Heritage Lakers vs. Jack Traps

I have to say, up front, that I think either the Heritage Laker or the Jack Trap are what hardcore Maine ice-fishermen all want to fish with.

I recently listened to a couple of my buddies go back and forth on the issue, and neither really seemed to come out on top. However, let me point out, nobody uses the Frabill Polar Therms or the low-lying thermal type traps up here. Even on good days, snow blows over the top of them.

Sure, they're great for keeping your holes clean, but what good does that do you if you can't find them in the snow, or the flag doesn't go up because it's buried? Worse yet, how many times are your buddies gonna run over them before you just give up on those little buggers.

Let me give an honorable mention to the HT Hardwater series, sometimes I even think I prefer the drag screws on these budget tip-ups over the Lakers. And the "Frontier Tip-Up" I think by HT is nearly the same size as the Laker.

Be prepared, though, with either the Frontiers or the Lakers if you purchase the unfinished trap, polyurethane them, that way, the wood won't expand and contract when they get a little moisture on them. I actually knew a guy who ruined a whole set of Lakers just overdrying them by his wood stove.

If you're in Maine and looking to respool this year, Marden's has HT Polar Braid for $2.99/spool of 100 yards. It comes in 20-50 lb in multiple colors. Buy it up! Good luck on the ice.