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...that I have seen pro bird dog trainers use for this exact same situation.
First don't ever try to wrestle the object away from the dog because they think you are playing and it only reinforces the tug of war behavior. The technique to get the dog to let go is to first make then dog sit, then grab it by the ear and give a firm and quick twist, while saying "drop it" until the dog voluntarily lets go. Not enough to make the dog squeel or hurt it, but just enough to get it's attention. However, as with any dog training technique, it's probably best to consult a pro before doing anything to radical.
Another thought, if the dog has already associated the ball with tug of war, maybe try switching to a different object like a "bird" training dummy. Also get the dog good and worn out before trying to training it too much. Swimming the dog is an excellent way to do this and labs love to swim.
Also, I've always heard the pros say never to use food for training. Among other things the dog will quickly become wise to when you're not packing a treat (they can smell) and will loose interest in being compliant.
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Not a dog trainer, but here is one technique... New 
BoaterTalk 
