I'm hoping someone can tell me what these are called. I've never seen them before. Thanks!

Looks like some type of home made downrigger

Looks like a tip-up. 

Looks like some type of home made downrigger

I'd second that.

Its a homemade tip-up.

 

It is used for ice fishing, the arm is extended over the hole and the line goes through an eye on the arm and down the hole. When a fish strikes he pulls line and triggers the flag to go up (you can see the flat wire at the top). You come over, grab the line from under the arm and yank, then pull it through the hole. 

That makes sense. Never seen tipups like that. Just the bridge kind. I'm not big on hard water fishing.

There is a reason you do not see them like that anymore. The spools freeze, the line freezes, and they just flat out do not work when it is below freezing. 

 

They are pretty cool though.