Tip-up Northern Tactics

[pulleye16]

When I typically go for northern using a tip-up, I buy the heavy braided line, tie it directly to the tip-up reel, fasten the other end to a 12-18 inch steel leader then apply hook and minow. Others that I fish with usuallly place some type of clear line between the braided line and hook and some use no leader at all. They seem to lose alot of fish but also seem to get more flags then I. I always like to use a leader for northern fishing so I usually skip out on using clear line since I figure the northerns will probably see the leader anyways. I always thought northerns were not that picky.

My questions are:

1) what do you guys use for Nothern tip-up fishing?

2) Should i use a leader?

3)should i use clear line with leader or just clear line (e.g. 30# spider wire)?

thanks for the help

[Jim Uran]

#30 Spider wire isn't clear. If you want to use a clear leader, use heavy flouro!

I use a steel leader when I'm targeting pike, you can keep it fairly thin and it depends on the water clarity if the fish will respond to it or not.

[motley man]

I use 20# to 30# mono and have no problem. When the line gets frayed I just cut it shorter and retie. Have not had a fish break line. Also I add spinner above minnow with split shot 4" above hook. I have extra set-ups tied and ready to go.

[AuggieDawg11]

I my tip ups with both. I haven't had bad luck with a steel leader. Some of my buddy on the other hand swear that they have no luck with steel leaders. I also just started using flouro last year so maybe this year I will see a difference.

[Quetico]

Go with Quick strike rigs hand tied onto wire. Remember quick strike rigs need a bead and blade to be legal in MN.

I run heavy braided tip up line to a snap swivel. That way I can easily switch Quick strike rigs for a flouro leader and hook if I switch from pike to 'eyes.

For Quick strike rigs, I use #40 Sevenstrand wire. Its still fairly thin for those clear lakes. I'd rather have a bit heavier leader then risk losing the big one. Also the wire prevents the worries of bite offs. People say flouro is good at preventing bite offs but I just dont trust it against teeth known for causing stitches in hands.

[merkman]

Remember quick strike rigs need a bead and blade to be legal in MN.

[MNfan]

Nice info merkman. Good find Thanks

[thatoneguy]

I've never done much tip-up fishing, but I'd like to start this year. Since we're in the early ice portion of the festivities now, what should I look for depth & structure-wise when I'm going to set some up?

[Laska]

downed logs, weedslines, 8-15fow, maybe this will help you alot of time setup just outside a weedline, pike LOVE weedlines, they love to pop outta the weeds n nail their prey in the open

[thedeadsea]

I use 17# to 20# mono tied directly to the hook. Never had a bite off but usually need to retie after nearly every fish because there are generally some knicks on the line. (As a rule, I retie if there are ANY knicks on my line, summer or winter.) I usually keep a spare tip up rigged, baited, and ready and drop it down as soon as the fish is landed. Then I retie the other one while I'm waiting for the next flag.

I usually use a large single hook or a single medium sized treble (with spinner blade). Haven't found the need for a quick strike rig and extra hooks mean extra work on an excited gator in the fish house.

Steve

[Cooter]

I'm a wire guy and make my own with 27# seven strand or surfstrand micro or ultra.

[CrowRiverRat83]

I run braided line on the spool all the way to within about 3 feet of the hook. For my leader I have had good luck with Trilene XT. Its a little more abrasion resistant then the XL. I usually run that in 14 to 25 pound test. Like others have said, check for nicks in the line.

I have used steel leaders and have not gotten as many flags as using the mono leader.

[leakywaders]

Anyone using circle hooks? I've been using Mustad Demon Circle Extra-Fine Wire 4/0 and 6/0 hooks attached to a 40lb flouro leader for the last 3 seasons and that is working well. Good hookups, no cut lines, easy to release any fish you don't want to keep. End up catching a lot of largemouths on this rig, too. All easily released. I'd recommend trying circle hooks to anyone who is looking for something new to try out.

leakywaders

[miller27]

This will be my first year trying a tip-up on my own. Also first year using rattle reels on my own. It seems like everyone has their own methods on the tip-ups, I am wondering what is common for rattle reels for the last 3 feet? thanks everyone.

[CrowRiverRat83]

I have my rattle reels set up for walleyes in my skid house on Mille Lacs. Again I use braided line up to about 3 or 4 feet of the hook. Then its 8lb mono tied to a variety of hooks or jigs. I like to use Gem N Eyes, plain hooks, or a few other small colored jigs.

