using tip ups?

hey guys,
yea i bought a tip up awhile back(impulsive buy) and i want to get into some northerns on the ice! but i have no idea how to rig it up or anything. and i was wondering when the fish grabs the hook how does the line stop coming off the spool? like i said i have no idea how to use these but im willing to learn i would love holdin up a huge northern on the ice! i know i can get some answers on here!
-Aaron

Spool the line with some good tip up line. I would fill the spool up as best you can, as Pike will run like the devil on a tip up. The last thing you want to do is run out of line on your spool.

I use Quick Strike rigs on my tip ups. They hold the bait well and I get good hook sets. With them, there’s no need for a leader, they are built out of leader material.

I set my tip ups, so the bait is just below the bottom edge of the ice. On bigger, deeper waters setting the tip up depth can be tricky. When you get a “flag” pick up the tip up by it’s frame and don’t touch the spinning sprocket that holds the flag. Carefully grab the line, or spool out some extra line and wait for the fish to take up the slack and give a pull. I almost always wait to feel the fish.

Some people handle tip ups differently, but this is what works for me. Also, I rarely run to the tip up. I feel it can spook the fish and lead to missed opportunities. I see lots of guys sprinting to flags, that’s not for me.

There’s lots of guys here that can help you out. Good luck tip up fishing this year.

My setup is pretty crude and basic and LEGAL in WI, not sure about anywhere else I buy some line that is for tipups, it is basically string. You can find it at any sport store. I then spool it on until the spool is pretty full. I then just tie on a big treble hook and that is it. Bait with a big shiner or bait of choice. How deep you set it is up to you. I pretty much always set them about a foot or so under the ice. When the fish takes the bait they will usually run and then stop, then make a second run. You just gently pick up the tip up without messing with the line. Then when you are ready, grab the line and jerk to set the hook. That is my crude description on tip up fishing. There are others who are pros, but that is the basics

thanks guys. im headin to the river this weekend i might have to give it a try. how do you guys hook the baits in the summer with minnows i go in the tail or in the head is this pretty much the same with shinners and other biats?
-Aaron

When I used to use tip ups I spooled them with decoy cord then tied on my desired leader the decoy cord was easy to handle and helped keep tangles to a minimun.If you are targeting pike and if you can find them don,t forget smelt by far the best winter pike bait I ever used

Wanna catch some crappies? Rig your tip up with about a 4′ leader of fluorocarbon line, tied to the black tip up line, a split shot, and a number 4 circle hook. Put on a crappie minnow, and have fun! Some big crappies get caught off the river on tip ups.

Dave,
do you know bout fishing with tip ups and rods. you are in iowa so maybe you would know. cause i know you can only fish 3 rods so is like this. if i have one tip up out i can still use 2 rods?

Aaron, on inland waters you can use 2 rods. On the mississippi you can use 2 rods and 3 tip ups. Thats why tip ups are handy, you can really increase your odds with 3 extra lines in the water.

I kill the minnow before I put it on the hook as northerns will take a dead minnow before exerting energy to chase a live one in the winter time. I have caught plenty on live minnows too but since I started killing them my success rate went way up. I use a treble hook on a leader and then spool my tip up with heavy-duty braided line. I usually hook the minnow in the back but I know people that hook them in the tail which also works. If you are using live minnows then you will want to hook it so that the minnow can swim at least a little. There should be good places to catch northerns right near Dundee, I know there are good numbers of them in the Maquoketa. You might have to head down to Delhi as I know they catch them down there. The little lake right in Manchester should have northerns.

Best of luck to you wherever you decide to fish.

Eyehunter

Here is my set up. I put a button on the tip up line for your depth marking. Some use corks but I have yet to loose a button. Next is a quality swivel. I like to put some of my leftover braid from bass fishing on. I think the smaller diameter leader can get those shy fish to bite.

Here it is all wraped up and ready for travel. No tangled lines for me.

We have better luck on live bait in this area. Its hard to beat a medium sucker, or larger shiner for some action. Most locations I fish, I set the tip up about half way to the bottom(when fishing northerns)… once in a while just under the ice.

Circle hooks work decent, standard octopus hooks are good too.. I dont like trebles because they seem to tear the fish up quite often and makes it impossible to release some. I run a heavy mono (20#-30#)leader from a barrel swivel connected to the tip up line(vinyl coated braided). An egg sinker works for a weight to draw your bait down.. put a split shot to stop the sinker from sliding to the hook.

When a fish strikes… On standard tip ups with a spindle on top.. I walk to the tip up watching what the fish is doing(running or stopped). If the strike just occured and its running, I will wait until they slow down(usually few seconds), then start to take off again. I grab the tip up by the spindle and pull it right out of the hole setting the hook and grabbing the line from there. If my bait is smaller, I always hit the fish immediately. I have found I miss way fewer fish this way than trying to play around line in hand… and its rare a fish will swallow the hook as long as your not letting them run forever.

thanks alot guys i think i have enough info to get me started… i think im gonna try to make to a sporting good store before this weekend to get some stuff!
-Aaron

DodgeBoy,

That is a great idea about the buttons. I have always used small bobbers, split shot, etc, but I seem to loose more then I keep. The button is always there. Great Idea

A tied bobber stop works well also.