Crappies on Tip Ups

[vermilionwally]

Im heading out tommorow on a small lake near cloquet. I was wondering if there are any rigs to catch crappies on a tip up? I thought a small crappie minnow on a plain hook and a light trip setting might work. Ive never heard anyone talk about fishing crappies with tip ups. Thanks for any advice.

[ozzie]

it can be done i would guess but I don't think it would be easy as they better be ultra aggressive otherwise I could see alot of missed flags by them spitting the bait!! That is the set-up I would try if I was targeting crappies with tip-ups though.......good luck!!!

[ec30_06]

I tried it last year a few times. The biggest crappies in the lake I was fishing where moving very shallow at night. I used a fathead under a tip up on the lightest setting. I set up my house in 10-12ft of water about 30' away from the tip-up in 5' of water. I always caught the biggest crappies of the night in the shallows on the tip up. I found this by accident while fishing walleyes.

[FRESHWATER PETIE]

Maybe that automatic fisherman setup would be better than a convential tip up? I seen the automatic fisherman on T.V. and the unit uses a rod and reel on a statonary base. When the fish hits, the unit sets the hook for you.

[Bobb-o]

the Automatic fisherman's are not legal in Minnesota. I think in this situation your best bet would be one of the tip-down set-ups, where you put a rod on it and when the rod gets a bite, the flag goes up to alert you to the bite.

[FRESHWATER PETIE]

Do you know why the automatic fisherman unit is illegal? I had seen them for sale at Gander mt. just wondering.

[Bobb-o]

I dont know the exact wording in the regulations, i just remember in the in-fisherman ice fishing edition they stated that they were not legal for use in Minnesota. I would assume this is becasue they fall under the trotline/setline prohibition

[ScoutII]

I believe the problem with something like the automatic fisherman is that you are not allowed to have a DEVICE set the hook.

[Scott M]

The mechanism is a little different on an "Ice Rigger" Saw them at the Ice show yesterday. But the rod is still setting the hook. You could freespool the reel though, but that doesn't work the best with panfish.

[TMF89]

Where'd you see em at gander mountain? As far as I know, we don't carry any, at least in this state.

[Farley]

I have caught one crappie on a tip up. Total fluke though I was set up a foot off the bottom with a fathead in like 13-15 fow. Set up the tip up while I set up the portable, looked over and the flag was up. Pulled up a 23" walleye. Reset the tip up, went back to the portable to continue setting that up and before I even got back to the portable, the flag was up again, that's when the 2.25lb crappie in my avatar came up the hole. Didnt catch anything after that though. That was a few years ago.

[matthothand]

I've used tip-ups for slabs many times. The tip-ups I use have very loose spools and can be set very light. Just as when fishing in the shack success in landing ratio will vary but if you keep everything light and loose hopefully they will stick to the hook. Keep a good eye on your set and check it often. A sharp hook is a must and a thin/light hook like aberdeen works well. I like using a small jig and seem to have better hook-ups than with a plain hook. I think the jig profile forces the hook into the lip/side of the mouth when they try to spit it and that super sharp and thin hook sticks enough on it's own til I scramble over. The jig also helps to anchor the bait. I prefer just the weight of the jig and don't use any additional shot to keep it down.

[FRESHWATER PETIE]

Maple Grove Gander mt. last season, they had some with fishing rods and some without.

I really had no idea they were illegal in the state ,and I didn't mean to pass on any bad advise.

They did look pretty cool on the Midwest Outdoors show. They were probably using them in a different state.