Great, now you got yourself a hole in the ice. Now what?
You might be tempted to start fishing that hole, but with a fishing tip up, you can fish more holes. More ice fishing holes means more fish and more fish makes us happy.
Now the question is, which tip ups are the best ones?
In this post, we are going to discuss what are the best ice fishing tip ups so that you will catch more fish.
The following models have been selected based on 3 criteria; affordability, durability, and visibility.
After all, what good is a tip up if you can’t tell if you have a fish or not.
The Best Ice Fishing Tip Ups 2020 – My Top 5 Picks
Here is a quick preview of the tip-ups that we are going to take a closer look at in this post.
- Polar Therm Extreme
- Frabill Blackhawk Assault
- 40-Up Tackle Tip Up
- HT Enterprise Lady Pink
- RodMaster Ice Fishing
For an in-depth closer look at each model, please keep reading below.
Polar Therm Extreme
The first to add to our list of the best ice fishing tip-ups is the Polar Therm Extreme.
The reason we chose this tip-up is because of the lid. This lid goes over your fishing over very nicely keeping it insulating and preventing the hole from getting ice build-up.
One of the best features of this device, as you can see, is the flag’s visibility.
It is bright orange equipped with a 22-inch flag, making it extremely easy to see against a white snowy backdrop. Thus you can be assured that when fishing with the Polar Therm Extreme, there will be no doubts whether you have a fish on or not.
It is also equipped with a freeze-proof trip mechanism. No more losing fish because the tip up fails to go off.
Lastly, it is easy to store and transport. You can stack up to 5 in a single 6-gallon bucket.
This easy to store and transports design makes it extremely easy to bring them with you when ice fishing or you can store them when you are off the ice.
Frabill Blackhawk Assault
The next ice-fishing tip-up we are going to take a closer look at is the Frabill Blackhawk Assault.
I know what you are thinking, it is just a simple design what makes it so special to be included on this list?
And that is exactly what I like most the Frabill Blackhawk.
The fact that it is a simple design is what sets it apart from its competition and the reason why we have included it here on our list.
Sometimes companies over complicate things by giving a simple device a ton of features. And it is when these cool but unnecessary features break that we get frustrated.
This can also be true with ice fishing gear.
Remember we are going to be fishing in very cold weather. Sometimes the more complicated things are, the easier they can break or stop working.
When it is cold, simple just works.
This particular model is very straightforward and easy to use.
It has a durable bottom ensuring you that it will last many more ice fishing seasons to come. It does come pre-lubed with a sub-zero temperature grease to ensure that it will go off every time.
That being said, I would definitely recommend checking the lube before going out on the ice, especially when going on the ice for the first time of the year.
Keep in mind that you may need to re-lubricate it every ice fishing season depending on the usage.
40-Up Tackle
Are you planning on fishing in deep snow and need a really long flag to get your attention?
If so, the 40-Up Tackle Tip Up might just be the answer for you. This model is made out of wood designed to sit on top of the ice fishing hole.
While the previous 2 models would fall under the more expensive category, this one would fall under a more affordable ice fishing tip-up.
So if you are more of a casual ice fisherman and only hit the ice once in a while, this might be the perfect option.
On the other hand, if you are on the ice every weekend, you may want to choose something that is more durable and will last longer.
As you can see from the picture, the design of this tip-up is a little different from the previous two, however, what we like most is the flag. It is equipped with a 26-inch flag.
Yes, you read that correctly 26 inches. It works great when fishing in deep snow.
If you are looking for something even bigger, they have a 40-inch flag, and you can learn more about it by following the link here.
It nicely collapses making it easy to store and transport.
HT Enterprise Lady Pink
Are you trying to convince your wife or girlfriend to go ice fishing? Get her a pink ice-fishing tip-up, such as the HT Enterprise Lady Pink. Tell her you bought it for her and she just might join you on the ice.
While this device is much like the Frabill Blackhawk what I like about it, strangely enough, is the unique color.
But it is pink!
Let’s back up here, I didn’t say I liked the color, I said I liked that it is a unique color. Yes, it is pink, but that is what makes it unique.
This is what you want especially when fishing with your buddies. Having a hard time telling your tip-ups from your buddies? Then get a pink one.
There will be no doubt which one is yours. Let’s talk about the specs.
Much like the Blackhawk, it comes with a durable base. It also has a decent flag. It does come pre-lubed but as we mentioned earlier always check it before going out on the ice.
RodMaster
The last model on the list of the best ice fishing tip-ups is probably one of the most unique.
It is the RodMaster Ice Fishing Tip-Up.
Now, most tips up have a spool attached to the bottom. What this means is that when you catch a fish you have to use your hands to land the fish.
There is nothing wrong with that approach, but there has got to be a simpler way to do it, right?
That is what I like about the rodmaster’s approach.
What I like about this particular model is that you can use your favorite rod and favorite ice reel. Simply connect them to the device and it will let you know when there is a fish on.
Another great feature is that it has a spot for two ice fishing rods, this will allow you to fish two ice fishing holes at the same time.
You no longer need to buy two separate tip-ups when you can just by the RodMaster and fish two holes at once.
Learn more about how this system works in the following video:
Final Thoughts…
There you have it! Our list of the best ice fishing tip-ups. We would love to hear your thoughts. Please share with us what you think in the comment section below.
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