# Slammer question



## Mitch (Jan 10, 2003)

I am considering making my own slammers. I have my design planned out but I'm not quite sure how the tripping mechanism works. I'm sure there's more than one way to set it up but Im just looking for someone who might have some to get me going in the right direction. Any tips or suggestions are greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance, Mitch


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## Whit1 (Apr 27, 2001)

Mitch,
Welcome to this ever expanding boat of Michigan Sportsman. I know that Danno9 on this site has made his own slammers. Look his name up in Members and you can send him a PM.


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## bigberniegb (Dec 2, 2001)

Mitch the tripping mechanism is a 1/2 inch closed eye hook.Then a 1inch ring is placed on the closed eye hook. All this is placed on the virtical board that holdes up the Ugly Stick 5.5ft fishing pole.Attached to the top hooks is a rubberband that is attached to another 1/2inch open eye hook .With the but of the pole in the pole holder and the second eye on the fishing pole slighty bent .Hold the one inch out and hook it to the bent eye hole. The Slammer is now riged.Make shure your line ,minnow and weight is all ready set.The Slammer can be dangerious . If the ring is tripped the fishing pole springs up real fast.So watch your eyes.God only gave us two and it only takes one mistake to loose them. If need be you can E-Mail me you'll be able to find my e-mail address on this site. Or their web site is www.hometown.aol.com/slamcoinc/index.html/


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## Matt Schalk (Dec 20, 2000)

Just curious as to how much time, money and effort you are putting into making your own "slammer-like" ice fishing devices. What are you planning to use as a rod holder?? I hope it's not some kind of tube style ....

Are you making it "custom built" to fit your particular rod?? What happens during temperature and pressure changes and the coeffecient of volumetric expansion comes into play?? How do you plan on making adjustments to compensate?? If you break your rod in your car door and can't find one "exactly" the same ... are you gonna make a new tripper, whip-up, or thing-a-ma-jig to match your new rod??

Good luck not breaking any rods and I hope you don't poke your eye out.

REAL trademarked Slammer Tip-Up Kits (a.k.a. Slammers) with the copyrighted blueprints and instructions, hardware, redesigned for 2002 Slamco coil spring rod-holder, flags and even the rubber bands are available at 

www.slammertipup.com


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## jpollman (Jan 14, 2001)

Mitch,
I agree with Matt.

Just order a couple of the "Real things". They're inexpensive and EASY to make ! I did a couple this year and it's a piece of cake.
I went a little overboard and used really nice wood and sanded and finished them with an exterior spar varnish to make them last. But if you just use cheap 1x4 they'll work fine for years I'm sure. You get EVERYTHING you need except for the wood. It's MUCH easier that way.


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## Mitch (Jan 10, 2003)

Matt, 

Just wondering why you are discouraging me from making my own slammers. From where I sit it could be for two reasons

The first reason is that you could be sincerely concerned for my safety and well being. If this is the case, Thank you for the concern and the warning is duely noted.

The second might be that it's much easier to send you, the president of Slamco Inc, a check and get them from you. Personally I think the gratification of catching fish on something I designed and manufactured is much greater than going to the store and getting what everyone else has.

You seemed concerned that if I broke my rod I would have to make a new rig to fit the new rod. Why would I have to do this I'll just make it adjustable to fit all rods, seems simple enough to me.

I don't want to steal your design, I want to design my own I was just asking for some direction. Why would I use your design when I can make it better. How does the old saying go? Ah yes "Anything you can do I can do better."

If my attempt at this shall fail my order and check for a couple of your contraptions will be in the mail. Please don't wait by the mailbox.

Have a nice day, Mitch


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## jpollman (Jan 14, 2001)

Boy Mitch.....

So much for "designing your own". Matt did A LOT of work in R&D on HIS design. Doesn't sound like he's "discouraging" you from "designing your own". If you've got a design that works, have at it. But your original post looks to me like you're asking how Matts work. (Maybe I'm wrong but that's what it looks like to me) If you've got your own design, go ahead and test/develop/use it. If you can "build a better mousetrap", go ahead. All I can say is that Matts work very well and are very reasonable in price.

Just my .02


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## bigberniegb (Dec 2, 2001)

Mitch you can buy just the hardware and the kit will have a diagram on how to build it. I bought one complete tip-up and three hardware kits. There's nothing wrong with designing your own.Look how many times the phonograph,telephone and the radio has been redeveloped. Just remember that some inventions has pattens and copy rights to protect from the sale of someones ideas.


