Best walley tip-up rig?

[HaRdWaTeR jUnKy]

Never really ran tip ups for walleys was just wondering how and what your rigs consist of, thinking about trying it a little this winter? thanks

[Steve Foss]

I have a bunch of tip-ups that can do triple-duty for pike, 'eyes and lakers.

But I have one single tip-up spooled with 10 lb mono that's a dedicated 'eye tip-up. It's got 10 lb Berkley Big Game, and a 10 lb fluorocarbon leader about four feet long tied on with a blood knot. A few split shot, a single bead and a single small hook and minnow.

Tip-up brand doesn't matter at all. As long as it works smoothly, that's all that matters. Most of mine are just the typical $10-$15 Polar HT standard tip-ups. I do have a few neoprene hole covers that I use all the time so the hole doesn't freeze over.

Almost all my walleye tip-up fishing is done in evening and at night, so I have a pair of jingle bells tied to the part of the flag right next to the lowest corner where flag meets shaft. It's usually pretty quite out there at night, and you can hear those bells from quite a distance. I also have a strip of reflective tape hot-glued to the flag, which reflects very well any dim lantern light.

Sight/sound combined make for a good alarm system.

There's no hurry getting to the tip-up when a flag pops, either. I wait a few seconds and then get up and slowly walk over. Partly that's to give them time to swallow the bait, and partly because if you hurry/run/stomp, walleyes will often enough drop the bait. Tip-ups are a great option. I've had evenings when I had fish coming in on jigging lures that wouldn't go, and they wouldn't even go on my deadstick/bobber rod, but they'd go on the tip-up, which, partly because it's usually a good distance from the fishing shack, is the most subtle of all presentations.

[OnAFly]

I just run normal tip up line down to a 4 foot leader of 8 lb fluorocarbon. One glow bead then a glow hook. Often I'll tail hook whatever minnow I'm using at the time. Seems to work.

[Hoffer]

I would just add that for the main spool of "tip up line" use the braided nylon rather than the coated stuff. The coated stuff will coil and keep its roundness in cold weather. So, if you are fishing in lets say 25 feet...and you use your depth finder clip on to find bottom...and then set your bait where you want it - I always feel with the coated that you never know for sure where the bait is due to the coiling. Also, for setting the hook - I dont like that there is coiling going on...cause i think you loose some sensitivity. Otherwise I usually use the lowest pound test i think I can get away with for a leader. I like the blue ice-line in 8 pound test. Just attach a swivel to the end of your braided nylon and then attach your mono leader with a loop to your swivel...I usually use at least 6 feet of mono. Then a couple of split shots about 1 foot above the hook - this allows the minnow to swim around well. As others have mentioned a bead above the hook works well. I love the Gamakatsu hooks in the pink and red colors. They also sell a multipak and it has pink, red, fluorescent green and glow. when I am fishing with a buddy we will put down 4 tipups and try different colors to see what works best. Sometimes it truly seems like they like a certain color...and I have had great luck with those hot pink hooks lately!

One last thing...I usually use a split shot to "mark bottom". Place the split shot just below the little clip. Some folks use a small bobber - but I like the split shot cause when the fish takes the bait - I think that little split shot starts to fall down in the water column slowly - and the eyes dont feel any kind of resistance at all. Also, for the eyes - try anywhere from placing the bait almost at the bottom to even 2 feet up...sometimes that will make a difference too. However, I have always had good luck about 8 inches or so off the bottom...they seem to like to swim along the bottom when searching for bait.