Tip-up Fishing Tips

[Phunnyfarm]

A lot of us use tip ups when we are out there on the hard water, so post your tip-up "tip" for those that are out there researching how to catch some northern or walleyes.

I'll start:

Tip #1: When pulling in a fish, make sure your back is to the wind so the excess line blows out in front of you. That way it won't wrap around your legs.

Tip #2: If you have a feisty minnow that you think might be tripping the flag, try clipping a fin. It will make it swim a little slower, but it will also make it swim injured and potentially lure in a lunker!

Good luck, and let's hear those tips!

[herefish101]

I like to run the braided line, to a swivel then 6lb vanish for walleyes, or 30lb vanish for northern, about six feet of it, then for walleye just a walleye widegap hook, but for northern my seceret weapon is a circle hook, i'v tripled my hookups by switching to the hooks.

I love the wind tip, i'v done it wrong before and had it all tangled in my feet, pain in the butt. Good tip.

[MJ1657]

I really like tip #1 I'll have to try that.

I have a tip for hauling your tip ups around. I took a five gallon pail and placed a 2x2 on the bottom of the pail in the center. Secured it with two screws from the outside. Did the same thing at the top of the bucket. I drilled several holes in the top 2x2 to put the hooks from the rig in.

Seperates the bucket into two compartments so they don't get tangled up.

[scoot1215]

try quick strike rigs double your hook ups

[LOTWSvirgin]

Anyone extend there flags?? Just wondering with all this snow it could be hard to see the flag. I was thinking of using some old arrows with some sort of flag glued on it

[blackdog1101]

When you guys are pulling in a fish, how do you keep the line from getting tangled up? Twice this season I've had line get tangled and wasted time getting it untangled again. One time I just wrapped it all up to untangle at home and set up a different tip up.

For northerns, I like to put a chartreuse or orange spinner blade a few inches above the minnow.

[Duffman]

Anyone extend there flags?? Just wondering with all this snow it could be hard to see the flag. I was thinking of using some old arrows with some sort of flag glued on it

I used to have tip-ups with radio antennaes for flagposts, they were nice for deeper snow, they were made that way. I can't recall seeing any of these lately in the stores?

[minnbowhunter]

When you guys are pulling in a fish, how do you keep the line from getting tangled up? Twice this season I've had line get tangled and wasted time getting it untangled again. One time I just wrapped it all up to untangle at home and set up a different tip up.

For northerns, I like to put a chartreuse or orange spinner blade a few inches above the minnow.

Dog, if you just let the line pile on the ice and don't touch it or step on it, it should go back on the spool just fine. Once I start bringing in a fish my feet don't move. I use quik strike rigs, the more hooks the better.

[bloc004]

I like to use the tiny bobbers as markers on my line, just after the line guide. That way, if a flag has been up for a little bit and I walk over and it isnt spinning, and I see the bobber, I know it was a minnow trip (Guess I need to clip a fin)

[bikeoutback]

To prevent tangling I was told to pull the line behind you past your hip then take a step left and continue. The line starts to shape like flower petals around the hole but I've never had an issue with tangling then. Also once fish is out lift it out and away from all the line so it doesn't flop all around in the line causing issues. Has worked so far but may be better way, just what some wiser seasoned fishermen taught me when I started out tip up fishing.

[MOSSY]

I always face into the wind.the line ends up beside me not blowing back over the hole.use small bobbers as markers on the line and always start on the hook end when resetting the tip-up,never pick up the tip-up with loose line on top

[thedeadsea]

Have an extra tip up rigged and ready to go. Once you bring in a fish, drop the next tip up down so you aren't wasting fishing time while you respool/rebait the one that just caught the fish.

[blackdog1101]

To prevent tangling I was told to pull the line behind you past your hip then take a step left and continue. The line starts to shape like flower petals around the hole but I've never had an issue with tangling then.

That's a great method. Now I just have to see if I have the presense of mind to remember it when I'm bringing in a fish.

Thanks for the tip!

[shorefisher]

I also have a extra one set up and ready to put down once I land a fish. This way I can set the one I just pulled in a fish on better and and look it over for anything that may have went wrong while fighting the fish knot issue, nicks in the line etc. so I do not miss a big one due to something failing.

I use a bead to mark depth in place of a small bobber. Put the line through it once then back through it a second time and it will slide on the line when no pressure is on the line and will wind up through the line guide when done fishing.

[picksbigwagon]

I bought the artic warrior tip up from clam a couple of years ago and haven't looked back. It allows me to use a medium heavy 42" rod and reel as a tip up. I have a medium sized spinning reel with Fireline crystal on and a quickstrike rig. It works really well, hook up is great and I can fight the fish with a rod and reel instead of stepping on line or putzing with tangling myself up in line......

[Farley]

Originally Posted By: LOTWSvirgin

Anyone extend there flags?? Just wondering with all this snow it could be hard to see the flag. I was thinking of using some old arrows with some sort of flag glued on it

I used to have tip-ups with radio antennaes for flagposts, they were nice for deeper snow, they were made that way. I can't recall seeing any of these lately in the stores?

H.T. makes one, it's round, called Big Game something or other, comes with a 2-2.5 foot long flag and you can attatch glow sticks to the front so you can always locate it at night. I always attatch one of those Frabill tip up lights to the flag also so when the flag goes up the light blinks. Some guys dont like the round tip ups though, I prefer the long wood ones but at night the round ones are better IMO.

[woodspliter]

I put line on all my spools so that the shaft turns counter clockwise when line is pulled off. Then when a flag is up but the shaft isn't spinning I know which direction to turn it to let off extra line when I lift the tip-up out of the water. This way the fish doesn't feel the pressure of the line being pulled up.

[Cooter]

Easy way to keep rigged tip ups from tangling is to put several strips of duct tape on the back/bottom of them - for models like the arctics. Put the tip of your treble in the tape to secure it.

[Careyd]

A friend told me to place a snap on the end of my main line( I use 18lb black braid), then I can have different leaders set for different fish. 1. Was 36 inch,8lb mono w/ #4 hooks for walleyes. 2. 24Inch lite wire leader, 1/0 hook.

[Grainbelter]

For extra length for your flag, use a utility locating flag. Just call for some locates on your yard and you'll have a bunch of them or just ask a locater or utility worker for one. Probably shouldn't steal one though!!!

[Phunnyfarm]

These are GREAT tips! Just what I was hoping for!

Does anyone have a "go-to bait" for northern or walleye? Anyone swear by using only suckers or shiners or smelt or something else?!

I myself use suckers during the day, and then I like to switch to shiners at night. It might just be me, but a shiner (with it's "shininess"!) is a little easier for those toothy ones to see when the sun goes down.

I have tried smelt once, but it didn't work. Unless you count "stinking up my porch" as "working". Then it was perfect!

[MJ1657]

I take a sharpie marker and make a rounded arrow to show which direction the spool rotates when the fish is taking line. That way I can feed line if it is not turning when I get there without turning it the wrong way.

[TopWalker]

I use the little orange Frabill clip on lights at night. Makes it very easy to notice when the flag goes up after dark when fishing in a porty (Red blinking light).

[Jmnhunter]

when setting up for pike, dont set your minnow as deep as you think, northern see "up" alot easier than seeing down, if one is cruising the water column, 9/10times they will see the minnow that is set above them more than a minnow closer to the bottom

[hector00]

So if you have a tip up set in 15 feet of water you are aying it is better to set your minnow a foot below the ice rather than dropping it down 10 feet?