Tip-Ups vs. Jigging

[Guest]

When pike fishing, what is your preferred method?

When I'm jigging for gills or crappies I'll often times drop down a tip-up on the edge of the structure in search of that monster pike. I've also focused on pike by hopping from hole to hole jigging. And other times I'll use a combination of both. I'll jig in one hole in deeper water and place a tip-up over in shallower water.

The biggest pike I caught ice fishing by jigging was a 38-incher(Coon Lake 2002). The biggest pike off a tip-up was 41 inches(LOW 2002). I personally don't have a preferred technique (but I do love it when that flag pops up--what an adrenaline rush!).

So, for all of you pike fisherman out there whats your form of attack--jigging or tip-ups? And what are some sizes of your fish?

I hope ice forms soon....

Good Fishin, Matt.

[This message has been edited by MJ5 (edited 10-06-2002).]

[Jig stick]

Mj5, I'm not a big pike fan as we dont catch pike in the Hudson Valley N.Y. only pickrel, and pan fish.I started ice fishing with tip ups but I always caught more fish jiggin.So I'll stick with the jig stick. Also bought the fl-8, bought another this summer got a great deal,can always us a spair one.No need for the 18 dont need all the bells + whisles too much $$$ plus I like the 8 just fine.Got the otter,buddy heater,portable light,lazer mag express,I AM READY JUST NEED ICE! tight lines, think ice ><sUMo>----------><> Happy fishing

[This message has been edited by Jig stick (edited 10-09-2002).]

[Guest]

I have always caught more pike on a tip up. Jigging for pike is a lot of work and fishing is suppose to be fun.

[KING]

I did a somewhat unscientific test on this subject this winter on LOW, my home lake.

First I would set-up with two holes fairly close to each other. One with a sucker minow and tip-up, the other with a big jigging spoon and a big minow head. Looks kind of silly with a tip-up sitting two feet away. When the fish had the choice of live sucker or jigging spoon they took the spoon EVERY time. Not one time did they take the sucker over the spoon. Problem here is I never really got a big fish this way (over 40"), but lots from 36-39".

Big fish came exclusively on big dead ciscoes or smelt type baits. I never really gave large suckers a fair test but it probably works ok, although the big fish seem to prefer dead bait.

So what we ended up doing is jigging with one line and soaking big dead bait with the other. Was by far the best combination of quantity and quality.

Just a note: caught a lot of big walleyes pumping those spoons in shallow water during the middle of the day, go figure.

[Guest]

jig stick, I agree with you, we need some ice. Whats with Cj5? I'm just curious, maybe a typo.

Good Fishin, Matt.

[Guest]

I am new with fishing for northerans in the winter. Ive fished for walleyes and pan fish put not realy Pike.
What kind or brand of jigging spoon did you use? When you used a big minnow head what kind like a medium sucker or something else? When they prefer dead bait can I just kill a live sucker and put it on the hook or what do I do?
Im really intersted in doing this in the winter so a reply would greatly appreciated.

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FISHSTUNNER

[KING]

Fishstunner,

Welcome to ice pike fishing, really nothing like pulling 40" fish through a hole in the ice. Remember this has been my experience on Lake of the Woods, not sure how it will relate to some of the smaller lakes.

As far as jigging spoons go the Angle Eye spoon talked about so much on this site is really a good bait. With this spoon I usually use the head half of the largest shiner minow in the bucket. I also will use the heads of small to medium sucker minows but then have to move to a larger spoon like a Doctor spoon or the big Swedish Pimple. I really wish there was an Angle Eye "Magnum" for this, but for now these others will have to do.

As far as dead bait, ciscoes are a natural and very abundant forage fish in this lake, the big fish are using this food source year round. Suckers will work dead or alive, it just seems the pike like big dead ciscoes.

I really like using a good quality quick strike rig for these bigger baits, in fact it is the only thing I will use. I have seen very good release rates with this type of set-up. When a flag goes up, as soon as you can get there and set the hook you normally hook the fish. There is no need to let the fish swallow the bait.

[Guest]

KING,
Thanks for the reply I will have to go and pick up some jigging spoons to get started.

The lake I normally fish is pretty small and has a good pike population in it. I think it will be a good lake to try this winter.

Just one more quesion what is a good start out deepth for Pike?
I think the weed line is @ 8'-13' it varies. It's a fairly muddy and weedy lake on east side but on the west side its more sand and rock with weeds.

