When an ice fisherman gets one on the line, a red flag known as a tip-up signals a fish has taken the baited hook dangling in the chilly water below the ice. Ice fishing, however, is still fishing, which means there's a lot of waiting.

Waiting inside an ice shanty, sitting on a hunk of ice with wind chills that regularly drop well below zero, gives a man time to ponder. It gives a man time to conceive a winter festival and name it after that little red flag ice fishermen spend hours watching, waiting for it to tip.

Tip-Up Town USA began 54 years ago out on the frozen ice of Houghton Lake, Mich. Today it's the third largest winter festival in the United States with most activities taking place along the shoreline of Houghton Lake. More than 50,000 people are expected to attend the four-day event, which takes place over two weekends in January.

A fishing contest is a large part of the annual event, with anglers taking home prizes for catching the largest walleye, northern pike, bluegill, sunfish or crappie, to name a few. Winners are announced on Sunday afternoons both weekends.

"They've been catching a great quantity of fish," says Mike Rankin, director of the local chamber of commerce. He recommends prospective ice fishermen dress using plenty of layers of clothing to keep warm out on the ice. But he's willing to give up the big secret to catching the one worthy of a good fish story. "I find if you hold your tongue out the left corner of your mouth, you're going to catch a lot more fish," he suggests. It worked for his nephew who hooked a walleye just seconds after Rankin offered this advice. But the advice comes with a warning too.

"He got so excited he almost bit his tongue off," Rankin said. "He was bleeding quite badly, but he got the fish."

Fishing isn't the only activity at Tip-Up Town. After all, anglers need a way to warm up after sitting out on the ice. A rousing game of softball on ice can warm things up. There's also turkey bowling (using frozen turkeys), redneck horseshoes (with toilet seats), bed racing, and more tame amusements like a scavenger hunt, amusement rides, and fireworks.

If an ice fisherman finds he's getting a bit too warm after a lively game of turkey bowling, he can always take a dip in the lake. The polar bear dip brings out a couple hundred brave souls every year to jump into the chilly waters of Houghton Lake even if a hole has to be cut in ice three feet thick to do it. "The more snow we have, the more people we have," says Georgetta Garner, who helps Rankin organize the event. Cold weather makes the event more popular with visitors, but isn't a requirement. "Usually good old Mother Nature cooperates with us," Garner says.

Basic Info

What: 54th annual Tip-Up Town USA
When: January 17Ð18 and January 24 - 25
Where: The shoreline of Houghton Lake in Houghton Lake, Mich.
Nearest TA: Saginaw TA, I-75, Exit 144; 84 miles
Cost: $5 badge gives you entry to all events both weekends
Find out more: (989) 366-5644 or go to www.houghtonlakechamber.org/tip.html