tipups. need some info.

[strgon84]

i was fishin today and two flags, unbelievable runners but they werent hooked. i could feel a large fish on but when it got close just dropped the bait. where do you hook the smelt for hookups i just ran it through the back with gami hook.

[trout hounder]

it depends i use quick set rigs and treble hooks plus pike hooks by mustad

[camand post 92]

depending on size of smelt i only run one treble hook hook two barbs through the side in between the head and dorsal fin i use size 4 and size 2 on smelt once they are longer then 7 or 8 inches i start running 2 hooks one be hind the head and one between the tail and dorsal fin make sure the smelt is horizontal or if your using steel leaders with claps push the shank of the treble through the smelt

if the fish is running what till he stops to set the hook good luck strgon84

[Strippnthedream]

Just the luck of the draw when fishn man. Sometimes they swallow the hole bait n sometime they just put half in there mouth. Can't win them all. I try 2 let them run. usually they will stop n try 2 turn the bait so they can swallow it on there second run is when I set the hook. I've had pike also drop it after a big run. Just never can tell. At least u felt the fish n got a little rush going chasing after that flag n watching the wheel spin.

[vicster]

I run a quick strike rig on all but small minnow bait.  The zero rigs from clam are pretty much the same idea and work great so far.  I hook one treble  just behind the head with hooks angling towards the tail and another 1/3 of the way up the smelt from the tail.  If a pike picks it up it will have at least one treble in it's mouth.  As long as the fish is moving away (which they usually are if you catch the flag reasonably quickly I slowly pick up the line till I have some tension and set the hook straight back from the direction of pull.  I've hook 90 plus percent of my flags the last couple years with this system and almost always hook them in the mouth so if it's too small or too big you have the option of turning them back.  Used to let them run and wait and the second run thing and didn't have nearly the hooking percentage and the ones I did were usually hooked too deep to release.  System works great!

[strgon84]

sweet replies all. im dyhard perch And walleye guy and for the first time setup tipups. i looked over and had had a flag. the spinner was barely moving when all of a sudden it took off!.i didnt know what to do so a yanked as hard as i could and all i felt was bottom till it took off. that fish is huge thats why im asking!

[marble eyehunter]

I run a size 4 treble on most size smelt and place it bout half to a inch behind the head of smelt with two hooks in and the other out but I run 80 to 100 lb braid don't use steel leader have double my hook-ups since switching to braid for pike

[strgon84]

what about depth? just under the ice or just off the bottom. where im fishing is only like 9 feet or so. im thinking put one in the middle and one just off bottom and see what happens. what do yall think?

[vicster]

Good plan.  I catch most of my pike about 3 ft off the bottom but you would be surprised how often they will suspend (probably chasing squaw fish, trout, whitefish that often suspend). They see real well in front and above but not so well down so if your bait is below them your out of luck. 

[trout hounder]

how do you guys hook up your hooks when packing up

[wolf777]

Tip-ups were my nemesis to begin with.  I've learned a lot from my mistakes and I'll share how I set mine up to minimize mess.   There is no way to fish efficiently and have no mess.  I run quick strike rigs for pike.  I like hand tied mono rigs since the fish in my big areas are a little steel leader shy.  I use 20-30 mono and tie two #4 trebels so that the eye is facing each other 2-4 inches apart.  I tie on to this about a 6 inch piece of mono that goes up to a barrel swivel.  Don't tie this to the swivel directly.  Use a loop at the upper end.  That way at the end of the day you just pull it off of the barrel swivel and loop the swivel on the line guide and you have a mess free tip up.  Above the barrel swivel I always have a 1/4 ounce egg sinker.  You can add split near the bait if you need it to be nice and level and by sliding the knot along the line between the trebles you can get a beautiful presentation.  Hope this helps.  I've only ever lost one pike with the mono and it was due to a BIG Pike running and not being able to turn without putting a lot of pressure.  I've landed some really nice fish and never worry about horsing them in.  The rig changes significantly for perch, walleye or trout, but having the barrel swivel you can throw whatever rig or leader you want on and take it off at the end of the day.  I usually have 5 tip ups and 3 rods in my bucket and only have messes when I'm in a hurry or careless.  Good Luck!

[trout hounder]

how do u guys set up for walleye on tip ups

[vicster]

12-18 inches off the bottom, when the fish trips the flag catch them....  The windlass tip ups work great in areas that you can't use live bait, just have to tend them regularly to keep the line from freezing in the hole.