Homemade Ice Fishing Stuff

Crobar, was the bell used on the rubber band set lines that were used off piers in Lake Michigan for perch? Seem to remember fishing with my Dad that way and him using one of those bells.

Never really understood how that rubber band set line worked but obviously it did.

Both items from late 50’s-60’s the cork ice fishing other gizmo has a bell inside ,for summer. Both used on hand lines dollar bill just for reference on size. Haven’t used them since that era....but thats all we had....an exciting when we got a bite...hint cork used in deep water...any guesses?  An. Yes I know the answer

Polski, I've done that with my BDs too, but the trick is to remember to make the cut between 10:00 and 2:00 so the line doesn't slide out. I can tell you from experience that 7:30 does not work well.  

Another modification I did to my BD tipups was adding a marker to them. I sure many of us use a stick, board or some kind of marker next to our tipups so you and others can see where your tipup is and it doesn't get ran over.

I added a marker right on to the bolt thats already on the tipup. I used an aluminum bar I had but any kind or wood or even a heavy duty paint mixing stick would work. It's always there and folds down flat when not in use. Painted a bright color and added some reflective tape.

The comment a few post back about Beaver Dam tipups and re-spooling the line made me think about a modification I made to mine probably 20 years ago. The thing with these tipups is the cast iron (or brass) ring the line runs through and the fact that you can't just slip the line out of the ring to make rewinding easier.

I simply took a hack saw and cut a slot in the top part of it. Now the line is easy to take out and doesn't affect how the line pays off the bottom of the ring. Works great and has for a long time.

Wimped out on fishing this past weekend with the cold front. Instead I got ready for the best time of year. 16 new tip downs to the fleet. Found a wholesaler for the HT Rods at $7.78/rod. All in cost with hardware around $9.25/unit. Time to rip some lips!

Try the crown method Unreel. 

Just need to empty two bottles of Crown and put your heater on them. Wont feel the cold anymore!

Someone was asking bout my smitty? Yes it could have a shack on the sled, I just don't. Only a wind break.

Regarding the mat for a Buddy Heater. I had issues with my heater starting to melt the bottom of my shanty and also with melting ice under it when placed directly on the ice. I use a rack that comes with pizza stones as a holder. Works great, it is light, and hardly takes up any room in a bucket or sled. Problem solved.

Was so sick of spooling up tip-ups / and reeling up line after getting a fish when it is cold by hand using that winding tool that Beaver Dam sells so we decided to make an adapter for a Milwaukee M12 drill on the mill. Just got our first two prototypes done that we made from aluminum and man does it save time spooling up all my tip ups with new line!