Tip Ups?

[EricCO]

I ordered a tip up from cabelas simply because I don't have enough fishing tackle and equipment already! LOL

Anyways, I was wondering if anyone knew where I could find a "How to" on using tip ups?

[Eskimo]

Using Tip-ups is fun and REALLY easy! I grew up using tip-ups back in Wisconsin, and have used them all of my life. I have always liked the Beaver Dam Artic tip ups. Depending on the fish you are after you can use live bait on Treble hook, jig with mealworm, whatever. Choose your leader material according to your selected prey. Heavier line for larger fish. For walleyes I usually used 8 lb. mono. Use about 6' of leader material tied to 20 or 30 lb. braided nylon line to spool it up with. They also make special line for tip-ups now that is supposed to reduce freeze ups. Check your depth and attach something next to the spool on the line like a piece of tape or a small bobber to keep it marked. Put on a fresh shiner, sucker minnow, fathead, etc through the back so it hangs horizontally. Lower him away so he is anywhere from 1' to 6' off the bottom and set the flag over the spindle on the top. Then just put the tip-up over the hole with the spool down in the water. When the fish takes it, it will turn the spindle realeasing the flag! When you approach the tip-up after the bite watch the spindle and see if it is turning. You can either set the hook right then or wait to see if the fish will really gobble the bait. If it isn't turning anymore, I usually watch it for a few minutes then very carefully lift the tip up. take the line and ease it in slowly to see if there is a fish. Fight him using a hand over hand method!! FUN!! Tim

[Guest]

Eskimo- where from in wisconsin? I lived around Shawano and Lake Winnebago back in the early 80"s. Definately different fishing culture out there.

Eric- thats about it- for toothy's i made treble hook leaders from single strand wire using much smaller trebels than what they sell packaged-especially since frozen suckers size really varies out here, ive never tried using live bait though.I slip a bell sinker on the trebel and drop to bottom using a slip-bobber yarn up the line as depth marker. ive gotten a few from the fork and 11 mile setting less than a foot off bottom-but ive also had a flag or two using the sensative setting with a crawdad or two eating the sucker at 11 mile LOL. bummer. Also make sure the spool can turn really free and trip the flag easily, ive had to "adjust" frabil unit to work smooth

[Guest]

Yesterday on Lon Hagler, I saw the coolest tip up I have ever seen. Guess I may have to get one from my supplier in Wisconsin. It has a vertical wind vane and it moves the bait up and down slightly as the wind blows on its back side. The line runs through this vane and it moves slowly up and down as the wind blows it. The guy that had it said he got the last one they had at Bennet's.
He reported that it really worked well with the lakers at Granby.
It is called the H.T. Enterpirses Polar Windless. Retails for 14.99

[Eskimo]

That would be Hudson, Wisconsin!! Born and raised there till I was about 21... Ice Fishing usually meant heavy drinking back then!!! We would make a huge bon fire out on the ice and wait for the flags.. Tim

[EricCO]

I used the tip up at Aurora, but nothing triggered the flag.

I had a big chub on there, but when I checked the bait, it was gone. I had the setting to trip the flag on it's lightest setting.

How do I keep the minnows on the hook?