’s Arctic Warrior features the same flag-flying bite-detection system as a tip-up, but allows anglers to fight fish with a rod and reel.

Tip-Up Storage

HT’s Tip-up Ice Rod Tote (TOTE-1) features a tough denier material with pouches for three tip-ups, rods, and a small tackle box. Their Tip-up Tube (TUT-5) stores most styles of tip-ups. Ready Rig’s Tip-Up Cases (available in two styles) store tip-ups and essential gear, too. The Plano #682-006 DEEP Tool Box is big enough (26" x 11" x 11.38") to store most tip-up models and features two small utility boxes on top for terminal tackle.

Build Your Own Tip-Up Storage Bucket

Five and 7-gallon buckets are perfect for hauling tackle boxes, fish, rods, bait, sonar, and tip-ups. Tip-ups tossed in a bucket, though, are prone to tangle. Here’s a sure-fire way to organize your tip-ups using your favorite pickle pail.

Supplies:

drill

drill bit

hacksaw

rivet gun

rivets

light 4-inch PVC pipe

5- or 7-gallon bucket

1) Measure depth of bucket.

2) Cut PVC pipe to match depth.

3) Drill (two holes per tube) through the bucket and tubes, then pop rivet tight.

Line

HT has a new Polar Ice line available in a variety of colors including red. Nylon line from HT Enterprises (and other companies) and teflon-coated Dacron ice line from Gudebrod don’t absorb water, thereby preventing the line from freezing. Berkley makes 20-, 30-, and 40-pound tip-up line, and anglers also have been spooling up with 80- and 100-pound superlines like Spiderwire, Berkley FireLine, and Big Game Braid.

Lube

Low temperature lubricants, most of which prevent freezing down to -60°F, can be used with tip-ups, reels, and other ice-fishing products.

Action-Activated Lights

Add-on tip-up lights feature gravity on-off switches that are triggered when flags fly. The HT Nightstar has two light settings (hi-viz green and ultra bright orange), while Frabill’s new Lil’ Shiner has a bright red LED light that’s easy to see in the dark.

Sirens, Beepers, & Pagers

When a fish bite triggers the Frabill Arctic Siren, expect an effective eruption of eight loud, alternating sounds and six bright red LED lights. A three-setting switch allows for lights only, or lights and sound together.

Strike Sensor Transmitters fit most tip-ups and can beep a pager from 100 yards (multiple transmitters can be monitored with one pager). Use their Custom Hard-Side Carrying Case to hold one pager and six transmitters.