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You don't need it.If you release the fish it's another hook to remove and it's hard on the fish.My opinion
I agree. One single hook back of the dorsal fin. Keep tipups close enough so that you can get to them quick enough to quickly set the hook. If the hook has been swallowed , cut the line or keep the fish for dinner. Dick
"Ice FishingIce fishing is fishing by means of hook and line in hand or attached to a rod, tip-up, jack or bob, where the angler is fishing through a hole in the ice, from the ice or on an object supported by the ice. Fishing by casting or trolling baited hooks, artificial flies or lures shall not be considered ice fishing. A person may take fish only by using not more than eight lines, except on Lake Champlain where no more than fifteen lines may be used. He or she must have immediate control over all lines. Each line may not have more than two baited hooks, or three artificial flies or two lures with or without bait. Six lines are allowed on the Connecticut River.Catch and ReleaseAngling as explained elsewhere, except that fish must be released immediately where caught.Fishing ToolsBaited HookA single shank hook with 1, 2 or 3 points that may be baited with natural or artificial bait or both."As I read it you are allowed 2 baited hooks per line while ice fishing. A baited hook is defined as a hook with 1-2-or three points, therefore you are allowed 2 trebel hooks on one line. Ive used quick strikes in Vt with good resuts, but got sick of changing every time i went to the CT river so i just use circle hooks all the time now.
I have heard of guys getting cought on that one if they took more than 15min to tend to a flag that was up. You could get away with a distant tip up if you can clearly see the flag and get to it in a reasonable amount of time.
30 minutes is plenty of time if you plan on keeping the fish and dissecting the hook out.
Thanks for the tips guys. I ended up going with some pre made pike rigs I bought from a local bait shop last year. Nylon coated wire leader to a single 4/0 hook. I used them today, but I think I'll end doing some flouro leaders to a single hook in the near future.
I have seen more than a couple 40" pike slice 80lb floro.. so I dont use it and I catch just as many using wire as guys using floro...but with 0 bite offs.