Engineering Students Creating a New Fishing Product

Hi all.

My friends and I are in an engineering class for high school and as a group we have decided to try and create a new tip-up like product for ice fishing. We have seen products such as the I-fish pro, automatic fisherman, and Jawjacker, but we want to come up with a new design that is more convenient/practical to use. If anyone has experience with these products or knows about them in any way at all we would love to hear some feedback on what is good/bad about them. 

We are also not completely set in stone on this as a final topic. If anyone has problems they consistently run into while out on the ice (besides not catching fish) we would love to hear about them!

When I think of stuff that has changed fishing, inline planer boards come to mind. Being able to troll with lures spread out far from the boat was a game changer. Tip ups that set the hook for you is up there too but, they are illegal in some states. The new weight shifting casting plugs from Japan that let you cast a mile with the bill of the bait acting like the feathers of a dart and then, with magnets, pull the weight to the front when they hit the water so the lure digs to far greater depths are true engineering marvels. The minnow bubbler tossed in the ice hole didn't cut it keeping the hole open in below zero weather this winter. Make a lithium battery that lasts all day working to keep a hole from freezing up, and you'll get my business. You are wise to bounce ideas off folks that actually sit around on the ice to help you with this stuff.

I'm a big fan of the first design, similar to the I-fish pro. A big issue with the ifish pro is lack of insulation in the base, I see your design fixing this depending on what material you are using.

A magnetic flag release would probably work pretty well if you can make it adjustable somehow. I like using my rod/reel tip ups as a deadstick for panfish so a light release is just as important as a heavy setting for game fish...

Is this something you plan to develop and market to sell as part of your project? I'd be interested in trying out whatever you make next season!

Update:

Based off of our class goals and requirements we have decided on a tip up style product that incorporates a rod and reel design. We want the device to be very portable and use a free spooling flag design. Attached are two images of possible designs. 

The first design is a foldable I-Fish pro type design. The rod arm is very compact and swings into the body for storage. The flag will be able to clip into the body for folding reasons. The one half of the body is equipped with a hinge while the other half is open to allow the line to enter and exit the tip-up. This would easily fit multiple units into a bucket or any other storage method. 

The second design is more along the lines of the automatic fisherman. The rod arm will slide in and out of the base to stay compact during transport. Just like the other design, the flag will be able to store in the down position. this design will store just like a normal tip-up design and easily fit into a bucket. 

Both designs will have a trigger mechanism that we are still open to change. We were possibly thinking something along the lines of magnets, but anything will work. 

If you have any other suggestions or ideas we would be more than happy to hear. 

Thanks

Ifish.     They’re waiting for a call from the AFT.    CARPIO 

Touché.   Lol.    CARPIO 

I think the first one submitted to their question was the worst!

Some of these ideas are beyond DUMB!!

Thank you for asking. Got a C- in shop class and can't pound a nail straight! However, I do fish and love the adventure. I hope you all succeed.

Antifreeze (hole freeze up) is important. Beaver Dam came out with a round one finally. The reason I mention BD is they build a quality product. Don't skimp on hd versus profit.

Sensitivity is also very important. It should be windproof from false trips and a way to block big minnow trips. A drag system that is adjustable.

Automatic features would be nice. A product from the old days called the yo-yo reel comes to mind when setting the hook, even pulling in the catch for you.  Would the WDNR allow you to use it? Suppose it depends on how many hooks used...LOL

Just some thoughts and wish you the best! TIGHT LINES

Boy, Ulbian...you're no fun lol. I hear what you're saying though. Funny how people can spend thousands of dollars on fireworks that leave the ground but technically can't use them. Lots of law breakers out there apparently lol.

But even a sparkler cone/fountain would be a good option. Definitely a new type of strike indicator! 

I like the Schmitty sled idea and think that could be a money maker. Design it to be adjustable width (within reason) and a track type set-up on the runner to move the load fore and aft. Make usable for a small gear sled up to a two person shack.

Shooting fireworks out of a tip-up would be illegal unless it's a sparkler cone or fountain. Anything that leaves the ground or explodes isn't allowed. It would be easy to do something like that but unless you have a fireworks permit you wouldn't be able to use something like it.  

A sled with a front ski that turns has been done and are pretty straightforward to make. Essentially all you'd be doing is adapting the front steering mechanism off of a radio flyer wagon and putting it on a sled.  Not much in terms of developing engineering skills in an academic setting there.  

If you plan on marketing anything you design and build the biggest factor to consider is establishing a price point. If I see an item for sale that I could use on the ice I will see if I can build my own at a fraction of the cost.  Jaw Jackers are $40 a piece. In about 15 minutes I can build one for $4. I cranked out 30 of them in just a few hours in November....and they work just as well if not better than the original. This winter I've been using my own hole covers that have less than $1 worth of materials in them, they pack up and are transported easier than anything on the market, and they work a lot better.  Very simple idea, nothing fancy at all, just a little bit of an understanding of thermodynamics involved. 

Ice anglers are backyard inventors by necessity...  some of us come up with some pretty wacky and unique creations.  A good place to look for ideas or see if ideas have been pursued are the forums on iceshanty.com.  Pages upon pages of homemade inventions are there.  

But....back to the jaw jacker concept.  We are now seeing more and more battery operated jigging mechanisms on tip-ups or on rod holders.  What we don't see is a jaw jacker type contraption that incorporates a wind activated jigging device.  Essentially you'd need to build a rod holder and trigger mechanism that is free to move with the wind without tripping the release....but still have flexibility built into it so you can use heavier baits, different rod actions, etc. It's something I've been kicking around all winter and is on my summer "to do" list.  That seems like something a bit more suited for a high school project since it incorporates a whole bunch of design elements.  

As far as Big Musky's idea for an improved Smitty sled, if you could figure out a way to maybe incorporate front and back skis and allow the front ones to pivot if you need to turn. Not sure of the feasibility, but that's for you smart youngsters to noodle on and figure out.

Regarding the fireworks/mortars going off when a flag goes up, I talked to my buddy last night and he said give him an hour lol. In reality probably not something for this season, but will definitely have a couple ready to go for next season!  Maybe some different ones so you can pinpoint which flag it was based on the sound. Just had an idea! Roman Candles!! That way you have time to figure it out!

262...awesome idea. I've got a buddy who when I tell him about it will be all over rigging something that shoots a mortar up when a flag goes up. I can't wait lol!

I've heard of people using vegetable oil in the hole as a type of eco-friendly anti-freeze but I've never tried it so I'm not sure how effective it actually is or how much is needed.