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## Matt Schalk (Dec 20, 2000)

Mitch ...

For one thing - you are not making "Slammers" ... the name is trademarked. I've heard many names for "similar' devices (i.e. Whip-Ups, Trippers, Snap-Ups, Pop-Ups, Doo-Hickies, etc. - most have specific designs). Please figure out something creative to call your thing-a-ma-jiggies so others don't confuse them with the real thing. 

I'm more concerned for the fishing poles' safety than anything, I hate to see broken rods and have seen MANY by people making and trying to rig and use their own devices. I watched my buddy Rich's (who designed the "ring-release" used on Slammers) cousins from Chicago snap 3 rods in one day trying to get them to work in their "Rod-snappers" that they fabricated up.

About the rod-holder issue. I've seen almost everyone who's made their own devices use either PVC or aluminum tubing. There's a number of reasons why NOT to use a tube style rod-holder when it gets below freezing. If you're going to BUY a rod-holder - most retail for much more than what a Slammer Tip-Up Kit retails for and are designed for warm water fishing. Slamco rod-holders are DESIGNED for ice-fishing with Slammers.

I really am interested in how much time, money and effort people put into making their own ice-fishing devices similar to Slammers.I'm also interested in how much time and effort people put into assembling their Slammer Tip-Up Kits. All I get is positive feedback on how easy they were to build by following the instructions and prints.

As far as a tripping mechanism goes - there's many different types of downrigger and planer board releases that should work for "your" design.


www.slammertipup.com


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## Hamilton Reef (Jan 20, 2000)

Mitch, The home made units work just fine on White Lake including the much cheeper and simpler designs using coat hanger triggers and a wide variety of rod holders. Go ahead and make your own custom units. The fun of using your own custom rod, lures, boats, flies, and equipment is a big part of fishing.


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## plugger (Aug 8, 2001)

If you need to buy any rods for use in your device 5ft ugly sticks work awesome for me. I do some icredible things with them and havent broken 1 yet.


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## MSUICEMAN (Jan 9, 2002)

I saw at gander mountain the other day a spiral wire rod holder that seemed similar to the one used on genuine slammer tipups. If i remember correctly, they have a hex shaft, so i would imagine it wouldn't be hard to weld to, or mount it to a particular design you have in mind. I would agree with not using PVC, as I have seen even pretty thick walled PVC shatter when its really cold outside. I have a couple designs in mind for a similar homemade item, but its probably gonna take several design/build/test possible break procedures to get it the way i want exactly. I also agree with the ugly stick rods, my dad has put all his through hell and they are still together somehow. Once I get my design down, i will buy a few extras as backups just in case..... Please don't infringe on another person's design, its way more fun to come up with your own!


Steve


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## ozzgood2001 (Feb 15, 2003)

oh its alrite to make a knock off. whats the prob its done everyday. your website slammertipup says so itself the whip up has been around longer. yes designed for a specific pole, but nonetheless your patent is a knockoff with a better design. now would i try to do it...no..ill order mine but hey ya wanna do it yourself feel the accomplishment more power to ya!!! 
p.s. i should have my order in the mail soon....


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## Matt Schalk (Dec 20, 2000)

For Tom and everyone or anyone else interested,

If they're not using REAL Slammer Tip-Ups on White Lake - then most, if not all, of the "knock-off" contraptions the steelie fishermen on White Lake are using are either copies of Slammer Tip-Ups or copied after some of the prototypes Brian, Richie, and I used out there in the early '90's (i.e. old Charlie's almost EXACT copies of my "no-moving-parts" Hooksetters he made the day after he saw me out there with mine). And most of the guys' take-offs do NOT "work just fine" - I've been out there - I've seen them. Just like on Saturday of the Perch Festival this year when this guy's "doo-hickey" goes-off and his too-short of arm doesn't fall down because of improper hinge placement, use of a spring that froze up, and lack of on-ice maintenance. The only reasons he landed the fish were because he had a light enough drag, the fish ran steadily, and the bag was down it's throat - also only a 2 pound fish. I saw way too many wind-trips that day too from people improperly setting up their devices. Those of us fishing Slammer Tip-Ups didn't have a problem other than the fish not being there.

