Tip Ups

[legend500]

Just broke down and bought a couple Pro-Thermal Tip Ups, never really been a tip up fisherman, what type of presentation works best?

[Tom (N.W.Ont)]

legend

Keeping things simple is the name of the game. Hooking up a jig and minnow is a good place to start. Hook the minnow through the back, tail, or mouth, whichever you prefer to allow the minnow to maintain some life and wiggle. Drop to the bottom until the line slacks and then pull off the bottom slightly. Not too far off bottom as the wallys generally hug the floor. Easy as pie.

For pike I'll do the same with a dacron line, gamakatsu treble and large minnow or sucker. For larger pike and big suckers, I use a quick-strike rig with 3 single inline hooks rigged on a small steel leader. Stick hooks in the tail, mid, and front section of the suckers back and drop her down...and wait.

These free-swimming presentations always work well, but some may suggest a dead sucker for the larger pike.

Anyway, I usually bring 2 tip-ups with me and one jigging rod. I setup one tip and jig another hole until things heat up or get boring. When I get bored or lazy (or too cold) out comes the other tip-up and let them do the work.

later

tom

[THE BAIT SHOP GUY]

Every one does things different, this is how I rig mine. First off, spool them with 15 or 20 pound vinal coated dacron and add a snap swivel to the end. Braided dacron will work but water gets into the braid and will freeze when it comes into contact ice and snow. Mono is hard to handle with cold hands or gloves and is too hard to see on the ice.

Get a couple tackle tamers or similar storage system and make up a bunch of different leaders. Use 6 to 10 pound test mono for walleye, perch and trout. 15 to 30 pound wire for pike. 14 pound Fireline will work if your in an area where you don't know what you'll catch. Light enough for picky walleye and toothy critters can't cut it as easily as mono. I make my leaders 2 to 6 feet long depending on water clarity. Single hooks work better for me than trebles.

Generally I'll set baits for walleye and perch within a foot of the bottom. Pike - 2 to 4 feet up. burbot - right on the bottom. Trout - any place between the surface and the bottom.

Once you have you bait set where you want it, pinch a small split-shot on the line just below the tip-up spool. After catching a fish, just reel the split-shot up to the spool and your ready to go again.

CHRIS WAHL
www.baydenoc.com/bayviewsports

[THUMPER]

Some of the boys use these with great success. Chris has some great pointers. We use a clip on weight to mark bottom and then use a tiny split shot just below the spool. I prefer the heavier line and in the winter here in NW Ontario have not found it to be much of a hindrance.We commonly catch Pike over 38in on walleye rigs....hence the heavier line. The number one rig here is a #4 premium treble with the minnow hooked behind the head ....with a small rubber core sinker or split shots for weight. I prefer to fish about 6in from bottom and closer to nightfall raise them to 12-18in. Ling are a problem at night here and they like the bait right on the bottom.