How would you set up a tip-up for panfish

i’ve only set tip-ups rigged for walleye,bass,and northern. any suggestions would help.

I wish we could watch the old IDO episodes, maybe some day soon. there was one on Tip Downs for Crappies. This is the way to go for panfish, if you do not know what a Tip Down is, here is a few links.

If you have any further questions on using them let me know.

This is my son catching a crappie.

Here is a northern being caught, they do not have a safety line connecting the pole to the base which I would recommend after losing a few poles down the hole!!

Also very effective at night.

In addition to the tip downs, the “Windles or wind jiggers” have been good to me. Ice jig and meat on a mono tippet has been a good perch and crappie method.

If I was to use a regular tip up would you just put a small hook with grubs on it?

First time I seen tip downs used was on the Lauderdale Chain(Middle Lake)in SE WI.They were hammering the crappies.This was in the middle 90s.They schooled the guys using standard tip ups and jigging.

I have also pondered this but never tried it. Take a regular tipup and put light tackle on it and set it so it will go off at the slightest bite. Thats my take on it. If it works let me know.

I never really saw tip downs until I moved to Wisconsin (from MN).

I am hitting a little panfish lake with the 7 y.o. this weekend, I was planning on trying to tip up fish crappie for the first time too, so good question.

I was going to try using crappie minnows. I have only ever used spikes while jigging, I figure using little minnows will weed out all the smaller fish, hopefully decent crappie will hit these.

You can use Tip ups but once game fish season closes make sure your rigged with small trebles or single hooks and small minnows. Some game wardens will give you a load of you know what if your fishing with Tip ups after game fish is closed.

Set them super light and use a number 16 treble hook with crappie minnows.

I haven’t used tip-ups for panfish in years. I used to set a couple for crappie with a light mono leader and small minnow on a single hook. The round Frabills I have some of have the ability to set pretty light for bites like that. Never tried them for gills…interesting concept. If you can afford or find them, tip-downs are a great tool for panfish though…

What icenutz said: Technically, tip-up season doesn’t close, only game fish season, but to most people they’re synonymous-including wardens. A warden sees you with tip-ups out after gamefish season closes in definitely going to check on what you’re doing, so be sure that you can clearly demonstrate you’re targeting panfish. I can’t blame them. Every year before walleye/pike season opens there will be a guy chucking big crankbaits or spoons from the bridge up the road-from experience I know if you stop and ask him what he’s fishing for, he’ll give you a wide-eyed innocent look and say “crappie”.

Good luck if you try it! I know I’ve caught just enough tank crappie on tip-ups and 4″ shiners set for walleye to make me wonder sometimes myself.

I’m going to try doing that this weekend i’ll let you know how it goes

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