This question is for James. James if you wouldn’t mind sharing how do you set up your iFish pros. For example how you had them
Set up during last show filming. I noticed you had split shots in two different places. Thank you
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I’ll try and get to this later today.
This question is for James. James if you wouldn’t mind sharing how do you set up your iFish pros. For example how you had them
Set up during last show filming. I noticed you had split shots in two different places. Thank you
I took a photo of how all my Ifishpro rods are rigged.
Starting top left and moving clockwise.
Note – Bobber stop is not shown as it is far up the 30# Sufix 832 main line.
Bead
Trigger
1/8 – 1/4 oz sliding egg sinker
Barrel swivel
Leader (10# Sufix)
#4 splitshot
#8 Sure Set Treble
The egg sinker gets the minnow down to the desired depth quickly. When the flag pops the egg sinker sinks to the bottom and the line moves freely through the egg sinker as the fish moves with the bait. Think lindy rig.
The small split shot on the line above the hook is intended to keep the minnow from being too active. I want it to swim and struggle but I don’t want to give it a “leash” the length of my leader that it can use to avoid becoming a meal. I adjust the split shot size based on the size of the minnow being used. If we’re using small suckers 3″ – 4″, shiners or fatheads, only one small split shot is used. If I’m using big shiners or large suckers I’ll add multiple larger split shot to make sure I’m keeping the bait on a short leash.
My hookup percentage rigging this way and using the Sure Set trebles is crazy good.
Any questions, holler.
ifish-pro-rigging.jpg
Thanks for the picture and breakdown James!
I appreciate the tip. Thanks!
You use braid as a main line? no issues freezing?
You use braid as a main line? no issues freezing?
Yes, there’s some but it’s honestly very workable and using the braid allows me to carry a single set of rods that will cover all the species I target using Ifishpros – walleye, lake trout, pike, etc. If all I was doing was fishing walleye with fatheads or small suckers I likely would spool with 8-10 lb mono. But that mono just isn’t going to work when we’re fishing big suckers for walleye or dead baits for late season pike. So, like so many things when it comes to picking gear, the 30# braid mainline is a compromise that really works well for me.
Any questions, holler.
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James do you typically tail hook the minnow with the elongated point?
Thank you for the information. How long do you keep your leader?
I was wondering this exact question. Simple and effective.
Any questions, holler.
James do you typically tail hook the minnow with the elongated point?
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I rarely tail hook a minnow. When I’ve experimented with it I didn’t like my hooking percentage.
Here’s how I typically hook minnows.
Thank you for the information. How long do you keep your leader?
Usually right around 2 – 2.5 feet in length.
excellent. Thanks James
I can’t say enough how impressed I am at how attentive/dedicated you are to the educational aspect of what you/we do! I have utilized a multitude of guides(mostly flyfishing) and fishing services over the years and most are great at sharing their knowledge but few are as quick to lend the information you share willingly and I’m handing money over to them!
You, and those like you, will keep this sport alive and growing!!!
THANK YOU!
Can you convince VMC to re-ad sure set treble hooks to the product line? Want to try a release configuration that will work with a wax worm up to a spearing decoy sucker minnow? with a base that can deal with 20 below zero for hours? Oh, and without the asinine line loop? (the red doodad)
I didn’t think so.
Tight lines.
DSC00194.jpg
The small split shot on the line above the hook is intended to keep the minnow from being too active. I want it to swim and struggle but I don’t want to give it a “leash” the length of my leader that it can use to avoid becoming a meal.
This is very important. Once I started doing this I saw many more bites and fewer lookers.
Something I do to solve the icing problem is simply tie on a section of mono about 10-20’ longer than the depth I’m fishing to the end of my braid. It eliminates the need to respool and is fairly quick to set back up or switch back to virtually all braid.
It would appear I’m blocked. lol See what you can do to get sure sets back on vmc’s product line. At least you have good judgement in hooks.
https://hotspotoutdoors.com/forums/topic/25675-re-lubricating-tip-ups/?do=findComment&comment=219672
This was long before Al Lindner “lost” my prototype. I’ve had it dialed in for a while now. YouTube search – dragonflagdano
Ice-Fish-Inv-007.jpg
Hey James, would you say this presentation universal in most lakes? I’ve seen in the past you’ve posted a video that illustrated something along these lines of a Sure Set Treble tied onto a leader and about 6″ of a tag end and putting the split shot about 6″ underneath the hook. Is there a reason for this different presentation? My thought was maybe this could be used to pin the minnow down closer to bottom based on the forage in a specific body of water (ie goby) but wasn’t sure. Thanks again
Slpit-Shot-Leader.jpg
How about rod???
I was planning on using a TUCR Dead Stick.
What is your rod of Choice James?
How about rod???
I was planning on using a TUCR Dead Stick.
What is your rod of Choice James?
If I was looking for a walleye-only rod the deadstick from TUCR would be perfect. To cut down on the number of rods we carry I prefer the Lake Trout Precision for its versatility. It isn’t overkill on the walleye and it has the backbone top handle big pike and lakers.
James I rig mine same as you other than the bead. What is the point of the bead is that just a better trigger than the bobber stop. I will add it to the set up and see what happens.
As many have said already it is great that you take the time to elaborate on many aspects that you don’t get time to on the show. As in this example I think that this set up is probably the most vital involving the I Fish Pro so it is awesome to really get under the hood on this.
Keep it going!!! Merry Christmas to you and all your family and fellow IDO’ers!!!
What is the point of the bead is that just a better trigger than the bobber stop.
The bead keeps the bobber stop from passing through or getting stuck in the opening in the trigger.
Keep it going!!! Merry Christmas to you and all your family and fellow IDO’ers!!!
Absolutely will do. And Merry Christmas to you and your family!
Great information in this thread. I’m really liking the 1/4oz egg sinker rather than a series of split shot. I noticed last time out that a 6-7″ sucker can pull a 1/8oz egg sinker 6-8′ off to the side of the hole. This will also pull it far off the bottom.
They definitely are more fun that hand lining tip up but it is up in the air if the fish can feel the difference between the ifish pro and like a beaver dam trigger mechanism.
Worst thing I can say is that if you buy it and don’t like it you will be able to sell it for close to what you paid. Try it out.
So I got one just recently, to me it seems like the trigger is a bit hard to set off? my slip not starts to move before the trigger goes off. maybe I am doing something wrong on set up or I a bad slip not?
So I got one just recently, to me it seems like the trigger is a bit hard to set off? my slip not starts to move before the trigger goes off. maybe I am doing something wrong on set up or I a bad slip not?
Something doesn’t seem right. There should be no way for the bobber stop to move before the trigger if rigged correctly. See the attached photo. The stop and bead sit tight to the trigger. All line movement is downward when a fish runs with the bait.
IMG_20181226_110728.jpg
to me it seems like the trigger is a bit hard to set off?
Here’s a photo of how I set my trigger. This photo is taken directly over the top of an ifishpro. Note that only half of the trigger is actually under the trigger post. I use this setting almost 100% of the time and doing so requires little to no pressure from the fish to trip the flag. Test it yourself at home with a rod and you’ll see just how little pressure is needed to set the flag in this position.
IMG_20181226_111417.jpg
The only time I move the trigger deeper into the trigger post is when I’m fishing gigantic sucker minnows. I’m talking suckers 10″ or bigger. Moving the trigger back deeper into the trigger post increases the amount of pressure needed to trip the flag. When a fish big enough to hit a 12-inch sucker takes the bait they don’t care at all about the amount of pressure it takes to release the flag. 
IMG_20181226_111819.jpg
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