Best Ice Fishing Tip Ups for the money in 2020. Tried, tested & reviewed

Ice fishing is one of those things so many people look forward to during those long, cold, dismal months. If you’re located in a state the experiences deep freezes and frozen ice then you’re more than aware of how exciting it can be to get out of the house and experience the outdoors during those cold months.

When it comes to ice fishing there are only a few things you truly need to have a fun and effective ice fishing adventure. For starters you’ll need something to drill a hole in the ice, for this you can either use and electric, gas or hand powered ice auger. You’re going to need some ice fishing bibs to help you stay warm and the addition of an ice fishing shanty will really help to make sure you keep warm and out of the wind.

And, of course you’ll need something to actually catch fish with. Most people know that you’ll be in need of an ice fishing reel and rod combo, but some beginners overlook the fact that they have these things call tip ups. Tip ups allow you to have multiple lines in the water at once meaning you have a higher likelihood of landing a fish.

For those of you who are seasoned anglers you know all to well how effective tip ups can be. So if you’re on the market for tip ups and you’re wondering, “What are the best tip up currently on the market?”, “What’s the best tip up for ice fishing?”, or “What are the best ice fishing pop ups?”, then you’re in luck. Here are our picks of the best tip ups for the money in 2020.

Enjoy Our Reviews of the Best Tip Ups For Ice Fishing

Image	Name	Top Choices	Latest Pricing
	1. Frabill Pro Thermal Round Tip-Up Kit	Our Favorite	Amazon
	2. Frabill 1664 Classic Tip-Up Wooden Boxed	Premium Pick	Amazon
	3. Frabill Arctic Fire Tip Up	Great Value	Amazon
	4. Beaver Dam The Original Tip-Up		Amazon
	5. Frabill Blackhawk Assault Tip-Up		Amazon

Pricing of these Tip Ups For Ice Fishing Range Between $15-$40

Frabill Pro Thermal Round Tip-Up Kit Review

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The Frabill Pro Thermal Round Tip-Up Kit extends to 10 inches. The Original Insulated Tip-Up, it arrives ready to fish. This tip-up is fully enclosed to better protect insulation. It also has a removable spool shaft so it is easy to clean and re-lubricate.

When you purchase this tip-up, it includes line,  a depth finder, line markers and a Lil Shiner tip-up light. Shaft in shaft design allows re-greasing whenever it’s needed.

It does take a little while to figure out the best way to use it for the fishing that you want to do, but once you do, you won’t be able to keep the fish away. For example, to set it correctly, you’ll need to slide the spool all the way down, through the body, after tilting it down into the water.

It has a flag that extends 20”. When you first get this tip-up the parts can be quite stiff so you will need some extra force to keep the flag down. You also need to push the rod down through the round part to lower  the flag and keep it securely down.

This tip-up covers a 10 inch hole and fits in 5-6 gallon bucket. It arrives pre-lubed with sub-zero low temperature lubricant and works brilliantly in harsh conditions. Some may find the line that it comes with to be too thin, however you can replace this with your own.

Pros

•      Fully-enclosed
•      Pre-lubricated
•      Works well even in the coldest temperatures

Cons

•      Instructions can be difficult to figure out
•      Parts will be stiff when they first arrive
•      Line it comes with is thin

Frabill 1664 Classic Tip-Up Wooden Boxed Review

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The Frabill 1664 is a tip-up with a  traditional hardwood design and a 17-1/2″ flag shaft. It is the perfect tip-up for a beginner ice-fisher to get to grips with how they work, and you’ll be catching fish in no time.

It’s pre-lubed with Frabill’s Sub-Zero low-temperature lubricant, and has a shaft-in shaft design for easy re-greasing. It also includes a  removable spool shaft, dual trip settings and ultra glide spool shaft for frictionless free spooling performance.

Made of high-quality wood, this tip-up is good to go right out of the box. One downside is that it doesn’t come with any line, so you have to supply your own for it. It also spins a little too freely for some people but if this is your first tip-up then you’re not going to be disappointed.

