Tip Downs

[witter1631]

Does anyone have a good design for tip downs?

thanks

matt

[tylerflom89]

Tip downs?

[Huck]

witter1631,

Are you in Weston in Dunn County? If so let me know. I live in Boyceville. I use tip downs all the time and can get you a model to copy. Costs about 30cents(literally) to build if you have a scrap piece of 2x4 or 2x6 1 foot long and the rod. Im also looking for a fishin partner time to time too!

Huck

[witter1631]

No sorry i live in weston near wausau wisconsin but i still could maybe take a trip

Matt

[Huck]

witter1631,

Shoot me an email at [email protected]

Huck

[B@ssmaster]

I was looking for the same thing, for a Boy Scout project. The kids are going fishing weekend after next. A buddy found this link for me

http://www.fishontario.com/ice-fishing/articles/shallow-water_rig/index.html

I built one a few weeks ago and did 5 days of "field testing" with 12 other fishermen. They laughed thier butts off, but it worked great! I have invested about a nickle into the design. For the wooden parts I had a bundle of those surveyor stakes in my garage from another project, they worked great. Found a bag of jingle bells at a local craft shop on closeout. Bells are more for a counterweight, but you can hear them if it is a fairly agressive hit. Caught pike, walleyes and bass on it so far. Will use it again this weekend for more "field testing."

[witter1631]

anyone else have any other ones|?

[fisherking01]

What's the advantage to using a tip down vs. a tip up?

[Gissert]

Tip downs are great for very finicky light biting fish, such as walleyes and crappies. I think they are more accurately described as a rod holder.

They allow for fishing without a bobber, as the rod sits on a peg at neutral balance, and the minnow is not restricted by the extra weight of the bobber. The fish also will not feel the weight of a bobber.

A classic walleye bite will get the rod tip slowly dropping towards the hole, and then you can take the rod off the peg and feed line until you are ready to set the hook.

With crappies, the rod tip will sometimes raise up if the crappies are feeding up.

I almost never fish with a bobber in the winter any more, and my catch rates are much improved.

It helps to have a good rod for this. A rod with a good backbone and a soft tip is best. You should be able to see the minnow make the tip section dance. Thorne Brothers makes an excellent deadstick rod.

[marine_man]

Isn't this very similar to a Rod Rocker, Rod Rocker 2 or Rock N Reel?

marine_man

[mjames]

I built my own tip-downs. I use a rod similar to what I would use for jigging. I make the holder out of some aluminum strap 3/4" wide and a piece of PVC pipe. I use small (crappie) reels on them and just set them free wheeling. When a fish takes the bait, it tips the rod down and he can unspool all the line he wants. I like playing the fish on the short rod rather than hand over hand with bare line. I fish Chequamegon Bay and I catch all kinds of different fish on them. Let me know if you want to see and I'll take some pics and email them to you.

[fisherking01]

Makes sense as you explained it, I too very rarely use a float. I do have a couple of tip ups that trip very easily and free spool, having the spool under the water keeps the line from freezing. I can see that the tip downs would be great in some situations. I like the idea of the rod tip down.

[Mr. Bear]

Another option similar to these tip downs is the Appleton tip-up. I don't know if anyone makes these any more. I have a few homemade ones. The difference is that mine lean over the hole and jig in the wind a little due to a spring in the base of the T. Mine have the counter balance weight on a slide so when the tip goes down, the flag end goes up and stays up. I also drilled holes in my cross piece so it has adjustable sensitivity by changing the length of the lever arm. A loop in the line hangs on a slightly bent nail shank so the line falls off when the tip down is triggered. It's a nice feature when you're not looking at the tip up/down (whatever you call it) all the time. You know when your minnow has been stolen and you don't miss any bites. The downside is that it does drop the line a bit, but I've had good success with them. I'd use a non-dropping style when they are really picky.

I use these over underwaters any time the weather allows (i.e. not too cold or windy). They are more sensitive than any underwater I've seen, and are very easy to tend. Lot's of times a fish will just very slowly pull it down so you can get to it before it tips at which point it is very easy to grab the line with no need to move an underwater out of the way. Depth control and minnow changing is where they really shine. Simply set the depth one time, tie a loop in the line, use that to hang on the crossbar, catch a fish, hang the loop back up and you are at the exact same depth.

