I've tried some ice fishing sites and haven't gotten anywhere. Hoping you guys could help out.

I have a bunch of polar tipups where the flag springs are getting weak. They won't stay vertical when it's windy out. The springs are very difficult to take off the tipup and flag. I would like to just replace the springs.

Has anyone had luck replacing flag springs? Any tricks to taking them off without breaking something or re-enforcing them?

You can check this site to see if they have the parts you looking for

https://heritagetraps.com/collections/tip-up-parts

https://www.fish307.com/40-up-tackle-tip-up-replacement-parts/

Thanks for the sites. I was really hoping to just replace/re-enforce the springs. I have anywhere from 8 to 12 that have weak springs. Buying new flags would be a good chunk of coin. The one site was asking 5.70 for a new flag/spring.

I have heard of guys using the metal piece in old windshield wipers for new flag springs. Never tried it though

I like to fish northern pike with my tip ups. My problem is if I use too large of a minnow, they trip the flag all the time. Is there a solution to that?

Trapper7 bite the top fin of the minnows tail off. He's still pretty active, just not as strong.

Are you using a cross stick type of trap...? What kind of trap are you using ? I have a few tricks

Pinch the tail off with your fingernail. Works good on 8"suckers. Big pike like dead bait too. Used to use whole bloater chubs. VHS rules have made that more difficult.


I have never seen a replacement spring alone for a polar tip up. I have only seen them as a whole flag assembly.

Trapper7 hijacked my thread. LOL.

Clipping the tail will slow the big bait down. They won't have the thrust to trip the flag. Plus they will have that injured look for the pike. Another thing you can do is, I believe lowering the T-bar up will add more resistance. So when the flag is down, instead of being completely horizontal, it would be on a slightly more down angle which will catch more of the Tbar gap and add more tension.

how about cheap down rigger releases like a heavy duty cloths pin that you clip the line too , then it takes a bigger fish to break it free before it can run with your bait and not just the bait running with the line

https://www.amazon.com/Homyl-4-10pc...&hvtargid=pla-569810136928&psc=1

a short leader that wont get caught up in the spool clip the line then the fish has to pull the line out of the clip before running with it.

Maybe you could find a wider spring that would fit around the original? May need to take one off and bring it in to the hardware store and see what fits.

Maybe slide a piece of rubber hose over the spring to strengthen it???

Spring doorstop. Buck apiece.





Charlie

Looks like I'll be checking out some hardware stores carrying a tipup flag. See what I can find. I'll check out rubber tubing. Not sure if will be flexible when temps go below 0, but you never know what is out there till you look.

Thanx.

I'm kinda with the group thinking I'd slide a small spring inside or larger spring over the out side. Agree hose will get pretty stiff when cold.

Mac

My tip ups are Polar brand with the cross that you hook the spring and flag on.

The ones I built, I used the tines off a leaf rake and some are the flat metal wire fish tape that I kinked pulling some 12/3 on a remodel job. Both are strong and wind resistant.

Wind your own.
Lots of guys wind them for home made DPs.
I don't use tip ups so I don't know the spring pressure you are needing but weaker springs can be made from old clothes dryer hose. Or find some old expandable field tile.
just

You need some cross stick traps to fish big bait...then I can show you how to set it up....so the bait does pop your flag