Tip Up line weight, backing etc. (novice question)

[AJPeacock]

Don't want to start a line war, but I have a very NOVICE question.

Where I fish, it would be rare to catch a pike over 10lb's. So, what line weight/type and backing(if any) is recommended on tip ups.

I currently have several of the large spools of the following, hopefully one of them will work.

10lb Trilene XT clear
10lb Fireline smoke
25lb Trilene big game
30lb Trilene big game

Thanks for the advice.

[Steve Foss]

Well, I basically just use mono on tip-ups, so I'm biased. Lots of guys use braided (which I don't like because it soaks up water and freezes stiff) or coated tip-up lines (which don't come in much volume for the money and don't go very far on my large-spool tip-ups). Mono also stretches, which the braids don't, and some stretch is a good thing when fighting a fish on a hand line.

So it's good old mono for me. Others wouldn't use mono on their tip-ups to save their lives, and they have reasons that work for them. I expect a bunch of people will chime in, so take the advice that sounds best to you and have a blast.

Most of my tip-ups have Trilene XL 20 pound, and it's also rare for me to ice a pike over 10 lbs (13 was biggest ice pike so far).

I'd find your 10 lb line too light for pike, even smaller ones, which can snap it pretty easily. But if you want the tip-up to do double duty for walleyes, then you can spool it with the 10, put a wire leader on it for pike and take it easy when you get a chunky fish.

On my tips, when I want to fish walleyes, I just tie on several feet of lighter line to the 20 lb, and remember when I set the hook that I have a much lighter leader. So, in that case, the 20 acts as backing, I guess.

------------------
"Worry less, fish more."
Steve Foss
[email protected]

[This message has been edited by stfcatfish (edited 11-28-2003).]

[This message has been edited by stfcatfish (edited 11-28-2003).]

[icehousebob]

I'm one of the braided Dacron users [without any coating]. Its limp with no line memory and comes off the spool smoothly. I like 30# test, its less likely to cut you hands when handlining a large fish barehanded. I use coated steel leaders for Pike and Vanish mono leaders for Walleye and Perch. I make up my Pike leaders with the hooks permanently attached and roll them up in a 3M electrical tape plastic can. That way they don't get kinked or catch other gear when transporting.