Video: Firefighter Creates Non-freezing Tip-up
OutdoorHub Reporters 12.07.15
When Marty Schramski, a firefighter and avid ice fisherman, first started working on his idea of a multi-function tip-up, he used little more than a traffic cone and cannibalized parts from other tip-ups already on the market. The model he unveiled at St. Paul Ice Fishing and Winter Sports Show was noticeably more polished. Schramski’s Firehouse tip-up may look strange to the eyes, but it boasts a number of features that is sure to interest dedicated fishermen.
“This new generation tip-up is a highly visible tip-up with a high powered LED light, which is visible day or night up to a 1/2 mile, Schramski wrote on Facebook. “No more worrying about your tip-up being run over. Also, no needed extra debris to cover your hole, as this tip-up has freeze protection built in. When you close it up all your hooks are secured and protected inside with a magnet.”
You can watch a demonstration of the tip-up below:
“Family and serving my local fire department are two things I enjoy the most. While ice fishing one day, I had a vision for a tip-up that would solve a lot of the short comings other tip-ups seemed to have. With the support of my family, I was able to dive into this venture head first, launching what is now Firehouse Products, LLC,” Schramski wrote on his company’s website.
The fireman-turned-inventor’s first prototype was crude, bulky, and difficult to transport.
“The second prototype evolved from the orange cone to a more complex, collapsible frame, which solved some of the problems we were looking to address with this product, but introduced others,” Schramski stated. “After some more trial and error, we came up with a product that we truly believe will revolutionize the ice fishing industry. This tip-up goes from functional to fully contained in one quick, easy step, allowing for safe and convenient storage.”
Posted by Firehouse Products LLC on Saturday, October 24, 2015
There are, of course, other insulated tip-ups already on the market. Many anglers also prefer the tried-and-true method of using water spitters made from old coffee cans. Yet Schramski’s invention still drew considerable interest from ice fishermen. However, since it is manufactured locally in the United States and in small quantities, the price for the Firehouse tip-up is higher than many of its competitors. Firehouse Products currently offers the tip-up for $119 on its website.
Is this something that you would buy? Let us know in the comments below.
