Weight or no weight

[tblaster123]

Alright, When rigging tip ups, my buddy always puts a small split shot on his leader a few inches above the treble hook.. I prefer to have no weight at all, it's what I've always done and it works great for me. He also always uses braided line for his leader... i use mono.. Really it all comes down to personal preference but I'm just wondering how everybody running tip ups is rigging up.... weight or no weight?

[trapper2000]

I run braided main line  to a  12 lb  mono section then a  15 pound  invisa leader (metal)   I often have one small shot on to get the   shiner down the hole  when ice gets  thick

[reelrusty]

  Certainly depends on what you are using for bait. Live or dead. Big or small. How active you (ultimately the targeted fish) want the bait you're presenting.  If using my own wild caught minnows I will usually be presenting a variety of size and species in a 6 tip-up spread. A six inch Creek Chub can move a lot of lead around pretty easy but a 1 1/2 inch shiner a BB split shot can be too much. My targets are usually Walleye or 3 to 4 lb Rainbows.

[Hess]

I use braided backing to a swivel, then 3' or so of fluorocarbon leader -- weight depending on what I am fishing for (4 lb trout, 17 lb pike, etc...) -- I put a single split shot 7-8" above the hook to help get the bait down -- has worked well for me over the years...!

[fundad01]

I like to know where my bait is so I can reproduce the set every time.
Braid ice line to a snap swivel to 3'-6' Leader 4 lb Floro for trout and panfish 15lb floro for Pike to a steel leader 6=15"

Lightest weight possible to keep the bait in place, for Trout

[perch chacer]

I run braided main line  to a  12 lb  mono section then a  15 pound  invisa leader (metal)   I often have one small shot on to get the   shiner down the hole  when ice gets  thick

I second what Trapper does when I set-up for pike.  I use a steel leader hook on the end of the mono leader.  The slight weight works good as he said for getting the chub under the ice.  I see guys trying to throw the chub down the hole and when that doesn't work they resort to pushing the chub under the ice with the skimmer, but with thick ice they get wet.   Just add a slight split-shot weight,  it work wonders.   Old school ya know.

[Ps888]

The majority of the time I’m using split shot 8-10 inches from the hook with mono leader.

[Spider1]

Splitshot about 10" above the hook to keep the minnow from moving around too much.

[tblaster123]

Splitshot about 10" above the hook to keep the minnow from moving around too much.

No such thing as the minnow moving around too much! Lol.. I can see the idea..  I've just always done no weight at all - au naturale.

[DR.SPECKLER]

I put a splitshot 12” away from bait mainly to get the minnow down in the hole quickly.

[Spider1]

No such thing as the minnow moving around too much! Lol.. I can see the idea..  I've just always done no weight at all - au naturale.

Sometimes they can. If they have to much freedom they can find grass or other structure to hide in. Or they may seem too active and put off a predator. The splitshot helps to anchor them in place. They can still wiggle around but in a smaller area.

[swampking89]

If your minnow is really lively,you'll never get it down the hole with no weight.

[tblaster123]

If your minnow is really lively,you'll never get it down the hole with no weight.

That's completely untrue, ever notice when you put a minnow in a bucket where it goes? To the bottom of the bucket. Same thing when you bait it and drop it in the hole.. the more lively the better. I've very rarely had any issues with a minnow not wanting to swim down.

[Iceassin]

The "weighting" is the hardest part...

[jiignut]

Good one assin.

[Hardwaternubie53]

Weight. Otherwise I find the minnows swimming in the ice hole. You need weight to put them down and keep them there.

[trapper2000]

I run pike traps  just  a few  feet below the ice (old school trick)  and gone to skim holes and  the  shiner  swam back up into the hole .... split  shot to the rescue  ....pike  don't  seem to mind none

[mono_mono]

I cringe to think how much money I have wasted on sinkers over the years

[NateD]

No such thing as the minnow moving around too much! Lol.. I can see the idea..  I've just always done no weight at all - au naturale.

Notice how the pike has baitfish swimming around it all over the place, but the only ones it wants are stationary.  When I use tip ups I am usually fishing for pike or bass and find a slower bait helps get more bites.  Also I've had minnows that really don't want to go down the hole, when fishing 20+ fow in single digits this is extremely annoying so I pretty much always have a small split shot.

[Spider1]

Intead of a splitshot you can also use a vertical jig like a pimple or chandelier jig to anchor the bait in place.

[trapper2000]

nate that video is  awesome  man thanks  for  sharing I laughed  my  butt off

[tblaster123]

Notice how the pike has baitfish swimming around it all over the place, but the only ones it wants are stationary.  When I use tip ups I am usually fishing for pike or bass and find a slower bait helps get more bites.  Also I've had minnows that really don't want to go down the hole, when fishing 20+ fow in single digits this is extremely annoying so I pretty much always have a small split shot.

