Tip-Up Use. (Only 2nd time Ice Fishing)

[Freezeout]

Hello everyone! I have been reading many posts on this forum and have gotten very useful advice! I am planning a trip to Houghton lake in a few weekends and have a couple questions for you guys.

1) Where are the hot spots on houghton lake?

2) Dont laugh, but I am not to experienced with tip ups and was wondering the best way to use them on Houghton lake. Should I drop my tip up line and let the fish take it the full 25-50 foot line I have on the spool or would it be wise to tie off the line so the fish can only run 10 feet or so with it?

Any help would be appreciated! Thanks!

[fishuhalik]

First off, put more line on your spool!  I've had big pike spool my 200 yard spools in under 2 mins.  Make sure you let the fish stop b/f setting the hook.  Watch the spindle on top, and when it stops spinning slowly pull the tipup up, grab the line, tighten up till ya can feel a little weight but not so much that the fish feels you, and BAM! set the hook.  Also, alot of ppl would disagree, but I don't use leaders.  Try using fireline or some other sort of braided line for your leader.  You may get a few bite-offs, but you'll get more bites than when using steel, especially in clear water.  Just my .02

[Freezeout]

First off, put more line on your spool!  I've had big pike spool my 200 yard spools in under 2 mins.  Make sure you let the fish stop b/f setting the hook.  Watch the spindle on top, and when it stops spinning slowly pull the tipup up, grab the line, tighten up till ya can feel a little weight but not so much that the fish feels you, and BAM! set the hook.  Also, alot of ppl would disagree, but I don't use leaders.  Try using fireline or some other sort of braided line for your leader.  You may get a few bite-offs, but you'll get more bites than when using steel, especially in clear water.  Just my .02

Thanks for the tips Fishuhalik! I guess I assumed that if I see a flag go up then I automatically have a fish on! I did not know you needed to set your hook with tip ups, thanks for the info!

Also, I currently have my tip ups spooled with a "black line" almost like a rubbery type line (Dont remember the name of it but I guess it is designed to not freeze??) Ever heard of this line? Is it good?

[Freezeout]

Isn't there a limit in michigan on how many tipups can be used by 1 person, plus fishing poles?

Also, do you recommend using any type of sinker when using tipups? For instance, I am thinking of using a treble hook with a sucker minnow for pike. Is that sufficient, or should I put a split shot 18 inches above the hook?

[fishuhalik]

I'm not sure on michigan state laws.  I'm from MN.  The black line is fine.  I tend to use braided lines instead.  It gets expensive when you have to use so much line, but that's ok for me.  It also can cut your fingers when a big fish goes on a run, so I wear a very thin pair of gloves on my right hand, which is the hand I lead w/ and use to put pressure on the fish when fighting it.  Also, the braided lines have 0 stretch, so when a big pike takes out 150 yards of line, I know that when I set the hook I'm getting a nice, firm hook set on 'em, not a whole bunch of stretch like that black line.  And yeah, definitely set the hook.  If you don't they'll spit it 90% of the time

[Freezeout]

Thanks! I apologize to everyone reading this thread for replying to it so many times but I just have so many questions that I keep thinking of. So I am just going to list a bunch of things here and anybody that responds I will be very appreciative!

Anyone who is familiar with Houghton Lake I am renting an Ice Shanty from Lymans for the weekend, I understand that they auger your holes inside the shanty but as far as tipups I am on my own with my handy 7" hand ice auger. I plan on doing some jigging with my hand poles using some teardrops and some ice jigs tipped with wax worms, and minnows. (Question) Does anyone recommend using weight when jigging with hand poles?

I guess I just have way to many questions but I dont want to drive 4 hours to Houghton and drop a bunch of cash on a cabin and shanty rental if I dont know what the He!! I am doing out there!

Oh well. Any thoughts on jigging for perch, walleye, crappie, and bluegill. Also using tipups for pike would be great! Thanks in advance!

[icejunky]

Hey Freezeout...welcome to the board...First things...Questions are what this site is all about so no need to apologise for asking them...Second..Since you are renting a hut.I would ask the owner/opperater to drill a few outside holes for you...Any Opperater worth anything will take the 3 minutes needed to drill some holes with his gas auger.

I rent on a few lakes here in Ontario with buddies and the Guys I rent from always ask if we want any other holes drilled and they knockem out where we want...I would ask him..it's your money..Good luck

[fishuhalik]

As far as techniques go for jigging for eyes and pans go, I could type all day and not cover half!  Just check out the tips under the forums for each fish on this site.  You should be able to find out about anything you need.  As far tipups go, it's perty simple.  If the lake's dark, I'd try 8-14 fow, right on the weededge.  Just make sure they're green weeds, not the dead brown ones.  If clear, again go to the weededge, it's gonna be deeper, say 12-20 fow.  Try setting your bait, a sucker or shiner works good,  dead ciscoe or smelt are preferred, about 5 feet from bottom if live, 1/2 to 2 ft off bottom if dead.  This time of year try off main lake points w/ a nice drop off.  Try off the tip of the point or off the sides.  Also, rock piles can be very good this time of year for gators.    Any more ?s, feel free to ask.  Like icejunky said, that's the point of the site!

