I don't know about you, but every year about this time I start to think about ice fishing again. We had lights out fishing up here last year for walleyes early, slabs all year, and giant pike. I absolutely cannot wait to hit that first couple inches of ice again and listen to the hum of the vex. Looking forward to another fantastic year of ice fishing here on the border!!
-------------------- Chris Granrud - RainyDaze Guide Service World-Class Walleye, Crappie, Pike & Smallmouth Bass Fishing! Visit RainyDaze Guide Service to book your next adventure!
If Pool 8 is half as good to me this coming ice season as it was the last I'm in for a good time
Just got the tip ups out the other day and I believe it is time to re-lube a couple Beaver Dams.
Put the charger on the LX-5 to throw a little excitement in the battery also......come on ice
-------------------- Bret Clark - IDO Ice Pro Staff "Never take life seriously. Nobody gets out alive anyway."
I have a pile of tip ups around that I use for my guide business, but do not have any Beaver Dams YET. I have heard a lot of good things about them. I have had plenty of problems in past years with internal freezing (TIP UPS)LOL, on cold days. I have heard that the Beaver Dams are very resistent to this happening. There is NOTHING more frustrating than having that big shiner hanging out for Big Walleyes/Pike and finding out that I was stripped without a flag triggered. What is your experience with them???
-------------------- Chris Granrud - RainyDaze Guide Service World-Class Walleye, Crappie, Pike & Smallmouth Bass Fishing! Visit RainyDaze Guide Service to book your next adventure!
I really like my Beaver Dams. I have 4 of them and a dozen cheap plastic ones. They seem to fish a larger bait better than anything I've tried. I got two of mine at a garage sale, when I sent them in to be lubed they told me they were 30 years old and as good as new. When the flag goes you can hear it go twang from a pretty good ways off. I use the black foam hole covers and they stayed open for hours in zero degree F conditions.
I love the beaver dams but as any good equipment they require some maintenance. Every other year I like to heat the spools up so they can be removed and the tube re-lubed. I like to steel wool the spindles and arm on the flag to keep the surfaces smooth so the flag trips easy.
They are a rugged tip up unlike some of the plastic stuff on the market. If they freeze in and onto the ice it is not a problem breaking them loose with a spud without breaking the tip up.
They are a little pricy but IMO worth the extra ching
-------------------- Bret Clark - IDO Ice Pro Staff "Never take life seriously. Nobody gets out alive anyway."
You heat up the center of the spool.........are you doing this with a torch to melt the solder? I have a bunch of beaver dams, and a couple need servicing.....
IMO - they are the smoothest, best tip-up on the market.
Tim
-------------------- I'd rather be in the boat with a drink on the rocks, than in the drink with a boat on the rocks.
Quote: I am sure everybody has heard of a "rain dance"...I have been doing an "ice dance" all summer long...
I understand what you're going through Luke, the other day I was dancing around a fire in my front yard- dressed in my loin cloth, praying that winter comes. July and August are just the dog days of fishing and summer that never seem to end. I hate it when I sweat just thinking about going fishing.
That is one seriously smooth tip-up with usage for Crappies!!! I think I'll have to get on some of those!!! Sounds like Beaver Dam ought to be on this site. Looks like they will be getting some buzz around here!!!.... Or Spins. LOL!!! FLAG!
-------------------- Chris Granrud - RainyDaze Guide Service World-Class Walleye, Crappie, Pike & Smallmouth Bass Fishing! Visit RainyDaze Guide Service to book your next adventure!
Thanks BRet. Yup - the BD tip-ups are smooth enough for crappies.
I rigged lights on mine (too cheap to buy them). Simple LED's from radio shack - a little bit of wire, a battery holder and some solder.........when the flag goes up - a little red glow....not real bright, but good enough to see at night - and only about 2 bucks each ($1 of that is the dang battery holder...)
Tim
-------------------- I'd rather be in the boat with a drink on the rocks, than in the drink with a boat on the rocks.
Another cheap tip up alarm.....mouse traps If it is not a windy night the trap can be set and leaned up against the flag so when it trips the trap falls and goes off. Surprising how loud that snap can be on a still crisp night
-------------------- Bret Clark - IDO Ice Pro Staff "Never take life seriously. Nobody gets out alive anyway."
Hard Water Dreaming??