Oh, and I like using the small Ice Buster bobbers as a float. They go under very easily so the fish wont feel much resistence.

[Steve Foss]

For me it's braided 50 lb Fireline for the main line, with a 30 to 50 lb stranded wire leader I make myself, and with a hook at the end. With the braided wire, you can twist it right to the hook eye (treble hook w/bead and spinner blade) and then twist on a barrel swivel a foot or so up to tie the main line to.

Pike will cut through any braided, mono or fluoro leader made from fishing line, though fluoro seems to perform a bit better than the other two. Wire is best, and the braided wire (uncoated) is a pretty narrow profile.

Then it's one line about half way down the water column and the other line about a foot off the bottom and we're off to the races. I only ever use dead bait for pike these last several years. I often wished both with live suckers and dead smelt/ciscoes, or fished my deadbait next to guys with live bait, and time after time the deadbait outproduced live by about a 4-1 ratio.

So I don't have to hassle with keeping live bait alive for pike, and frozen smelt/cisco are cheaper than the 6-inch northern suckers typically used. Also, you never have to worry about false flags with deadbait.

Here are a couple pics of my typical setup.

You make the leaders by running the wire twice through the eye, clamping a forceps on the tip of the tag end (I leave about 1.5 inches of tag end), grabbing the hook/swivel in one hand and the other end of the wire in the other, leaving the forceps dangling, and then spinning the forceps around and around the main leader.

It only takes a couple times and a little coordination to get the hang of it.

The stranded wire leaders are very thin, hard to see in the water, and you just don't have to worry about nicks and bite-offs like you do with fishing line as leader material.

BTW, I used to use quick-strikes exclusively, and tied my own, and have never once in four years gotten a pike gut-hooked with the above rig. The same long-handled forceps I use to make the rigs comes in really handy on the ice, though, because sometimes the hook will be deeper in the mouth. Jaw spreaders are a must as well.

[pulleye16]

Thanks for the pics steve...I just may duplicate that set-up!!

[erickol]

Leakywaders!!!!

how goes it man? I will be trying circle hooks out this season for sure. I have a couple of tip-ups that are pretty neglected, and am dying to pickle some pike...... figured tip-ups are going to fit the bill.

I have used smaller circle hooks with crappie minnows on a deadstick.

I have a few bags of frozen chubs from a few weeks ago. Do you guys ever use dead minnows, or only live?

[Steve Foss]

I never use live bait for tip-up pike anymore. Day in and day out, dead bait outperforms live 4-1. I used to use them both. No longer.

[leakywaders]

Hey Eric! Just started pickling pike a couple years ago, now I'm addicted! Super easy to make, really good!

Glad to hear that dead bait works so well. That is a new thing that I'm going to try this year.

Would like to know what are some good dead baits to use that are readily available.

leakywaders

[JBMasterAngler]

With the circle hooks, would you hook a live minnow through the back or through the eyes/lips?

[leakywaders]

Through the back. I think its probably important to find the right circle hook...a lot of the bigger ones use really thick wire, which obviously will make it harder to keep a bait alive. The ones I've been using have what they call extra fine wire. They are mustad demon circle hooks, size 4/0. Bought them 3 or 4 years ago and haven't really looked to see what is available now in similar sizes.

[reddsixx]

Has anyone used the vacuum sealed shiners that they sell at FF/Gander? I bought some last year to try while on a backpacking trip in LOW, but never opened them up.

[thatoneguy]

Next question - how deep do you run the rig when tip-up fishing? Near the bottom? A couple feet down? Halfway? Depends on conditions? I'm new to this, so bear with me

[me_fathead]

Through the back. I think its probably important to find the right circle hook...a lot of the bigger ones use really thick wire, which obviously will make it harder to keep a bait alive. The ones I've been using have what they call extra fine wire. They are mustad demon circle hooks, size 4/0. Bought them 3 or 4 years ago and haven't really looked to see what is available now in similar sizes.

Excellent to know.

The ones I use for cats definitely don't work that well for northerns due to wire size. This gives me hope. There's nothing worse than looking at the hooked stomach lining of a northern you weren't planning to keep.

Quick strike rigs work too, but there's always that flag that pops when you're not looking for a little too long and the purpose is defeated.