I have YET to see an original flexed rod/rod-holder/tip-up design that isn't a knock-off of a Slammer Tip-Up or a Slammer prototype EXCEPT for copies of Trippers (with the pivot release) which were possibly derived from Whip-Ups (with the fall-away release). The Fishin' Buddy Device doesn't really count because it is an automatic mechanically hook-setting rod holder. The Arctic Warrior is basically a rod-holder with a flag, as is the goofy little plastic thing that clips to your bucket - the one with the pink plastic bubble for a flag (forgot the name) - I'd be scared to lose a rod with the last two - have to keep the bail open or drag too loose. The ONLY "idea" we used from Trippers was a vertical arm (which on a Slammer - has "other" uses - Wig-Jiggers coming soon) to hold the release. The pressures put on the bent-over rod and release mechanisms are TOTALLY different. The Slammer Tip-Up is an original design and not a knock-off of a Tripper or Whip-Up.

I'd love to find out (maybe no one will admit to it) who origianally came up with the Whip-Up or who the original designer of the "Tripper" (or who thought of the pivot release) was. Quote from Rich Maciag: "I've seen more people with stupid Trippers get broken off when the fish hits this year than ever". 

We began making our prototypes to what eventually became the Slammer Tip-Up BEFORE we'd ever seen a Tripper or heard of a Whip-Up. The "Richie Ring Release" designed by Rich Maciag (who still uses custom built "Aluma-Slammers" - many design flaws but they're darn near indesrtructible) was originally connected with a string (i.e. Brian Bialik's "String-Ringers). The idea for a hinged arm (wider, shorter, and with more functions than a Tripper's) to hold the release DID came from Doug Gruno of Ludington who had Trippers that he copied from Charlie, who copied them from someone on Pentwater Lake, etc ... etc ... THe ORIGINAL rod-holders that came with the first production run of Slammer Tip-Ups were made by Brent Robbins of Virgil's Steelhead and Salmon Tackle Specialties but were soon replaced due to design flaws. The rod-holders used today are a design adaptation from Joe Calkin's Jo-Boy rod-holders that didn't work too well for trolling. All of the other designs and design improvements that went into what is now a Slammer Tip-Up (a.k.a. Slammer) came from myself. I wanted more adjustability for using different rods in the same unit with different release tensions and to be able to adjust for different temperatures and conditions - such as fishing live bait for pike, walleye, perch - other than just fishing spawn or wigglers for steelhead. I wanted it to be stable enough so there's no way a fish can take your rod or tip it over on the ice (you have to secure Slammers to something when using them "off-ice"). I designed them to fold-up for easier transport with removable flags and rod-holder that store in the arm. I also wanted it to be virtually "untrippable" unless a fish hits. Tested in winds to 40+ MPH and you can grab the rod in the holder when set and try to get it out with no release - will survive "most" snowball hits too.

I alone didn't invent "Slammers" and I beleive in giving credit where credit is due.

Slammer Tip-Ups used to be available as a complete "ready-to-fish" unit made of quality Michigan poplar or pine. My buddy, Greg St .Amour, who is a professional commercial wood-worker did some of the first production runs of the wood used in Slammer Tip-Ups. But one of the comments I heard most was, "I can build something like that myself if I had all of the hardware and a rod-holder" ... soooooo NOW Slammer Tip-Ups are only offered in a kit form that includes all of the hardware, an orange and green flag, a rod-holder, and set-up and construction directions along with illustrations and blueprints. You just have to provide the wood and put it together. And if you can't put it together and make it work then you probably shouldn't be fishing with it - you should probably get someone to rig your equipment and tie your knots too. 

IN 1995 an article by Mike Gnatkowski about Slammer Tip-Ups appeared in IN-Fisherman magazine. Along with that article was an illustration of a Slammer. F.Y.I. - the dimensions given in that article are wrong and that design was outdated before the magazine ever went to print.

Some of the "old-time" steelhead fishermen on Pentwater and P.M. Lakes still use Trippers or "Tripper-style" devices that someone copied from someone else, and they copied it from another, etc ... etc ... But many have converted their old Trippers to make them more "slammer-like" and unfortunately do NOT take into consideration the physics of what is taking place with their rod, their device, the release and what happens when a fish hits. This means broken rods, snapped lines and lost fish.

