I have never tried this and made it a goal for this winter. Plan on using the braid on the tip ups I currently run, but was thinking of adding a 6 foot leader of 6 or 8 lb fluro. My question is what do I use for a hook? What do you prefer for a minnow also? Thought I would ask the experts.
Please share any other you may have.
Jason
Not an expert, but last year I had luck with about 5 feet of flouro with a red circle hook size 10. I used shiners or fat heads. I put some split shot weights about 12 inches up to keep the minnow down.
Good luck to you
All of my walleye rigs are braid + swivel + 8lbs Fluro +enough weight to keep the bait down and a gamakatsu octopus hook…hook size depends on what we are using for bait(minnow, fathead, shiners etc.) Bait depends on trial and error or whats ever hot…Dont forget to set the sensitivity real light! 
I use the gamakatsu walleye wide gap hooks with either a shinner or a fathead.
8lb flourocarbon leader, owner or gamagatzu hook. Two fatheads on a red treble hook. THe minnows fight against eachother and create a lot more flash and vibration. Pretty much what everybody else is saying.
If there are large toothy critters I would switch to a 20 lb flourocarbon leader.
I should add I am chasing the big eyes we catch fall trolling, mostly 23″-28″. Typically I am pulling the biggest stick baits I can get my hands on, HJ-14’s etc.
I think I am might be leaning towards small suckers. Or what ever is in the 4 or 5 inch range.
Thanks for the quick responses, everyone else must also have ice on the brain.
A lot depends on what you’ll be using for bait. Typically early in the season I start off early in the running my tip ups with 4-6″ sucker minnows with a single #2 sized red or chartreuse hook. As the season progresses and fish become more lethargic I continue to downsize my bait and move to smaller sucker minnows or shiners and continue with the #2 hook. By the end of the year I have my best luck running nothing more than a fathead and I will downsize to a #4 plain hook.
Also, if you are fishing an area where pike are in the mix you may want to give a quick-strike rig a try. My preferred approach is a homemade set up with a single snap ring to attach two 8-10″ 30# flourocarbin leaders each outfitted with a VMC 2X strength long shank treble hook in red.
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A lot depends on what you’ll be using for bait. Typically early in the season I start off early in the running my tip ups with 4-6″ sucker minnows with a single #2 sized red or chartreuse hook. As the season progresses and fish become more lethargic I continue to downsize my bait and move to smaller sucker minnows or shiners and continue with the #2 hook. By the end of the year I have my best luck running nothing more than a fathead and I will downsize to a #4 plain hook.
Also, if you are fishing an area where pike are in the mix you may want to give a quick-strike rig a try. My preferred approach is a homemade set up with a single snap ring to attach two 8-10″ 30# flourocarbin leaders each outfitted with a VMC 2X strength long shank treble hook in red.
Not take us off track here…Will, could you possibley upload a pic of the home made quick strike? Also, can you make yours for less then buying them in the store? Ive got 2 and id like lots more for the future!
Guys running braided dacron, do you have to fight wind knots and line freezing to the ice?? Also burning the fingers on a big fish run?
I dont have an issue with knots, you just have to watch where you coil up the line when fighting. As far as burns from running fish, Ive never had a problem
X2 on making sure to set the tip up light. I have had it at times where the spool didn’t even turn to make the flag go up, but there was a fish on.
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Not take us off track here…Will, could you possibley upload a pic of the home made quick strike? Also, can you make yours for less then buying them in the store? Ive got 2 and id like lots more for the future!
I’ll be happy to post pics but it may be a few days as my terminal tackle and #30 flouro are both still up at Mille Lacs in my boat 
The reason I make my own is for quality not cost. Most of the commerical ones use cheap hooks and heavy wire, I prefer VMC or Gamakatsu hardened hooks which are sharper and more durable and heavy flouro for the leader because it’s clear.
i got tired of the line freezing to the ice and line knotting up in pile on the ice when windy. also had my fill of burnt fingers using braids. i go with the plastic coated stuff on my beavers and fly line on the bigger spool tip ups.
long flouro leader with a swivel to connect it.
Definitely use a swivel and a mono or flouro leader! The size of the hook depends on what you are using as bait. You want enough hook gap to be effective at hooking your catch, but not an overkill obviously. I typically use #2-#6 hooks on my walleye rigs.
We prefer using a number 2 gama hook with a vanish flouro carbon leader at least three foot. Also do not forget a swivel. On upper red we prefer a fresh shiner on a tip up just because they are native to the lake.
Justin b
Here is picture a homemade quick strike that I put together a couple years ago out of tackle I had on the ice with me after missing a couple fish on tip-ups. This is as basic as it gets – 3 wire leaders & two VMC trebles
Ever since I read an article in In-Fisherman a million years ago, I have downsized my terminal hooks. Use what ever line you would like, then add a #12 treble. I also feel people pin their minnow to far away from the bottom. I use a substantial split shot 6″-8″ from the hook to pin the bait close to the bottom, then set it approx. a foot from the bottom. Bait preference is a wild shiner, followed by large fatheads, then sucker minnows. I do understand that there are ‘eye preferences for bait and use whatever the bait shop suggests for the new lake I might be fishing.
Mark
I set my tip ups up with white dacron line believe it or not when a fish in clear water comes under your bait and is looking up at the bait your line will actually blend in with the underside of the ice becoming much less visible. Since switching over to white line I have had many more bites on tip ups with white line verses other color lines. I attach the dacron line to a barrel swivel on the other end of the swivel I attach a flourocarbon leader of 8# test then tying on a #12 lite wire trebel hook. I will attach a split shot of appropriate size staying as light as possible then hooking a fat head minnow or small succer minnow hooking either one right behind the dorsal fin.
Paul Delaney
http://www.lateeyessportfishing.com
i use dacron with a cross lock snap. Then tie up 6 or 8 pound fluoro leaders with differant combo,s with a barrel swivel on one end so i can make fast changes to my presentations or replace a leader when mr.pike cuts one up which i havent had happen very often since i started using flourocarbon.
Also i wouldnt use small diameter braids as your main line if you like your fingers in one piece.
Ajs
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