tip down question

[Pail Rider]

After reading quite a bit about them, I'm in the process of making a set of tip-downs to snare some crappies.  My question is when the rod tips down, do you allow it to free spool or do you dead-stop it so the hook is set??

[the Wizard]

After reading quite a bit about them, I'm in the process of making a set of tip-downs to snare some crappies.  My question is when the rod tips down, do you allow it to free spool or do you dead-stop it so the hook is set??

I tighten mine down to stop them and get a hook set but not so tight that a big pike will yank stuff down the hole.
     Good and snug you might say.

[fish_finder]

 I've never fished crappies before but the way i have mine works good for other fish, they can pull about a foot of line until it won't tip anymore, usually by then they have in their mouths pretty good or they are running with it and they get hooked.

[CrappieGuy]

We have ours snug and also have a pin through the reel to mark the depth.   When the pole tips it gives a little more than a foot of line out and that is plenty for the fish to swallow the minnow.  I do tie the pole to the stand in case a northern or Walleye decides to grab the minnow and run with it so that the pole doesn't get pulled away.

[chimo]

mine don't have reels so once they tip it down they are out of line.  I have tried to make a few out of schooley rods but I need to tinker with them some more.  when I did use them I tightened the reel down just a bit and used my thumb to stop the reel when I set the hook.  good fishing

chimo