Let’s talk tip-ups
MAINELY OUTDOORS
Winter is a tough period for Aroostook outdoorsmen. Spring, summer and especially fall offer a wide variety of cast and blast options throughout the Crown of Maine. Snow season, however, limits gunners to snowshoe hare and coyote as quarry and anglers to ice fishing. Hard water fishing adds cold weather, wind, snow and thick ice to the normal challenges of fooling a favorite finned quarry to bite at bait.
Although jigging a hand line with small lures or cut bait works well for smelt, perch and the occasional game fish, traps, also called tip-ups, are the most productive style of ice angling to land a bragging size trout, salmon, togue and muskie. Sports can drill holes, set out tip-ups and then retreat to a warm fish shanty, shoreline camp or even a nearby pickup to wait for a flag.
Other than lots of warm clothes, fresh, lively minnows and patience, a top rate model of fishing trap is essential to quick, easy set out and pick up, as well as successfully playing good-sized game fish. Newcomers to ice angling, or even experienced fishermen who haven’t upgraded gear in awhile, will find quite a selection of tip-ups to choose from. Let me describe some desirable features to consider when shopping for new ice fishing traps.
I like a tall trap. As the winter progresses, snow cover builds up on the ice and it’s often necessary to shovel a hole to the ice surface before drilling. An 18- to 24-inch high tip up with at least a 12-inch flag arm will show up in the deepest snow, even out to 100 yards. Early in the season or for holes within 25 yards, 12- to 16-inch traps are acceptable, and they do fold up for easy storage and transport.
Tip ups built of plastic or other synthetic materials stand up to water and snow exposure for years, but become brittle and crack or break if not handled with care under extremely frigid conditions. Wooden traps are very durable and moisture resistant when painted, stained or treated with a repellent such as linseed oil. Some traps are painted orange to show up in the snow to prevent being lost, left behind or run over by passing snowmobiles. Plastic does weigh a bit less than wood, but when backpacking only a dozen traps the difference is negligible.
Since ice drillers never know when they’ll set out the hook on a trophy fish, a strong dependable reel is crucial. Top quality reels should hold between one and two hundred yards of line and have a good-sized center arbor for faster retrieval of line. An adjustable drag with controls large enough to adjust with cold fingers or while wearing gloves is preferred. Metal reels outlast plastic, but are colder to handle.
Flag release mechanisms vary greatly, so experiment with several models of tip-ups to see how easily they deploy a flag when a fish strikes. Also, consider how ice buildup will affect the trip release and if the lever and arm can withstand the abuse of travel, banging around in a bucket or knapsack and being regularly pulled through ice that builds up in the fishing hole. Release and flag arm malfunctions lead to fish striking and killing or stealing bait with no flag, rendering the trap useless until checked.
Speaking of flags, black or dark green show up far better than red or orange against a white background. Larger flags, at least 3-inches by 3-inches aid visual pick up and heavy plastic or durable cloth flags stand up to abuse better. Some newer models use light closed cell foam as a strike alert. Tip and Spin brand traps have a five-inch foam flag orange on one side and black on the opposite, that actually spins as a fish takes out line and the reel turns. Such direct drive tip-ups allow an angler to see that a fish is still on and taking line as he makes his way to the trap.
Another new innovation is a trap that is round like a thick Frisbee and fits over the fishing hole to slow freeze up and keep blowing snow out of the opening. The reel and flag staff rotate flat for travel and lock vertical for fishing. There are even a couple of styles of tip ups that use counter weights and the slightest wind to give the line a continuous up and down jigging motion. Interesting options for those looking to experiment, but cost escalates and there are more mechanisms to malfunction.
Contrast and compare at least a half dozen models and styles of ice tip ups before making a final selection. Jack traps are one of my tried and true models and they are manufactured right here in Maine. Indian Hill ice traps and Heritage traps are two other brands that truly stand out, and stand up to heavy use and cold weather elements for decades, not just years. Check them out online or at a local sporting goods shop.
Durability, visibility, and simplicity of operation are prime requisites of the perfect tip-up. Don’t be cheap, the difference between a five dollar trap and a $15 trap is very obvious and worth the extra money for longevity alone. Chose carefully and not only will your tip ups last for years, but your fish per flag ratio will be high and your frustration with malfunctioning tip ups low. The new ice fishing season opens at the start of the New Year, so better start doing a bit of shopping now if you’re in the market for new tipups.
