tipup lights

[mrbill]

I'm looking to replace the tipup lights that I'm currently using. They just don't seem to do the job. Hard to see and sometimes don't come on with a flag up. I'd like any and all suggestions. Please email me at bsalli@cpm.com. Thanks for the help. And good fishing to you all!!!

[Dutchman]

Although I stopped using tip ups and started using pop ups, this should work for you too. I take reflective tape and put it on the shaft of the pop up one on the outside shaft and one on the inside strike indicater. So when I see 2 stripes with my flashlight I know I have a strike. You could try placing the reflective tape over your current flag thus allowing you to see at a distance at night whether you've had a strike or not. Cheaper than light type indicaters and the battery's never fail on the reflective tape.... I thought I should add that I use a million candle power hand held light for this.


" Fishing is the pursuit of what is elusive but attainable, a perpetual series of occasions for hope "

[Backwater Eddy]

The tape is a good plan for a few reasons, keeping sleds from crunching the tip-ups is a good one.

I like the Great Bend Glow Bells in conjunction with a reflective flag. You can hear the bells jingle easily in the 150' range that most states require to be legal placement. They are cheap and fun to use on tip-ups day or night.

There are several add on style strike alert systems on the market now, some with light and sound alarms so if your stuck on using more batteries try HT Enterprises they make some of the best I have used.

When you use the jingle bell style alerts keep a extra one in your pocket to Psyche out your fishing partner now and then....jingle...jingle...jingle...."What that?"

:D
Walleyes don't want to find you, go find them...><,GO PIGGY,>

Backwater Eddy......><, ,>

[risor39]

Ht has the light bite tip-ups these are the pop up type.The light is in the tip-up on top of the flag.Very sensitive tip-up.I really like them.

[Mckoz]

I've got homemade lights on all mine but I've been using the 3M reflective tape. The tape is really easy to see - and it is also easy to see the stripes move from vertical to horizontal - no batteries or bulbs to worry about.

The only time I use my lights is when it is foggy (then put in a yellow bulb)

Now, what the heck is a pop-up??

Mike

[walleyeguy]

I use a simple idea of rubber banding a green lighted bobber style glow stick to the shaft of the tipup. Get a small plastic tube( the tubes drill bits and end mills come in works great.) Cut the end off the bottom of the tube so you have a hollow tube. Then just slide it over the glow stick. When you get a hit the flag goes up, the tube falls down the shaft exposing the glow stick. They are easy to see at night.

[Backwater Eddy]

A pop-up is a magnetic tube and rod style strike indicator system that functions much the same as a tip-up, kinda.

The magnets meet up under water on the line spool (one on the bottom of the rod inside the tube and the other on the back of the spool) and when you get a hit the spool turns causing the magnetic field to open allowing the spring loaded orange rod in the tube to pop up indicating a strike.

I have had poor luck with this style as they often will not trip properly, maybe it was just me?

Not the best description but I hope you get the idea how it functions?

[Mckoz]

Thanks for the info - think I've seen em before. Im still trying to figure out all the new toys from last year.

Mike

[BD]

There's some guys on Bago that run speaker wire to a micro switch on their tipups. The wires lead to an alarm panel (light and buzzer setup) in the camper on the back of their pickup. They can sit in the heated camper and play cards while waiting for a strike. I think the fishing is a bonus for them. They are realy out there to play sheepshead.

[Backwater Eddy]

My favorite new ice toy last season was the Finicky Fish Factory heated tip-up box.

Lights, action, a flag, but no HBO, yet.

http://www.fish-factory.com/

This deal is a real set it and wait no fuss rig. I had a lot of good days and nights on the ice with it last winter when it was seriously cold out. It never froze up on me once even at -30 with a 45 mph wind it was working great.

Would make for a great X-mass gift if you trolled enough hints past someone.

:D

Walleyes don't want to find you, go find them...><,GO PIGGY,>

Backwater Eddy......><, ,>

[Dutchman]

When I first tried the pop ups I had the magnets at their strongest point, this made them very hard to release. A friend showed me how to move them apart to make them extremely sensative. After getting them dialed in they work great. Just a little experimenting with the size bait and weight to get it down does the trick. I spray the top with a mist of cooking oil and put a neopreme cover around the hole so they never freeze up. Even in freezing rain..

" Fishing is the pursuit of what is elusive but attainable, a perpetual series of occasions for hope "

[Pitts]

And a good time was had by all. Thats the idea of ice fishing is the sitting and enjoying each others conversation.
I think I would use the 3" glow sticks I got for my planer boards from gottaglow.com. They work good on the boards and 50 of them are only 45$ they are easy to tellif they are lying down or standing on end for the flip up style flags and are bright enough to bait the hook by without a flashlight. Use a rubber band to hold on the flag.

Pitts

[Rick]

go to Radio Shak and get a 1-2 volt LED (they run forever on tiny bat drain),..and are very bright esp the blinking ones,..a single aaa battery holder and a microswitch,,,all should cost about 5 bucks,..get the type that open the circuit when switch is NOT pressed upon,..eEZ to figure out how to attach all to light when the flag goes up,...should be able to see it from > 500 feet,..get yellow if you get much fog/mist,..

[Rick]

PS need to do a little bit of soldering,...