check your gear

[IcefisherSteve]

Learned a hard lesson today when it comes to checking out my gear. Had 1 tip up that the knot didn't look great on. Forgot about it during the last outing and ended up using that tip-up today. Big mistake! Sure enough I got a flag on that particular tip and it was a very big something. When I set the hook it didn't even move. Fish took a good run and I felt the tension release. Pulled the line up and sure enough that knot to my leader came undone. I was disgusted and could only blame myself. From now on I will be re-checking my gear before every outting.

[NNYIceangler]

Hard lesson learned man, wont do it again though

[fishermantim]

Remember most people don't check their own shoelaces until they step on them and take a spill!

The good thing (if yopu call losing a good fish "good") is that you'll probably never let that happen again!

[prchslyr]

Had a similar thing happen to me 2 weeks ago. Went out and bought these fancy schmancy steel pike rigs. Quick strike, blades, beads, 24" spinning rims. Paid $8 a piece. I tied them all on and hit the ice with the biggest bait I could find thinking I just stepped up my pike game. I never thought that I should check the crimps real good on new tackle. 1st flag I had that day was screaming off line when I walked up. Set the hook and felt a beast of a pike on the other end. One good jerk of the head and he was gone with a fancy red hook pierced in his lip.
Some of us never learn man.  Hoping that's my one big mistake of the year.   

[ship of fools]

Had a similar thing happen to me 2 weeks ago. Went out and bought these fancy schmancy steel pike rigs. Quick strike, blades, beads, 24" spinning rims. Paid $8 a piece. I tied them all on and hit the ice with the biggest bait I could find thinking I just stepped up my pike game. I never thought that I should check the crimps real good on new tackle. 1st flag I had that day was screaming off line when I walked up. Set the hook and felt a beast of a pike on the other end. One good jerk of the head and he was gone with a fancy red hook pierced in his lip.
Some of us never learn man.  Hoping that's my one big mistake of the year.

guess your lost jigging gear is forgotten?    ever have any luck finding it??

[EasternCentralNY21]

i always bring my pac basket in so everything will thaw i get bored and tinker with my tip ups, check em out pull the line out and rewrap it up nice and tight and even, imo the best way to ice a bunch of fish is to keep you stuff in tip top shape, I literally check all my stuff when i get home, when i dont fish for a few days i even bring my shanty in so it can thaw and dry out...

[prchslyr]

guess your lost jigging gear is forgotten?    ever have any luck finding it??

No luck. Ain't gonna keep me from getting out there.
Since then, I've used nothing but Halis. The freezer no longer has room for the 'ol ladies lean cuisine.
Gotta move on or it'll burn me up.

[harrops26]

I check my tipups once a week. Check knots and crimps. Run all my hooks across my thumb nail and sharpen when necessary. I make sure my floro leaders are strapped on straight and tight. Tie on my jigs for what ever im going for and e-tape them to the handle. Prevents a lot of frustration out on the ice.

[Fishmon]

Good suggestions Harropps 26 -  I like the e tape one.   I use hockey stick tape to hold reels on and a little extra piece to secure one of those little Marmooskas or whatever is a great idea.  I can't tell you how many times I cursed  up a blue streak  untangling those things when they come loose.  Nothing like putting a Marmooska into your thumb when it is 10 below zero.

[stripermancl]

whats up steve  lost tip up satuday no what you mean about checking gear. but did preety good caught 20 bass 4 perch biggest 13 inch 1 pike 28 inchs bunch of small bluegills and 1 walleye 22 incher 14 hours fishing not bad just the two of us not bad.

[reddog11]

Yup, learned your lesson. Always check your gear.

[IceNeck9292]

I just got do do more fishing to have these mistkes happen lol dam work

[VDueslerIV]

tough nuts buddy...not much else to say

[davise6]

Thats a shame. I have a few "rituals" now thanks to forgetting important items, not only fishing but hunting and trapping too. It helps to make checklists ahead of time to make sure you get everything you need to get done before you go.