Ice free fishing line signal device

An ice fishing device, including: a base, the base defining an aperture; a reel connected to the base; a pulley disposal to the reel and connected to the base; an ice removal coil disposed distal to the reel, fishing line connected to the reel and disposed about the pulley; mechanism for indicating a fish, the indicating mechanism connected to the base and in operable communication with the pulley; mechanism for heating, the heating mechanism being sized to be snugly received within the aperture, being contained in the aperture, being supported by the base, being electrically powered, being selectively removable, and being a bobber; and mechanism for regulating the heat.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
This invention relates to devices for ice fishing and more particularly to 
ice fishing poles that prevent ice build-up on the fishing line and in the 
fishing hole. 
Anglers have so enjoyed their sport that they have developed methods of 
resolving adverse weather problems. Winter angling in the north has 
problems related to the cold. Anglers developed ice fishing poles called 
tip-ups so that the angler can watch the pole for activity from a distance 
(preferably from inside a warm shelter). The tip-up includes a base 
portion sized larger than the hole, a reel, fishing line and a flag or 
indicator. When the fish strikes, the flag tips upwardly and signals the 
fisherman. The reel allows for the free release of line until the angler 
sets the hook and starts retrieving the line. The tip-up is a popular 
fishing device, but use of tip-ups has draw backs. 
Tip-ups developed problems relating to the cold. Particularly, ice builds 
up on the line and in the reel. The ice prevents the smooth release or 
retrieval of line, which can result in lost opportunities to catch fish. 
To solve this problem the reel was positioned below the water surface 
where any ice build-up would not likely occur and any that would occur 
when the reel was out of the water, would thaw. An underwater reel 
required the angler to stick a hand into the frigid water prior to setting 
the hook. This results in cold and wet hands of the angler. 
What is needed is a tip-up with a reel disposed above the water with method 
for keeping the hole and line free of ice. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention is an ice fishing device, including a base that 
defines an aperture, a reel connected to the base, fishing line connected 
to the reel, mechanism for indicating a fish which is connected to the 
base and in communication with the reel, and mechanism for heating that is 
contained in the aperture and supported by the base. The indicating 
mechanism preferably includes a flag. The device is preferably less dense 
than water such that it floats if it inadvertently falls into the hole. 
Suitable materials for construction of the device include wood and 
plastic. 
The device may further include a pulley and an ice removal coil both 
positioned distal to the reel. The fishing line connected to the reel, 
passes about the pulley and through the ice removal coil before entering 
the water. The pulley preferably includes a tapered surface that acts on 
the mechanism for indicating a fish. 
The heating mechanism preferably defines a channel through which the 
fishing line passes distal to the reel. The heating mechanism is 
electrically powered. Such electrical power may be from a storage site 
such as a battery. The heating mechanism may be selectively removable and 
also function as a bobber. The heating device may be supported above the 
surface of water, but within a distance sufficiently close for the heating 
device to keep the hole clear of ice. The heat may be regulated. 
The present invention further includes a method of ice fishing. A hole is 
carved in an ice covered body of water, such as a lake or river. A tip-up 
with bait is arranged with the bait passing through the hole and lowered 
into the water. The tip-up is positioned such that a heater portion of the 
tip-up, preferably electronic, is turned on and positioned to keep the 
hole thawed. The heater may be powered with stored electrical power such 
as a battery. The temperature of the tip-up is regulated. The tip-up is 
monitored for fish activity. The heater portion of the tip-up may be 
removed from the tip-up and used as a bobber. The fishing line may be 
reeled in through an ice removal coil, freeing the line of any remaining 
ice prior to entry into a reel portion of the tip-up.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
Referring to the drawings, the device herein is indicated generally by the 
reference numeral 10. With particular attention to FIGS. 1 and 3, said 
device comprises a base plate 12 which may be formed of any suitable 
fairly light weight rigid material such as wood or plastic. Said base is 
an elongated plate member having a rear end portion 14 having a handle 15 
projecting rearwardly thereof and having an angled offset portion 16 
extending forwardly thereof having a cut out portion 17 therein and 
forming an end portion 19 having an angled keeper 20 upstanding therefrom, 
said keeper here being shown having a forwardly projecting ledge 21 
extending transversely of said base member and forming a retaining member. 
Said cut out portion 17 forms a fairly narrow neck portion 18. 
Removably mounted on said base member just forward of said handle 15 is a 
conventional type of reel 25 retained by a bracket 27 here shown formed as 
a transverse strap having an upwardly upset central portion 27a receiving 
the forward portion 25a of the mounting plate 25 of said reel and a 
slotted rear retaining plate 28 overlies the rear extension 25b of said 
mounting plate and is secured by a thumb screw 29. The slot indicated by 
28a permits the plate 28 upon being loosened to be withdrawn sufficiently 
for the removal of the reel 25. 
Upstandingly upon said neck portion 18 is a support block 30 having a shaft 
32 journaled therein extending transversely thereof to have a pulley 35 
mounted thereon, said pulley being substantially in alignment with said 
reel. Said pulley projects over said cut out portion 17. Said pulley has a 
v-groove 36 thereabout. The outer end face 38 of said pulley is slanted or 
cammed to provide an outer surface which is angled such as at 30.degree.. 
