Friday

Historic Ice Fishing Tip-Ups

4 Tip-Ups are family heirlooms from West Central Wisconsin.





Ice fishing Tip-Ups (also called Traps) are devices that allow the semi-unattended fishing of ice holes. Most Tip-Ups feature a flag or other device that signals a fish has taken the bait.




E-Z WIND
FORT ATKINSON, WIS.














The Mystery Tip-Up




Having been fully disassembled, this Mystery Tip-Up features mass manufactured components, a chromed, flat reel seat, a Pflueger reel, but no other makings.





The author can only hypothesize about The Mystery Tip-Up’s operation.



Here The Mystery Tip-Up is shown rigged similar to the many designs by Leo R. Burg of West Bend, Wisconsin or Peter M. Joyal of Methuen, Mass. Both had many patents for reel style Tip-Ups, Tip-Downs and Traps which featured flat spring flags actuated by the crank knobs of reels.



The Mystery Tip-Up reel is marked:
Pflueger
TRUMP
TRADE MARK
NO.1943
MADE IN U.S.A
(E.A. Pflueger Company Akron Ohio)




The Arctic Fisherman
BEAVER DAM, WIS.



Shown is an Original, 1960’s (not a reproduction/reissue) Arctic Fisherman Tip-Up painted in Duck Boat Green.






Thursday

Frankenstick: Mixed-up Rod and Reel Combos | Submit your Photos

 



There is a secret world of ice fishing poles; ugly, makeshift rigs that are hardly shown anymore.





Once the norm, homespun fishing poles seem lost in today’s abundance of glitzy, high-tech combos.  





These are the author’s only Ice Rods and include:
unknown, hollow fiberglass blanks, Lakco style ice fishing stick (handle), hockey tape, reflective tape, furniture leg tip, paracord, Shakespeare ALPHA 28/35 GRAPHITE reel (old), Lock-on rod stand, cocktail fork handles and an unmarked Schooley style ice reel.




Please send in photos of your Frankenstick, if you have one, for this ongoing, community anthology.