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FISHSTUNNER

[mjhowe]

Hey Jig stick,

What part of the Hudson valley are you from?
I was born in Highland and my Dad still lives in Rhinebeck. Long way from Kalispell, MT huh?!

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Mike
Kalispell, MT
<<><<

[Jig stick]

Mjhowe,Waaaaaaazzzzzzzzzzup way out north west? I'm from the town of Newburgh.Out by Orange Lake.
have you ever fished O L?Lots of blue gill crappie perch just what I like.Lots of lakes to fish in orange county, Sullivan County,Bear Mountain state park,Hows the ice fishing out there?Just finished putting my runners on the otter sled I bought last year.Trying to save the bottom of the tub,these things are great.got the small otter den best thing I did sence I bought the fl-8, got 2 one for back up.sh-t happens you know.To many toys to mention.Cant wait to get out on the ice.Did you ever fish the king of the ice contest on Swinging Bridge Res.?Went up there one year. Didn't care for it.I go out by myself most of the time.Stay out all day.LOVE IT! Well good luck THINK ICE ><sUMo> -----------><>

[Guest]

fishstunner,
I like to use Kastmasters and Buckshot jiggin spoons for pike. A lot of other custom made jigging spoons will work well too, anything with flash. I like to tip my spoons with a fathead minnow or a head of a sucker or larger fathead. My biggest pike jigging through the ice came off of a quickstrike rig tipped with a shiner. There are a lot of presentations you can use when jigging for pike, the key is just to find the type that works on any given day.

Good Fishin, Matt.

[Steve Foss]

When I have the option (enough rods allowed, 3 where I fish in Wisconsin, 4 where I used to in N.D.) I set up a tip-up for pike no matter what else I'm fishing for.

If I'm going just for pike, I always use one jigging rod along with tipups.

But I don't use big lures. Jigging spoons and jigging raps in walleye sizes tipped with a minnow head on 8 to 10 lb line are enough. My thinking is that pike are attracted to the flash and thump of the jigging, and when they're in close they can take the lure or if it's too active to suit they can hit the dead bait under the tip-up. I get more pike hits on smaller lures while jigging than big ones. Sometimes they just want something smaller, and since my dead tip-up baits are all at least six inches long, the smaller jigging option gets pike when tip-ups and bigger jigging lures don't.

[Guest]

Hey will a sweedish pimple catch numbers of fish also?
Wondering if I should buy one or not. Also wondering what color would be the best.
Cant wait till ice! Looks like its going to get cold so that will cool those lake down alot.

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FISHSTUNNER

[Rick]

fishstunner,
a Swedish Pimple will work. get the largest size you can get your hands on.

As for the Angel Eye Spoons, they really like the hammered gold on LOW. Glow/Pink or Glow Red on Upper Red Lake.

Perch Pattern or green Chartreuse on Winnie or Leech.

The above are just general preferred colors for those lakes. Other colors work as well.

If You'd like to see the Angel Eye's click here and scroll down to the Angel Eye Spoons or Jr's.

Might want to take a peek at the Freshwater Tackle, they have some big pike tackle in there as well.

As for tip-ups vs jigging, remember the really big ones get that way by being as lazy as they can be and eating as big a meal as they can. This means they go after big baits and do very little work getting it.

If you're jigging for really big pike, jig to attract with a spoon and large bait attached, and leave it still for them to slowly cruise in and take it.

Otherwise, a tip-up with a big deadbait is hard to beat.

Smaller pike are more active and will often readily take an actively jigged Angel Eye Spoon.

I love pike fishing too

[This message has been edited by Rick (edited 10-15-2002).]

[Steve Foss]

And if you can use more than one line, it's always a good idea to use sucker/shiner under a tip-up, either dead or live, on at least one line. There are times I can't get a pike to bite jigging, while the tip-up seems to be going non-stop. Maybe LOW pike prefer jigging because the water's not very clear, and they need the thump and flash.

Any of you folks found it to be true, that jigging pike works better than dead-bait tip-up in stained/murky water and the tip-ups are better in clear water?

[Guest]

Sweedish Pimples will work well too. I use a larger size for pike and walleyes. Tip it with a minnow or minnow head. I also use small pimples for crappies. White pimples tipped with maggots work the best, in my opinion. Use the attachment blades too, they add noise and attract fish from a distance. And if the blades are red it adds that "injured" aspect that drives some fish crazy resulting in strikes.

