ditching tip ups

[nhpikeking]

im thinking im gonna ditch tip ups and jig for everything including pike anyone else jig for every species ?

[Tubedragger]

At the start of the ice season, my goal was to keep my tip ups in the basement all winter. So far they are still in the basement and I have had the most productive year of icefishing I have ever had.  My freezer if stuffed with perch.  I think jigging is a more efficient way to fish, particularly for perch.  I am fishing rather than chasing flags and rebaiting.  If I stop marking fish, I move until I find them.  And at the end of the day its nice not to have to pick up all those tip ups when its cold and getting dark.

[walliceman]

I ditched tip ups as soon as I got my marcum. Only exception being when I'm going out with a bunch of friends for the day. I also don't usually fish pike lakes but I catch plenty of pickeral. The ability to ove while jigging is by far the best part about it. Also a lot less time setting up and leaving.

[DasRottweiler]

I`m a walker/dragger and the slush n snow this season has made me rethink my on-ice strategy. I have had several trips this season where I packed as light as possible, taking only what was necessary to cut weight.
I have left many things out and have downsized others. I leave the traps at home with the big tacklebox, and downsize my minnow bucket. I am going to further customize the 5 gallon bucket I carry my Vex in to carry 3 rods and a skimmer , to make hole hops easier. Will be getting a hand auger for going light as well. Soon I will have it down to 5 rods ,the Vex and bucket , handauger, a couple of tilts ,and my one man portable.

[nhpikeking]

das deffinatly get a nils hand auger cant even explain how awesome they are and downsizing is alot less hassle and i figured there isnt a fish that cant be jigged up

[5watchman5]

Do it!  You won't be sorry.  I ditched them a year ago.  You'll have alot more fun and it's alot more productive.  I know some guys like to set up a few, but anything you catch on a tip up can be caught on a jig pole.  For ex, we jig mostly for Perch, but it's not uncommon to catch a bonus Laker.  Sell your tip ups on Craigs and buy a nice flasher and you'll be set.

[nhpikeking]

oh dont worry already got a flasher and i love it best fishing investment ive ever made i do alot of jigging but was mostly going for panfish with my tip ups out but it became a hassle to move with my tip up spread so i figured id just jig for the bigger stuff and instead of carrying 5 tip ups+jig rods i could carry three jig rods in a rod locker and my flasher in my glide lite i have my jason mitchell meat stick that came in today for panfish got my ml ht icelander(awesome rod for an ht) for chubby darters and flasher spoons(doubles as a pickeral and what not rod) then i have my medium ice pro rod thats real stiff for all the bigger stuff like pike and big bass

[davejohnson2]

when im fishing panfish i dont set tipups, however if i am fishing for pike i want to cover a lot of water so i set out as many tip ups as possible and then jig a spoon for them as well

[bassbull]

I've down sized a lot also the last few years. I like a lot of action and the panfish give me that. I save the pike fishing for the open water season.

[DasRottweiler]

das deffinatly get a nils hand auger cant even explain how awesome they are and downsizing is alot less hassle and i figured there isnt a fish that cant be jigged up

The kids got me a 18v PorterCable 1/2" Drill/Driver kit , I`m gonna get the adapter and if I have the cake p/u a 5-6" Nils for it. Down sizing from the 3hp Eskimo 8" I`m running now. Lose about 25-30lbs right there even with a lil cooler set up with handwarmers and foam insul for the 2 batteries. Gonna make a holder on the 1-man portable shack for the drill/auger and the Vex/Bait/Rod Holder/Hole hopping bucket. Should be a sweet Run n Gun setup!

[ICE DOG 69]

I chase mostly Walleyes, I have a couple friends who have gone to just jigging for Waldo's. The other day I nailed a 6lber on tip up and my bud who doesn't use tip ups anymore said "It figures"  I said well what did you think ?  Tip ups quit working ? 

I think it depends on what your fishing.  If I am chasing Walleyes I will be in a particular area so For me to not set up tip ups would be crazy, why not increase my odds ?  I can still jig, which I do.  I have caught more fish jigging over tip-ups this year by a lot, however if I don't put a tip up out and someone else does and they catch a monster Waldo because the fish was in that mood I would have no one to blame but me.

If your chasing just perch then yeah tip ups are kinda a pain when you can catch the same fish jigging.

[CT-iceguy]

Ice dog- I feel the same way, especially for pike and walleye.

I've certainly caught way more fish jigging this year, however my quality fish have come off traps. Tip ups are something that will always be in my arsenal because they catch fish and increase my odds, especially when it comes to trophy fish. Jigging is awesome, and if i forget my vex, i drive home and get it, because there is no way in hell i would fish without it, but chasing flags is fun too

[Old Man Winter]

Tipups are not good for panfish IMO, but tipdowns on the other hand!

[Goatskin]

What do you guys use for jigging pike if you talk about darters include size please!!!!!

[nhpikeking]

im trying the biggest size chubby darter/jiggin rap or big tubes that and big swedish pimples all that should do the trick im gonna try a spot on friday

[DasRottweiler]

Tipups are not good for panfish IMO, but tipdowns on the other hand!

Part of my plan for downsizing includes making 2 tipdowns. I found this Homemade Tipdown on IS.(can`t find the post now, I would like to give the guy credit)  I will be making 2 in the future to use with cheap schooley reels and homemade rods. I figure they would be good for locating panfish or increasing the catch on slow days when ya do find em.

[iceman4667]

I have been getting away from the tip ups  the older i get , just seems like a hassle any more

[DasRottweiler]

Yup, I bagged the tipups for my solo trips , but I figure 2 deadsticks aka: tipdowns will help locate pannies and possibly put more on the ice when it is slow. Plan on keeping them close,within 20-25 feet from me so I can access them quickly. Any more than 2 and they will probably require too much of my time, clearing holes, dipping the minnow to keep em active etc. Will only use them on warm days when they require less maintanence also, and chances are I`ll be outta the shack hole-hopping with the Vex and the rod bucket. If I`m in the 1-man, chances are it`s cold out and I`ll scratch the tipdowns.

[chukkrok]

I fish 4 holes outta my flipover, 2 spinning outfits with minnows, and two schooley rods with jigs and waxies.  and havin a good time with that setup..

[VT snotrocket]

I fish mostly for perch. I leave my tipups home most of the time. I find I catch more fish and the big thing is I don't have to pack as much stuff. When I take my young cousin fishing I use a few tipups because he likes chasing a few flags. But mostly I jig.

[CZMark]

I rarely fish tip ups anymore--they make it too hard to move. I if I want a live minnow presentation, I use a deadstick in a hole next to me for gamefish; for panfish, I use a tipdown.