While it isn’t the sturdiest tip-up out there, it is still durable and great value for money. This tip-up fits in 5-6 gallon bucket. It arrives pre-lubed with sub-zero low temperature lubricant and works brilliantly in harsh conditions.

Pros

•      Great for a beginner
•      Has sub-zero lubricant
•      High quality wood

Cons

•      Doesn’t come with line
•      Spins too freely

Frabill Arctic Fire Tip Up Review

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The Frabill Arctic Fire Tip Up has a tapered rail design for easy removal from ice. It also features an in built 19″ ruler for fish measurement. With a 17 1/2” flag shaft and a full metal spool, this is a heavier version tip-up for only a small increase in price.

Not only this, but it is very durable and will last for years without any issue. The frame is made of a thick plastic as opposed to wood, which some don’t like, however it doesn’t dampen its performance in the slightest.

This tip up comes pre-lubed with sub-zero lubrication and is designed to keep working even in the harshest of winter conditions. It has a dual trip mechanism with a removable spool shaft for extra easy spooling. Both the spool and the shaft of this tip-up spin very smoothly and don’t freeze up even when it’s 15 below out on the ice.

This tip-up is also very sensitive, perhaps too sensitive for some, when it’s on the lightest setting. This make it perfect for use with smaller fish, which a lot of other models don’t deal well with.

Pros

•      Tapered rail design
•      Heavier version with metal spool
•      Dual trip mechanism
•      Great value for money

Cons

•      Plastic not wood
•      Very sensitive on lightest setting

Beaver Dam The Original Tip-Up Review

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The Beaver Dam Origianal tip-up is without doubt a complete classic. It has been designed, tested and proven to work over the last 50 years and they are still handcrafted and assembled in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin

This tip-up has a 23” pine base that provides stability over wide holes in the ice. Not only this, but it has a freeze-proof lubricant for fail-safe operation in even the coldest of temperatures, Aluminum tube bearings deliver a smooth action and the spinner trigger has tapered and straight trips for use with a wide range of baits. The fabric flag stands at 17.5” and the spring is heavy duty for a quick yet smooth trigger mechanism.

This tip-up is both wind-proof and freeze-proof, with a rod cradle design to insure stroke signalling consistency. It has a brass spool and line guide with a 150ft line capacity. The line spool is smooth, with a simple loop for setting it quickly.

The only issues with the original model is that it doesn’t have some of the modern features that other tip-ups do. For example, it doesn’t have a handle to reel in the line, which can get annoying quickly. It also isn’t possible to remove the line from the line-guide. While this is on the more expensive side for tip-ups, it’s a classic for a reason, and Is the most durable model available.

Pros

•      Tried and tested
•      Wind-proof and freeze-proof
•      Durable
•      Can set it quickly

Cons

•      Expensive
•      No handle to reel in line
•      Can’t remove line from line-guide

Frabill Blackhawk Assault Tip-Up Review

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The Frabill Blackhawk assault tip-up has a bait clip feature and  arrives pre-lubed with sub-zero low temperature lubricant and works brilliantly in harsh conditions.

Not only this, but it has a removable shaft and dual trip settings. While it doesn’t come with line, this tip-up is ready to be used right out of the box, and the spool feeds it freely.

It is a cheaper product, and so the spool is plastic as opposed to metal, however for the most part this has no affect on its performance, it still catches fish! It has an extra durable moulded base and the plastic is solid and durable. It does however mean that it is lighter, and isn’t as durable as some of the sturdier models.

The metal line guides have some rough spots that can snag on brained line, but these can be filed down easily. They are prone to some corrosion. However if you are looking for a cheap tip-up that does the job and can be used for multiple fishing holes at once, then this is still worth considering.

Pros

•      Good value for money
•      Arrives pre-lubricated
•      Lightweight
•      Works well in harsh conditions

Cons

•      Spool is plastic not metal
•      Not as sturdy as other models
•      Metal guide-lines have rough spots