Good Fishin, Matt.

[Guest]

stfcatfish,
I agree with you, jigging in stained water and tip-ups in clear water. By jigging you create flash and vibration which in turn attracts fish, and in stained water that is nessecary. In clear water, stationary baits will produce as well as jigging. Fish can find baits easier and now its up to scent and appeal that will trigger the strike. Jigging also works in clear water but a jigging/tip-up combination would be more effective and once a prefered method is found switch to what works. Tip-ups will also work in stained water but not as effective. If you do use tip-ups in stained water I'd use shiners or lively suckers, stay away from the large deadbaits unless an oily fish is used for scent purposes.

Good Fishin, Matt.

[pikehunter]

Great info on this post ... just curious how the successfull pike jiggers in the group work your spoons as far as depth and jigging method.
I saw SNOW today. The ice clock is ticking!

[Guest]

I cant wait to get out on the ice and try for some pike or any fish in that matter.
The Snow that flew today just got my blood pumping faster, cant wait to get on the ice!
Pikehunter, good question
What deepth should I start on first ice? I dont really know but, I would say around or near the weed line, but thats just were I would start.

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FISHSTUNNER

[Steve Foss]

Pikehunter:

I jig hard and wild, and I like the rattle spoons, too. Even if it's too agressive a jigging motion to make them bite, which they sometimes don't when they're sluggish, it brings them in. If I'm deep enough, I can see them come into the cone on the Vexilar, and if the hard jigging turns them off and they swim away, they never go far, and a more subtle motion will bring them back. Plus, if you've got the tip-ups working nearby with dead or live bait and they don't want the spoon, often they'll take the tip.

I always start pike jiggin by slamming the spoon on the bottom a few times to rile things up. Then I bring it up a couple feet out of the cloud and go to town. Sometimes, I downsize to a Swedish pimple "Vingla" or an Angel Eye. Remember how often you get bit by pike with little lures while fishing pannies?

Also, I use big jigging Raps and Nils Master Jiggers at least as often as spoons for pike. They're just as good and they look more like fish than spoons do.

Is it time yet?

[This message has been edited by stfcatfish (edited 10-16-2002).]

[Jarrod32]

For jigging ice pike, I have had good success with a Mepps Cyclops (experiment with different sizes and colors). I also like to use jigging spoon-type lures under tip-ups with live bait....action is created when the bait struggles and moves around.

[Guest]

I like to jig aggressively as well. One to two foot snaps followed but a slow fall and then quick little jiggles. Most of the time the strike will come during the jiggle period because it immitates a baitfish that is about to dart off. Before baitfish dart off they wiggle or shake and then take off. The one to two fish snaps followed by a slow fall immitates and injured minnow because of its inability to swim. Hungry pike can't resist this, its an easy meal. I like to use flashy\bright colored spoons tipped with a fathead minnow hooked from the top of the head through the lips.

As far as depth goes during early ice I prefer to work the edges of shallow weed beds. Most panfish will relate somewhat to still standing weed beds (assuming that weeds are still present). During ealry ice pike are pretty aggressive and are eager to snatch up panfish and other baitfish. I like to work depths of 7 to 12 feet. Most of the time the weeds will be up in 4 to 7 feet and almost everytime there will be a drop off adjacent to the weeds. I'll put a tip-up directly on the edge (7 feet of water) and I'll jig in about 12 feet of water and I'll work the lure from the bottom to about 5 feet up. I work such a big area because a lot of times a pike will come through half way up the water column and when the bait is below it it will go undetected. If most of the strikes are coming up high I'll punch another hole up higher or visa versa.

It's been lightly snowing here in Minnesota on and off yesterday and today. Soon ice will be here and then the fun begins.

Good Fishin, Matt.

[justin]

forget the whole jigging and tip up thing and go for some spearing action. all i can say is WHAT A BLAST! there aint nothing like having them pike come into view to get your heart a pumping. (maybe thats why i have high blood presure):rolleyes Plus where else can you use a chainsaw that early in the morn?

[This message has been edited by justin (edited 10-18-2002).]

[Guest]

Hey King,
What spoon were you using?

[Guest]

What color is a good color to start out with on early ice?

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FISHSTUNNER