I had an early christmas at the landfill this morning. I pulled in next to a guy who was about to throw some rods onto the pile, so I asked if I could have them to use for repair parts. So he started handing me stuff, I got a downrigger rod (looks to me to be custom) 4 ice rods,a 39" fish measuring board, a line winder box, a minnow bucket aerator,a 12 foot long minnow seine,all these in perfect shape. Most of a downrigger, a crossman bb gun(works after some oil) and 2 things that I can't identify,that I think have something to do with ice fishing...They are long dowels with a handle on top,a sharp metal spike on the bottom, and two smaller dowels sticking out,looks to me to wind line around, and a small metal eye on the end by the spike. does anyone know what these things are?

those wooden dowels with metal spike on bottom , you have two of them with a rope tied on to them ,hang them around your neck . If you fall through the ice you use them to pull your self out .Good safety device.Hope this helps. ken

Jeff,
I think you hit the nail on the head with the 'thing'. Sound exactly like what you thought it might be. I 'inhereted' a couple from my late father in law. It's simply an ice fishing 'stick'. The spike is thrust to the ice and the dowels simply hold the wrapped line.
I can't get my head around the 'handle' at the top you mention?
Sometimes there might be a small round reel (line holder really) where the dowels are.

Sounds like this guy had a bad day on the lake. Maybe fell through the ice or something. Consider it a good find and an interesting 'study'. I could use that minnow seine, in case you don't want it. Is that 'downrigger' rod a metal with a sort of loop on one end. I think it might be an 'old geezer's' model or something. Some, I think were used for wire line. I ran into a customer here in the store this summer who describe such a short metal 'rod' (term loosely used). Sounds more of a commercial application.

I use to know an old guy who called his trips to the dump as 'visiting K-mart; . Never know what you'de end up with finding some valuable 'antiques'. I've rarely been lucky enough than to have a crow fly over...and well that's another story.

Rich

Yes, its for ice fishing. Its just a cheap way to keep track of your line. You handline the fish. You wind the line around the two little dowels for storing the line. Just unwind what you need to get your bait down to the fish and enough slack to set the hook on a fish. Not sure why some of those have a handle. Both of mine do. Makes it a little easier to stab it into the ice.