Backer line on tip ups

[BTurano]

Being very new to this sport I need a little help. I just purchased 3 tip ups. I am going to use ICE LINE on them. My question is do I fill the entire spool with mono or should I use a backing, and if so what should I use for backing. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.
Barry Turano

[Mazey]

I use braided nylon line as backing on tipups then a 3-4' leader to the hook.  easier to handle than mono.  have heard that mono (also superlines) can cut your hands pretty easily when fighting bigger fish that take runs.

[Bob_D]

Fill it with dacron and use what ever you want for a leader. Dacron will last a long time, and is easy to handle.

[dogfish]

What Esox said

[Fishinut]

Don't use mono. Use braided nylon or dacron. Mono is very hard to work with and it will loop off the spool and creat big problems!!! Use mono or flourocarbon leaders, but I wouldn't for the main line.

[bullheadbasher]

Mono sucks.  I have lost two nice northerns this year allready due to mono on the tip ups.  I will never use mono again.  As a matter of fact I was so pissed off I broke the tip up it was on.  I hate mono.  It should go to hell.  I will never ever use it again.  Damn mono.  I want to beat the crap out of mono.  Dont use it.  It aint worth it.  Braided.  

[trapdaddy21]

the previous posters are right, you definitely want to use a dacron or heavy braided line, i like to use 30-35# test. if you are fishing for walleyes you should put a 3 foot leader or gutline on, i typically go with a six # vanish or micro ice line. if you are fishing for northerns you may want to put a metal leader on, but i have caught dozens of northerns on 6# mono leaders.

[fishingking]

biggest northern i saw caught 40 icnhes  15 pounds was on 15 lb test 6 pound diameter flourocarbon just gotta play the fish more and yes u loose more fish but u also get more hook ups its like jigging panfish i use 2 lb test last year jigging with 2lb  caught a 23" 3 lb Pickeral thats pictured under my name

[Jack Magnum]

I like U.S.Line company's ice fisherman tilt line. I have had it on my reels for too many years to count. Easy to handle and doesn't kink. I like the 36lb.but they offer other lbs. and 3 colors.The line is waxed too. 307  sells it and I think it's 6.79 for a 450 ft. spool. Well worth it.

[acsacmboy]

i like dacron. 45 pound. then a steel leader witha  good snap. i pre tie leaders so i can just snap one on and off for w/e im fishing for. really convinient

[reelcharacter]

I bought my Polar and Windlass tipups (20 of them) on the cheap a couple of years ago. For once in my life I happened to be in the right place at the right time. Found them at a summer Wal-Mart tent sale for about $3.00 each.

Then, I started pricing what it would cost just to fill the rather large Polar Tipup reels. Yep, got more in string on many of them than I spent on the tipups. Does anyone have any ideas on inexpensive sources of Dacron or other backing material? I used nylon parachute cord on some. It works great for the most part, however can get soggy underwater, which causes problems when moving tipups in cold freezing weather.

-Reelcharacter