If you are going to invest all of the time, money, and effort to copy someone else's idea or device or if you try to build your own equipment - PLEASE take the time to think about what you are doing and be careful with your stuff so you don't hurt yourself or break any rods. If you want to "Slammer-fish" and want to save time, money, and a BIG hassle - then get a Slammer Tip-Up Kit. 

"If it's not a Slammer Tip-Up from Slamco - then it's not a Slammer"

www.slammertipup.com


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## Mitch (Jan 10, 2003)

Fellas,

Thanks guys for all the great suggestions. I'm beginning to think that the idea of buying them might be the way to go. On the other hand we didn't go from driving Model Ts to driving Cadillacs by being content with what's available.

Matt, Please understand that I have no intentions of ruffling your feathers. I don't doubt for a split second the time you have invested in your product and I commend you for your accomplishment. As for using the Slammer name, I sincerely appologize. I had no idea that it was a trademarked name, I thought it was just a general setup for this type of fishing. My bad. Also the history summary is very interesting.

Plugger, I just got back from Gander Mountain with a few 5.5 footers. They should work great. Thanks for the tip.

Thanks once again for all the help, Mitch


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## plugger (Aug 8, 2001)

Matt were you one of the guys on PM lake that had the 209 shotshell primers in their slammers? This was pobably 10 yrs ago, it was pretty neat!


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## Hamilton Reef (Jan 20, 2000)

The violators on White Lake like to use what ever their buddies use.


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## Matt Schalk (Dec 20, 2000)

to Plugger and whoever else cares,

Yes - I have a couple rigged to fire off a #209 primer and you probably did see them on P.M. Lake a number of years ago. I have a 12 ga. Mec reloader and took some used 3" high brass shells (which are a pain to reload) and cut off the plastic so just the base was left. I used the primer-popper tool on the reloader to pop out the spent primers and then reloaded fresh primers into the casing. The main reason I did this was for ease of use - easier to grab the bigger primer/base than trying to fish around for just the 209's themselves - especially if you drop one in the snow.

I made the firing pin by grinding down a bolt and attaching it to the slammer-arm. Where the pin landed on the base was where I drilled a 3/4"?? hole to fit the "cap". The fish hits ... arm comes down ... BOOM!!!! It isn't completely "fool-proof" since the "firing-pin" doesn't always hit EXACTLY on-center and works probably around 70% of the time

I've seen guys add metal plates and other things to their Slammer arms and bases to give a louder "SLAM" when it goes off. Joe Redman even put a car alarm siren on his (helps to be an engineering electrician).

Here's what I use now: - my wife bought me a Strike Sensor alarm pager the year before last for Christmas and another sending unit this Christmas. The Slammer goes off and "BEEP .. BEEP .. BEEP .. BEEP ...." goes the pager in my pocket. The sending unit and pager also have bright red lights that signal a hit too. Makes it easier to take naps while sittin' in the truck waiting for a hit.

Many of the old steelie fishermen using tripper-style devices relied on the arm (which is usually taller than a slammer - different physics) falling down as the only thing to signal a release. One of the first things that went into the prototypes was a signalling flag - the first being made out of a straightened coat-hanger with red prism tape for a flag. Slammer Tip-Up Kits now come with fluorescent orange and chartreuse flags. If you hide your flag behind a mound of slush/ice/snow when your Slammer's set - you'll notice it from a mile away if it goes up with a release. For night fishing we've attached cyalume glow sticks to the flags.

Back to the guy from the Perch Festival on White Lake - his arm was too short on his device to pull up his flag which was buried in the snow. The only was he knew he had a fish on was because his rig was close enough to Kevin Moore and I for us to see the rod bouncing and we yelled at him.

Here's a tip - don't set your Slammers, Trippers, Ludington Bammers, or whatever you fab'd up too far away from where you are sitting or on the other side of a slush field or bad ice, etc.. so that you can't get to them within a couple of seconds. You don't walk to a Slammer Tip-Up like you would a normal tip-up - RUN!! The fish is ON and cranking your rod and taking line.

Any other questions?? Hole covers?? Wind activated jigging add-ons?? BTW - you CAN use Slammers to catch other fish than just steelhead. I don't go after walleyes much but some of the guys I know who do, and use their Slammers, say it's about the best deal for dead-sticking there is. They call it "undead-sticking" since the Slammer "comes to life from the dead" when a fish hits.

"If it's not a Slammer Tip-Up from Slamco - then it's not a Slammer"


www.slammertipup.com


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