Ice-Fishing Product Preview: Frabill Snow Shoe Tip-Up

This Tip-Up’s Tops
Frabill’s Snow Shoe Tip-Up a veritable lucky rabbit’s foot in deep snow

Plano, IL – Ice fishing in some snow-belt regions can get downright daunting, even difficult. Thick snow blankets the hoarfrost, making hole to hole travel an adventure in itself, let alone finding the right fishing equipment to handle the knee-deep bog of white frozen fun.

Still today, in places where schools don’t close except during the most severe sub-zero blizzard conditions, snowshoes are standard issue. These webbed strapped-to-a-boot’s-underbelly devices—thought to have gotten their start in Asia 6000-plus years ago—keep trekkers “floating” on top of deep snows rather than dropping crotch deep.

Anglers who ice fish in these realms face additional challenges as much of today’s gear, the tip-up included, surrender to such snowfall. But the designers at Frabill—leader in ice-fishing gear and apparel—saw the need for deep-snow specificity and created the Snow Shoe Tip-Up.

“Frabill’s done a great job crafting this tip-up for anglers who have to deal with deep snow,” says Ice-Fishing Guide Brian “Bro” Brosdahl, who’s based out of Minnesota’s near snowfall record-holding Grand Rapids area. “The Snow Shoe Tip-Up stays put, even when sitting on top of fresh and fluffy snow, making it easy to see when a fish has grabbed the bait and tripped the flag.”

Molded into a heavy-duty composite snowshoe-like shape, the “webbing” pattern formed within the Snow Shoe’s base allows it to nearly levitate over deep snow or slush surrounding a freshly drilled or chiseled hole. This allows easy visibility of the flag when a fish inhales the bait and also prevents the apparatus from freezing in – a chore to remove when it’s dark and time to head for home.

The Snow Shoe’s base is also perfect for large predator fish, as it cannot teeter and slip down a hole, even massive 10-inch borings. Likewise, the extra-large 200-yard capacity spool makes it doubly effective on the quick 100-yard dashes of big toothy critters. But it’s also great for light biters, as the device’s duel trip settings and Ultra Glide super-smooth shaft system and friction-free spool won’t alert picky eaters that they’ve been nabbed. Further insurance for real-world ice conditions, the shaft system comes pre-filled with Frabill’s exclusive Sub-Zero lube.

Like an armada flagship, the Snow Shoe flies an extra-large flag atop the longer-than-the-norm 17.5-inch flag arm, which allows anglers to see when it’s tripped from afar. And when day’s done, the Snow Shoe folds up simply and neatly, its unique compact shape allowing for several to be placed in a Sit-N-Fish and carried back to shore tangle-free.

Up to the challenge of ice-fishing in snow country? The Snow Shoe Tip-Up will stay atop the snow so you can stay on top of your game.

Tight lines,