Good theory, but those shiners aren't exactly "stationary".. they're actually pretty frantic and flashing in that bottle, plus the scent of the dead minnow in there, and all the vibration of them thrashing around.. I mean really I could put a camera underwater and cast a big flashy rapala out in that creek and say, "Look! The pike wants my quick swimming rapala more than it wants all those shiners around in the water"

[choo choo]

I use a small split shot for medium shiners in deeper water.

When I am in shallow weedy water, I pinch off the bottom half of tail fin, remove the split shot, no swivel, and definitely no "button" or mini bobber for depth adjustment marker.
Shiner tends to swim down more with only top of tail fin so it goes down the hole easier.
After a strike, Your line will slip through the weedy water much more  smoothly as the fish runs with your bait , when there is no split shot, swivel, button or bobber to hang up on a weed, and possibly cause the fish to "drop" the bait or have the hook pull out of the bait before you get to the flag.
just my 2$

[Flipforit]

weight I use depends on minnow size and how deep im fishing but yes I use a weight

[hogan]

Notice how the pike has baitfish swimming around it all over the place, but the only ones it wants are stationary.  When I use tip ups I am usually fishing for pike or bass and find a slower bait helps get more bites.  Also I've had minnows that really don't want to go down the hole, when fishing 20+ fow in single digits this is extremely annoying so I pretty much always have a small split shot.
[/quote
                  ]Loved the video,Nate. Thanks for posting it.

[NateD]

Good theory, but those shiners aren't exactly "stationary".. they're actually pretty frantic and flashing in that bottle, plus the scent of the dead minnow in there, and all the vibration of them thrashing around.. I mean really I could put a camera underwater and cast a big flashy rapala out in that creek and say, "Look! The pike wants my quick swimming rapala more than it wants all those shiners around in the water"

Your rapala is still a far easier meal to catch than a real minnow.  There are minnows flashing all around that pike, but it wants the ones who appear to be struggling.  A shiner on a hook is definitely enough struggle to attract predators, the small amount of weight just makes it that much easier for the predator to eat it.

[trapper2000]

just my 2  cents which means  nothing  ... when a  shiner keeps  causing flag ups   you hurt him  to  calm him  down ...other  guys swear a  dead bait is  the  ticket  ,me personally I  very rarely  set a  shiner  for northrens   more  then a  foot or  two below the  bottom of the ice other  guys set them   near the bottom others  somewhere  between.... use  what ever works  for  you ....I have  come to the conclusion  when pike turn on  they eat  dead  fish  floating they eat  easy   meals they eat injured  bait  fish and they  eat healthy  bait  as  well .....play around  find what works  for  you and   go with it ...I  use a split  shot only  because I  set the shiner  close to the hole  he  will swim  right up the hole if I  don't other then that  I  don't think it matters one way or the other their  pike  not brain surgeons

[fishmaster13184]

Good theory, but those shiners aren't exactly "stationary".. they're actually pretty frantic and flashing in that bottle, plus the scent of the dead minnow in there, and all the vibration of them thrashing around.. I mean really I could put a camera underwater and cast a big flashy rapala out in that creek and say, "Look! The pike wants my quick swimming rapala more than it wants all those shiners around in the water"

Frantically struggling to escape similar to being stuck on a tip up with a split shot holding them down.....

[tblaster123]

Frantically struggling to escape similar to being stuck on a tip up with a split shot holding them down.....

or with no split shot holding them down... it's hooked to a line regardless.. there's no split shot that will simulate being trapped in a bottle unless you got a fat egg sinker sitting right on top of the hook. The weight of a split shot 8" above the hook is totally pointless to me, if a minnow wants to swim around it's gonna swim around.


I just prefer to have a more natural bait presentation.. as opposed to the ultra-natural looking split shot floating above its head serving no purpose besides helping it get down the hole.

[NateD]

or with no split shot holding them down... it's hooked to a line regardless.. there's no split shot that will simulate being trapped in a bottle unless you got a fat egg sinker sitting right on top of the hook. The weight of a split shot 8" above the hook is totally pointless to me, if a minnow wants to swim around it's gonna swim around.


I just prefer to have a more natural bait presentation.. as opposed to the ultra-natural looking split shot floating above its head serving no purpose besides helping it get down the hole.

Ok so a fish is going to get turned off by a small split shot but not the hook sticking out of the shiners back? Or the swivel a few feet up? A split shot is probably the most natural looking of the 3.  Also you have some really cooperative bait if you've never had a problem getting them down the hole.  A shiner swimming up the hole while your line starts to freeze on the ice and spool is the worst.

And noone is emulating putting fish in a bottle, that was just to illustrate that predators like an easy meal, a split shot of the appropriate size depending how stong/lively your bait is makes for an easier meal.