[Freezeout]

Thanks guys for making me feel welcome to the board!

2 quick questions.

1) Do you recommend using any sinker or split shot on your tip up line?

2) Someone told me to never let the line be able to run completely out because if you are fishing a weedy area the fish can run through the weeds and have your line so tangled that you will never be able to pull it up. I think that is where I got the idea to tie off my line so the fish is unable to pull it for 100-200 yards.

What do you guys think?

[hali-man]

#1- If you do use a split-shot, put it above the leader.
#2- If you get spooled you are screwed, and
if you tie off the line you are just as screwed. 

[theProfessor]

let me answer one of your earlier questions: in michigan you can only use 2 lines. so if you are jigging in the shanty with one you can only have one tip-up outside.

i would do as someone earlier suggested and put as much line on your tip-up spool as you can, its OK to let them run and don't worry about getting tangled in the weeds i doubt the winter weeds are thick enough to give you trouble.

and a repaet of earlier advice: talk to the guys from lymans about all of this. they want you to come back so they will be glad to help you out.

good luck, have fun!

jerry

[Snoman]

Freezeout - here is a general anatomy of a pike on a tip-up:
1) pike grabs minnow in mouth and will swim away with it and flag goes up,
2) the spool/spindle will stop when the pike stops to swallow the bait,
3) when the spool/spindle starts moving again SET the hook when you feel resistance.

I will leave the tip-up in the hole until step #3, then I pull it out, making sure the fish can still take line off the spool, then set the hook.

I don't use steel leaders anymore either.  At Fletchers Floodwaters last weekend the pike had already dropped most of their teeth (like children teething) so they were biting light.  Meaning they dropped the bait a lot at step #2 and #3.

GOOD LUCK!!!

[dachmation]

Hey Freezeout:

We are having a Mich IceShanty get together this weekend Jan 7 at Houghton Lake.  It would be nice if you could come up and fish with us, all the details are in the top post on this board. If not still let us know when you are coming up and we may be able to meet with you and fish.

Mike
Houghton Lake resident
Dach or Dachmation on the forums

[stumpjumper]

Dont forget, if you use dead smelt you need a swedish hook, ir runs through the a-hole and through and the barb wedges right behind it's head. As said, always wait untill the fish stops, then set the hook at the next sign of movement, and if you get there and it isn't taking line, wait and watch it untill it does and set the hook immediately.

 Keep resistance on the line, and don't give them slack. With a swedish hook you can drag them in and they wont get off, the harder you pull the better hookset you have.

[stumpjumper]

Also, for pike, weed edges in 3-4 fow is good too, put your bait 12" below the ice.

[Freezeout]

Hey Freezeout:

We are having a Mich IceShanty get together this weekend Jan 7 at Houghton Lake.  It would be nice if you could come up and fish with us, all the details are in the top post on this board. If not still let us know when you are coming up and we may be able to meet with you and fish.

Mike
Houghton Lake resident
Dach or Dachmation on the forums

Thanks for the invite Dach! I would love to get up to Houghton this weekend but I just made reservations for next weekend the 14th and 15th because the guy I am going with had to work this weekend. I am staying at Morris's Northernaire Resort on the west shore off of Old US 27. (Never been to Houghton before so it is all new to me).

It will just be 2 of us coming up and we already rented a shanty from Lymans for Saturday but maybe I can give you a call once I am up there and we can meet and maybe do some fishing on Sunday!

Let me know!

[Freezeout]

Dont forget, if you use dead smelt you need a swedish hook, ir runs through the a-hole and through and the barb wedges right behind it's head. As said, always wait untill the fish stops, then set the hook at the next sign of movement, and if you get there and it isn't taking line, wait and watch it untill it does and set the hook immediately.

 Keep resistance on the line, and don't give them slack. With a swedish hook you can drag them in and they wont get off, the harder you pull the better hookset you have.

Thanks stumpjumper. (Question) What is the best way to put your shiner (Big Minnow) on your hook when using tipups for pike? I believe I will be using a treble hook. Do you hook it through the back? Through the mouth?

What's the best way? I assume the goal is to keep the bait as lively as possible on the hook without killing it right?

[fishuhalik]

B/f using trebles, check your state's regs.  Here in MN, we can't just use a plain treble hook, but if we stick a small spinner or some sort of attractant on the line, it's considered a lure, therefore making it legal. 
And snowman, I believe that theory about pike loosing their teeth and giving them sore mouths is false.  Pike contantly have teeth falling out (damaged, broken off in struggles, etc.) and are constantly being replaced.  I've been known to be wrong on occassion, but I'm pretty sure I'm right.  Anyone else help clarify this?

[Snoman]

Al this talk of tip-up fishing for pike is getting me HARD.  Damn I can wait for the ice to get thicker down here.      FLAG UP!!!!

Fishuhalik - just reporting what I learned from a biologist...and seems to be accurate as the fish in the summer always seem to be toothy SOB's, but now their outer rows drop out.  But like you, I am wrong too... a lot.