Tip up setups for browns

[33Canuck]

My buddy and I are going to give it a go for some browns friday for the first time.  I put alot of time in for pike but never trout.  Any advice in regards to the set-up on the tip ups in regards to lenth of leader, wieght, hooks, good depth to set at, etc. would be greatly appreciated

[tziegert14]

You'll not do very well with browns with your tip ups set for pike. I would re-rig them as follows. A small ball bearing swivel to prevent line twist with shiners or what ever bait, no heavier than 8 pound leader (flurocarbon) with 6 and even 4 pound even better about 3 - 4 feet long. A small split shot about 3/0 should do nicely with a size 6 or 8 octopus hook, I like the Gamy walleye wide bends for my trouting. Baits medium size shiners, night crawlers and salmon eggs.

Good Luck - Icepants

[33Canuck]

Thanks for the info, I already switched out the rig, I always use a barrel even with pike.  I had a 3' 10lb leader and a shiot about a foot above the hook, I used a small treble instead of a octopus, thinks that will be a bad setup?  How far do you set the bait in 10-20' of water or should I go deeper with the set?

[tziegert14]

Are you fishing for really big browns? If not, I still might drop lighter than 10 but that's up to you. Browns to me are a little harder to figure than Bows. For Bows I really don't go deeper than 5-6 feet, I just set my baits at eye level and do good and I usually target water 20 or less. My Lake Browns I have seen as deep as 15-20 feet down in 40 plus water but have also caught them in the shallows late in the year. I just think it depends on 2 things where the bait is and O2 levels in the lake. The lower the level the higher/shallower fish tend to swim at. I feel a flasher helps more in finding Browns than Bows. To me it seems the Bows look for more things to eat like scuds and nymphs while the Browns like "meatier" things.

Icepants

[33Canuck]

Yes big browns are the target probably 3-10lbs, I will be using a sonar to help with depth.  We are probably going to string the tip-ups from 10-40' and anywhere from 5-20' below the ice.  The lake is very clear and lots of bait all over so they should be cruising a all depths.  Sound like a trial and error situation to me.

[tziegert14]

Sounds like your ready, don't have anything to add except good luck!

Icepants

[fishn freak13]

i would still stick with a light leader no more than 6 lbs.  if you have a vex that can be veryhelpful because alot of the time the fish run 25-30  feet under the ice.  to start i would set half your tipups 10-15 ft down and the other half 25-30 ft down to see where the fish are running.

[33Canuck]

Thanks, we have a couple of x67 ice machines we will be running so we should be able to see the suspended depth well