tip up setup

[gvg_uwec]

Okay, last winter I had too many bite offs and I am looking for a new way to rig my tip-ups. I fish mainly for walleye using the tip-ups but smallmouth bass, muskies and northerns are present in the waters that I fish. In previous years I have rigged them with a barrel swivel then 10-12” mono leader (10lb test) then a small size 8 or so treble. I am leaning towards the same setup only switching the mono to a small leader. I rigged a test setup using Berkley 15lb nylon coated wire and the set up looks fine but I’m worried about the metal crimp sleeves near the hook spooking the fish. Have any of you used similar setups with good or bad results?

[BucketButt]

I can't say I'm an expert on the toothy critters, but,it would seem you could go with a wire leader and not have a problem. I've done it around here and even the spooky bass will hit it.

[love to hunt]

Unfortunatly it seems that bite offs are the nature for a walleye guy.

I have fished the set up you are desribing but on a touchy eye bite the action slows considerably. They just dont like the wire.

Some thing I have started to use and seems to work well is 10-12" of fire wire. The eye's don't see to mind it and you can't hardly cut that stuff much less bite it off. I seem to loose less tackle that way and manage to land some green ones for the pickeling jar.

Anyway it works for me.

[waxworm]

I don't know how the setup would work through the ice, but the setup I use for slip-bobbers in open water for walleye is a twenty pound fireline leader connected to a swivel and eight pound mono. The 20 pound fireline has 8 pound diameter and an actual break strength of more like 50 pounds. My experience is that it can stand up to 20-30 fish before it needs to be replaced, and ive rarely lost fish where the line broke below the swivel. Hope this helps.

[deepportage01]

Try circle hooks insted of trebles...That should hook more of them in the side of the mouth[away from teeth], This will help out a ton but not solve the problem...I use 8lb vanish #8 circle hook on the tip ups and bite offs are nil

[BucketButt]

Hey! Didn't fireline come out with a clear braided line?? That would be the way to go I think? Also L2H I like reading your posts, you seem to know lots of good info, thanks.

[love to hunt]

Thanks BB, I try to give good info if I have it.

DP, do you use those circle hooks a lot. I have never tied one on (hook that is) and was thinking about trying them out.

[deepportage01]

Oh ya, on tip up and rattle reels it takes the out of when to set the hook, I have also found you can you can get away with smaller hook size with circle hooks They work well when dead sticking also

[farvak123]

i use nylon tip up line and then use a swivel and attach a 12-16" leader of 10 lb Power Pro Ice, blue line. It seems the small diameter and color doesnt bother the fish and i havent had a break off yet. knock on wood... but also i use a swedish pimple so that the larger profile spoon usually gets all the teeth not the line.

[chris63]

Hello,try using flourocarbon or thin (5 lb) trolling wire (non coated)this should'nt spook the fish.Hope this helps..c63

[WallyWillie]

Quote:

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I can't say I'm an expert on the toothy critters, but,it would seem you could go with a wire leader and not have a problem. I've done it around here and even the spooky bass will hit it.

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The only problem with setting up a wire leader with live bait is you lose a lot of action due to the restricted movement and tension it creates between the bait and mono. I would only suggest running a wire when using dead bait such as smelt. There is a leader on the market that is as tough as wire but reacts the same as mono, can't remember the name but will chk it out.

[Pickled Pike]

I use spiderwire 4' leaders on all of my tip ups and rattle reels. The stuff does not freeze and is really thin. Tying the knots with it does suck, but it's worth it not losing your jig or hook. Usually the hooks will straighten before the line will break.

[RK]

Hiya -

I've been using a 3' Fluorocarbon leader below my walleye tip-ups the last couple of years and it has really helped reduce the bite-offs. Fluoro's invisible in water, so you can get away with a heavier leader than with mono or superline. I generally use either 12 or 15#. Make sure though to get fluoro leader material, NOT regular fluoro fishing line. Fluoro formulated specifically for leaders is totally different stuff, and far tougher and more abrasion-resistant in my experience. I've used both Berkley Vanish leader material and P-Line, and both work well.

Cheers,

Rob Kimm

[Farley]

Last year I tried PLine flouro for my leaders and still had a few bite offs on the bigger fish. So then I tried power pro and I dont think I even caught a fish with that setup. But on that one I would mainly use suckers and bigger bait, maybee it was too much for later in the season. Either way this year I'm going with the circle hooks and Vanish. One time I snapped the line in front of all my buddies (who proceeded to give me dump) so I put down my other tip up that was rigged with #20 PLine and told them "This one will NOT break", got another bite and snap. Only thing worse than snapping your line on a big fish is doing it in front of your fishin buddies.

[fishinalot]

I use vinyl coated line on both my tip-ups and rattle reels with a double barrel swivel on the end and around 6-7' of Monofilament. The vinyl coated line won't tangle or become iced up when wet and cold.

[Gus]

3 foot long 20 pound test Pline CFX Leader material.

That's what I use for all my tipups. Keeps it easy and I don't really think the eyes care all that much between 12-20lb as long as its Flouro. If they care it's more about the resitance of the tipup than the line. At least that's my belief.

[midwesthunter]

I mainly fish for walleyes on my tip ups. I use 8# mono and I do have a few break offs every year but I have also noticed that my flags are going up more than the rest of the people's flags. I think I will keep my setups how they are as long as they produce walleyes, and the ocassional monster crappie. I also have some tip ups with some braided line and leaders I set in shallower water when I am northern fishing.