Fly the Team Iceshanty Flag! Iceshanty Proshop
The best thing I like about them is when they go off,the rod whips up and it makes a weird clatter scraping sound on the ice . Once you hear that sound you know what it is ! That always catches my attention faster then a flag
You select the spot and drill the hole.You select the lure and tie it on.You select the bait and hook it how you want.You set the depth.You place it in the rod holder and set the trigger sensitivity.All the self setter does is set the hook when the fish bites.It's apples and oranges to your deer analogy.Plus I get more lip hooks with mine then the average dead stick or tip up user.With the wind, heater noise(when I decide to use it), Snowmobiles, ATV's, wildlife, etc it is hard to hear a deadstick go off.I know I gut hook way more fish dead sticking or on a tip up then with a self setter.With a self setter lip hooks are mostly what I get which is great for catch and release.But it's all good nobody is asking you to use one.But you won't convince me to leave mine at home either.
Your right was a bad analogy, it's more like when dad hooks the fish and gives you the rod. But to each his or her own. I just think the hooking of a running fish through the ice is not only the hardest part of the sport but it is also the most sporting part of the sport. Anyone can drop a shiner through a hole but experience and a little luck makes the difference on hooking them.
Works great, so I can see where they can be used in different situations... Don't see where it would be cheating? I find you lip hook almost all fish as compared to gut hooking on a tip up... JMO......
I switched from the jawjacker to the AK SalmonBear self setting rod holders and couldn't be happier with them.They have a better design.But yes I use mine quite often.I like them better than a standard TipUp.
Fishing for me means being actively engaged, staring down the hole or at the flasher with rod in hand. I couldn't fish with just a jaw jacker alone as it's too passive. But if you can fish with two lines then I'd certainly set up a second line with a jaw jacker
I never use circle hooks anymore, tried them but lost a lot more fish that way. I use regular octopus hooks(size 1/0 to 5/0)in different glo colors on 18-24 inch 30# flourp leaders crimped all the time now, no more knots. For pike , bass, and walleye I also use blades and beads. I get 3x as many flags with the beads and blades as without.
Thanks for the pick and idea! Had a couple questions about this:1. What do you use for your crimping materials/tools?2. Do you ever lose fish because the crimp cuts the flouro or can the flouro slip back thru?Thanks
Same as Kayl said except I do use a good crimping tool. If you do it right you will never tie again. best article that expalins it. I use 30# seagar leader material for Pike and Bass and caught over 150 fish last year in New York with no breaks. A friend was fishing with no blades or beads and we had 3x as many flags, they are amazing.http://www.leadertec.com/tipsandtechniques/crimp_techniques.html
If you take a 5/16 or similar bolt and put under the spring ends and staple in place you get magnum performance out of the rat trap.