Tip-up festival (Quincy Michigan area)

[Greg2ha]

Does anyone have info on this festival such as phone # for info, date, or web site
for this event. I have been wanting to go for the last couple of years and have not
had the time to go. That is why I am planning ahead  so far. I think it is usually the second weekend of February. Any info would be great guys. I live in Fort Wayne.
Later Greg

[SleePac]

http://www.michigan.gov/mda/0,1607,7-125-1572_2901-58884--M_2003_02,00.html

Here's an old link from 2003....it appears they reserve the same weekend each year for this festival....crap, now I've got another one to put on the calendar!   

[Greg2ha]

Thanks Sleepac!

[SleePac]

Anytime, brutha!

[FishDaddy09]

I live on the coldwater chain and I have never gone to the tip-up. It is basicly won by the same people every year. They catch fish, keep them in a tank-auqurium till the contest and then turn them in. For the most part this contest is already won before it starts.

[Greg2ha]

Hey FishDaddy, you're kidding right? If not that's to bad that people feel the need to cheat. I wanted to go somewhere where I could take
my kids other than just taking them on the ice with me. I thought this would be interesting to them. Only bad thing is getting an out of state
fishing permit. Do you still think this would be worth while going to with kids?
Later Greg

[SleePac]

Greg - If I may humbly offer a suggestion.  This is just my second year on the ice and I, too, am hoping to expose my two children to the sport more this year.  On Saturday the 21st of January, 2006, there is a Kid's Clinic that is going to be held in conjunction with the Michigan Super Trap Attack that is sponsered by Ice Team and Gander Mountain on Wampler's Lake here in Michigan.  I'm taking my children and we're going to be doing some of our own fishing that day too.  Just some food for thought.  Then, the following day, is the actual competition.  We might show up to observe but I'm not ready to compete quite yet.  Anyhow, thought I'd share that with you.

Andy - Detroit

[FishDaddy09]

Greg: yes people cheat like crazy at the tip-up, I have even heard of people stealing fish from the fish board. As far as taking the kids as I said I have never been to it so I don't know what they have for kids. The kids clinic is great for kids but if you live in Ft. Wayne it would be over 2 hour away for you. The day permit for MI is only $7 and kids under 17 don't pay. Why don't you just take them to one of your good spots that has easy access with the truck near by  and let them bring some other things like ice skates ect. with they if they get bored.

[Greg2ha]

Hey Sleepac, I heard of the trap attack. I think this is a 4 or 5 event
deal in different states. The one in Michigan is around Brooklyn? Do they have a schedule of events? Also Fishdaddy, I have good fishing
spots in Indiana its just I thought it would be neat to go to some sort
of a ice fishing festival somewhere. Thanks guys!
Later Greg

[SleePac]

Greg - Here's what I know:

*  1.21.05 - Kid's Clinic and that day serves as a practice day of fishing for those competing the next day
*  1.22.05 - Wamplers Lake - Brooklyn, Michigan
*  Launch Site - Hayes State Park
*  Species - Sunfish
*  Headquarters - Knutson's Recreational Sales - 164 Wamplers Lake Road - Brooklyn, Michigan

That's about all I have....keep an eye on the iceteam site!

Maybe we'll see you there!

[Greg2ha]

Thanks for the info!
Later Greg

[head1764]

Quincy Tip-up is on the 3rd weekend in Feb. And fishdaddy is correct when he says that there is cheating that goes on during the tip-up.  According to the rules for the fish board, a fish is only to be posted on the board if it is caught on that chain of lakes.  However, I have personally saw fish caught at other lakes (mainly Clear Lake in Indiana) and then taken to the board there.  Depending on the amount of ice is the determining factor for an enjoyable time......especially if you take kids.  By this I am saying that the more ice there is the worse it is.  How you may ask.......it is simply because the hold sled races out on the ice.  They have a time slot to do it, but no one follows the slot.  I have tried it twice and it is the same crap.  I have given up going to the tip up because of the unsafe conditions.  My first time there was the worst....we had enough ice for cars and trucks to be out  there and lets just say myself and a buddy just about got taken out by some kids in there parents Audi.  If you want to take your kids fishing, don't take them to the tipup.  They would get a lot more out of the experience if you take them to a smaller lake that is know for panfish...not big pan fish but just numerous amounts.  Once they get a taste for catching fish them break them into larger bodies of water with bigger fish.  Clear Lake offers some REALLY huge gills, but they are extremely difficult to catch because of the clear water.  a little pointer I have learned down there, is stay in one spot.  They are extremely spooky.  Hope this helps.

[{RPF}Rapala Pike Fisherman]

I was supposed to go last year, but it was way to muddy. Hopefully i make it up there this year Lol, is anyone here going to try the polar bear swin?

[pike hound]

yea people do cheat alot at the tip-ups. There is a tip-up at the conservation club the last weekend of January for all of Hillsdale county and the Reading tip-up the first weekend of February also. I remember hearing that last year that someone tried to enter a 42 inch pike that was dead for a while at the Quincy tip-up. At the reading and conservation tip-up one guy entered the same size fish at each tip-up a 37 incher and placed which knocked my buddies 34.5 inch out of the money, alot of people catch fish ahead of time and enter them. A 36 incher usually is needed to place for pike which for this area is about as big as they get so I find it pretty hard to believe 5 or 6 that size are caught in a two day period. I've also seen guys put about 6 tip-ups a piece, but regardless they are alot of fun and the leader boards are pretty impressive for all species!

[reelbigfish]

  I fish with a couple of retired guys who live in the Reading area.  All they do is
go fishing almost everyday and I mean to tell ya these guys are good .  The kind of
guys who could catch fish in a bathtub.  They almost always enter winning fish
in the Reading, Quincy, Bawbeese and Coldwater tournaments.  Sometimes it's not luck it's skill.  I catch 12" plus panfish when I go with these guys but I take them home to eat.  You couldn't get me near all those snowmobiles and people.  There
is not near as much cheating going on as you guys say.  When a fisherman has 60 plus years experience I try to pay attention.  Trust me they don't need to cheat to
win.


Ted

[head1764]

I will say this, anyone can tell the difference between a fresh fish and one that has been in the freezer or bath tub.  There is no mistaking them.  I will also admit that there are people that have nack for catching nice fish.  But with growing up around reading and seeing who has turned in what.  I can probably tell where most of them are caught.  The biggest thing about these tip-ups festivals is each has there own "designated" area to fish.  Quincy for example is the marble chain of lakes, both reding and hillsdale conservation are open to any lake in hillsdale county.  But when you look at the fish board and see the same names year to year, and knowing there background, none are honest to the board.  When it comes to the Reading Tip-up many of the fish turned in are from clear lake in Indiana.  I know the winnning pike at quincy last year was caught at clear also.  Saw it caught first hand, plus heard the guy say he was on his way to quincy.  I know truly that the board is suppose to be for show but for me it gets shadowed out because of the dishonesty that is brought to these competitions.

[reelbigfish]

Head,
  Sounds like sour grapes to me.  There is no way to control what lake fish are
caught in that are entered in these contests but the people who run them do an
excellent job of sorting out fish that are brought in dead or have been swimming around in a pail.  True sportsmen follow the rules and there are a lot more of us
than there are of the dishonest people.  I love our sport and all of the good guys
who participate in these contests.  Congratulate the winners don't accuse them of
being cheaters.  Get out there and catch a contest winner of your own.



Ted

[FishDaddy09]

Sorry Ted but a cheater is a cheater everyone know the rules and some people will cheat just to win some money. I know that people keep fish in tanks to enter in the tip-up and i don't see anything to congradulate those people about.