Said shaft is secured by a coiled spring retainer 32a and is spaced from 
said block 30 by a spacer 32b. 
Mounted upon said base plate 12 forward of said reel 25 is a post 40 and 
upstanding therefrom connected thereto by a coiled spring sleeve 41 is a 
spring rod 42 having a flag 47 mounted onto its upper end 42a. 
With reference to FIGS. 4 and 5, the face 38 of said pulley 35 has a 
receding portion of its face 38a and a projecting portion thereof 38b. 
The reel 25 is equipped with a fishing line 25a. 
In operating position, the fishing line is readied to drop into a body of 
water for fishing purposes and preparatory to so doing, the line at an 
appropriate distance from its baited end is wound once or twice around the 
groove 36 of pulley 35. Then the baited end is dropped into the body of 
water. Next the rod 42 is bent forwardly at its spring sleeve 41 and is 
retained under the keeper 20. In this position of the rod 42, the face 38 
of said pulley 35 is rotated to have its receding portion 38a uppermost. 
The face 38 of said pulley is so angled that there is a clear access line 
for said rod to be engaged under said keeper 20. However, the angle of 
said face of said pulley is such that upon rotation of said pulley, the 
face portion 38b in moving upwardly will nudge or displace said rod 
sufficiently to move it outwardly from under the keeper 20, to release it 
to spring upwardly with the flag at the upper end thereof alerting the 
fisherman that there is a fish biting on his line. 
The cut out portion 17 as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 preferably is sized to 
snugly receive a heating device 50, but may be sized in virtually any 
shape suitable for supporting the heating device 50. The heating device 50 
is bottom supported on a shelf 52 and may be retained by a plurality of 
sides 54, 56, and 58 which cooperatively define the cut out portion 17. 
The side may form a portion of a rectangle as shown, form a shape similar 
to the heating device 50 or may form virtually any other geometric shape. 
The shelf 52 as shown in FIG. 7 may be relatively thin. The shelf needs to 
be strong enough to support the weight of the heating device 50, while 
still holding the heating device 50 close enough to the water when the 
invention 10 is laid across the surface of the ice. Preferably, the 
heating device 50 is held within approximately 1 inch of the water 
surface. Such distance, however is determined in part by the heat output 
of the heat device 50. The shelf 52 should also be sized to expose a 
substantial amount of the lower surface 60 of the heat device 50, while 
snugly receiving the heat device 50 in a gap 63 in the cut out portion 17 
(as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3). A lateral width of between 1/4 and 1/2 inch 
is preferred. 
The heating device 50 is preferably similar, accept as provided herein, to 
the bobber disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,540,009, which is incorporated 
herein by reference, and is also issued to the present inventor. The 
heating device 50 of the present invention, however, has a lower surface 
60 which is designed and constructed to release heat as it is designed to 
prevent ice from forming in an ice fishing hole with or without being 
disposed in the water. The fishing line 25a may drop through a center 
channel 62 in the heating device 50 such that the line 25a is free to move 
through the channel 62 in either direction. The channel 62 may be 
constructed to release heat preventing ice build-up on the line 25a, 
although such is substantially unnecessary as the line 25a is exposed to 
the heat from the lower surface 60 of the heat device 50. The heating 
device 50 may be built into the fishing device 10 and fixedly secured 
thereto in an alternate embodiment. 
A gap 63 in the cut out portion 17 (identified in FIGS. 1 and 3) may be 
sized for horizontal release of the heating device 50 from the fishing 
device 10. Alternatively, the heating device 50 may be selectively 
removable in a vertical fashion with a gap 63 sized to allow horizontal 
movement of the line 25a therethrough. The heating device 50 may then be 
allowed to rest in the water and be used as a bobber as described in the 
U.S. Pat. No.5,540,009. The heating device 50 may include an on/off switch 
64. 
The width of the device 10 is preferably sized to cover of nearly cover a 
fishing hole when the device 10 is laid across the ice. Such a width 
allows the device 10 to block wind from blowing across the open water, 
which leads to early freeze-up of the hole. Typically the holes carved in 
the ice are six (6) inches to eight (8) inches in diameter. 
The invention 10 preferably also includes a coil 66 fixedly mounted 
relative to the base plate 12. The coil 66 snugly, but not tightly 
receives the line 25a between the spirals. The coil 66 is preferably 
mounted such that the line 25a must bend to reach the pulley 35. The 
purpose of the coil 66 is to remove any ice that collects on the line 25a. 
All parts of the present invention may be made from wood or polymer. The 
preferred polymer is polypropylene. The line 25a may also be made of the 
same polymer. Such polymer has a beneficial characteristic in that ice may 
form about the plastic, but cannot attach to it. The base plate 12 may be 
made of a structural foam. 
It will of course be understood that various changes may be made in the 
form, details, arrangement and proportions of the product without 
departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.