As I said before, I can see the tip-down pictured earlier in this thread as being better for really light biters, especially if you set it up at close range or even in your shack. It could be great long range too if rigged with some type of a strike sensor.

Forgot to add that at times the jigging action in the wind is just what the doctor ordered. Also, they pull apart and pack very well.

[Gissert]

marine_man -

Yes, you are correct. I happen to use the Rock N Reel.

[witter1631]

Mjames u wanna send the pictures too [email protected] thanks alot

Matt

[Bruce Mosher]

Check out the Rod Rocker 2 by Today's Tackle. You can put it on a 2x8 and move it around the holes or put onto the top of your portable tub lip. You can find it on this site in the tackle store or check out www.todaystackle.com

Bruce Mosher

[Swimmer]

Combine Bruce's idea Rod ROcker Two mounted on a board with an LED light (that switchs on when ~vertical) and this is a great combo to move around holes. Just tape the light on the rod at an angle that will be ~vertical when the rod is tipped down.

[Bruce Mosher]

Swimmer, Tell us exactly about the LED light to use on a rod while using a Rod Rocker 2. I've been looking for something like that to use at night. I always set up the Rod Rocker 2 at night and have a tough time seeing it. Let me know, I'd appreciate it. Thanks, Bruce Mosher

[Swimmer]

Bruce, sorry it took me so long to get back to you. First, I would purchase a battery powered level-activated LED which runs about 8 bucks. Then with electrical tape you can experiment with placement while the rod of choice is in the Rod Rocker 2. You need to get the angle of the light right (so it activates when moved slightly ~ 2") and the position on the rod right (so it acheives a nice balance). Kind of a fun thing to fool around with before you even hit the ice.

If you are like me and don't bird-dog your deadstick rod ALL the time...this works slick for the catching the biters. Works especially well outside in the dark or inside a shack that is not so well lit.

[Bruce Mosher]

Swimmer, Where would I get a battery powered level activated LED? That's wherre I need to start. Do they work in cold weather? Let me know. Thanks, Bruce Mosher

[Swimmer]

They are made for ice fishing, so ya, they work fine out on the ice. I think about any sports store, Gander, Joes, Cabelas, Thorne, ect. have them in several brand names. Good luck and have fun.

[BigJohnnyIce]

Here are some tip downs that I made for some New York State Ice Fishing. I made 25 total this year. The base folds up and a set of 5 easily fits into a 5 gallon bucket for storage and transport.

The base is made up of heartwood redwood that I had left over from a project, and the 'rod' is made up of schedule 40 pipe. The advantage of using this material for the rod is that the fishing line actually rides internal, so you don't need an eyelet at the end of the rod. Plus, you can by a 10 foot piece of the stuff for under $3 and get 5 or 6 'rods' out it depending on how long you make them. I made up a couple of prototypes last year during the end of the season, but here is my final design.

There is a 'balancer' on the upper portion of the rod, which is actually a schedule 40 coupling cut in half. The user can slide this up and down the rod, making the user able to fine tune the action of the rod depending on the weight of the minnow/sinker or lure, or the species of fish you are targeting.

With the balancer in the up position, it is most sensitive.

With the balancer in the down position, it is the least sensitive......

The line enters the rod just above the reel.....

During storage or transport, the hook and sinker are inside out of the way. The hook 'rests' on the lip of the pipe.

I also added some reflective tape at the end of each rod. The above pic was taken in semi-dark....notice how the end of the rod glows. This makes night-time fishing easier because you can see your rods.

[Dan Thiem]

Sweet! They actually look great! You really did a nice job making them. The balancing feature is really the ticket. Making them almost weightless for subtle bites.

Too bad you gotta hand over hand a fish when you do catch one because I like the drag on a reel and the flex of a rod for a fighting fish.

[Swimmer]

Beautiful work! How about a "pipe" that tapers and gets flexy at the end so it acts as a rod?