How to Use an HT Polar Tip-up

Instructions

1

Take the HT Polar Tip-up and open it up. To do this, take the flag arm that the bright orange flag is attached to out of its slot in the reel so that it stands up straight. Next, take the reel arm and straighten it out so that it is perpendicular to the base of the tip-up.

2

Lock the reel arm into place by tightening the screw midway. Be alert not to strip this screw; otherwise the reel arm will swing loose when a fish bites. The HT Polar Tip-up can still function in this manner, but it works better if secured correctly.

3

Pull some line from the reel, making sure it goes through the sliding line guide attached above the reel. This guide keeps the line coming off the reel smoothly and straight down, allowing for no tangles or snags when a fish swims away with the bait. Attach a shiner to the hook and let the bait sink down into the hole you have drilled in the ice until the shiner is at the depth you desire.

4

Making sure that no excess line comes off the reel, bend the flag arm over and put the top under the catch mechanism on the upper half of the reel arm. This is a metal piece that gives the reel arm the shape of a lower case "t." When the reel spins, it rotates this mechanism and allows the flag arm to go up. A fish that takes the shiner will trip the flag, letting the ice fishermen see that he has a bite.

5

Lower the HT Polar Tip-up down and over the hole in the ice. The reel arm should be straight and the flag securely under the trip mechanism. As with all tip-ups, set it so that the wind is blowing into the trip mechanism, so that the flag does not blow out from under it. Be careful the tip-up doesn't go off, letting the flag hit you in the face.

6

When the flag goes off, check to see if a fish is on the line. The trip mechanism will be spinning around and around if a fish is taking line, letting you know long before you get to the hole if a fish is running with the shiner. After playing the fish, carefully wrap the line around the reel, being certain not to tangle it. The HT Polar Tip-up is now ready to be used again.