Where would you set your tipups?

[rtbluver]

I have been running tip ups a lot lately due to having some good success on a new lake. But my dilemma is every single one has been out of the same hole. I have tried north and south of the hole following the contour and drop off, even tried running tipups east to  is where would you set up your tipups? The point on the  hand side of the lake is the honey hole. I have attached screenshots of the lake with navionics.  Also, hiw do you keep bass off of your tipups? The lake is fairly murky,  and in this spot its about 17 feet. Usually catching them a foot to a foot an a half off of bottom. Thanks http://imgur.com/a/ZzfT2

[Idahogator]

Ah, Jonesville, Mi.

Sweet !

Lets go fishing.       

Thank you.     

[Rebelss]

The bus is loaded and leaving.  Meet ya SW of the gravel bed at the inlet.

[HybridHunter]

I'd be fishing off that gravel bed.

[rtbluver]

Ah, Jonesville, Mi.

Sweet !

Lets go fishing.       

Thank you.     

I dont know if I am missing a reference, but yes, I live in hillsdale county. Lets go fishin! Private lake now, but I have a few friends who live all over the lake!

And that gravel bed is dead for the most part, small panfish but my buddy has a spearing shanty just off of it and the only thing that comes through is the occasional bass, and bowfin. Hasnt seen a pike last I knew. And all hes gotten on tipups is bass. The amount of large bass that I waste 1.19 shiners on is unreal! I caught 7 of them, all above 16 inches yesterday. Only 1 18 incher today. No puke today only 1 yesterday, last weekend got 3 29-33 inch pike no bass. Week before got my personal best pike. 

[Otto]

Try setting your bait much higher,maybe 2 or 3 feet under the ice.  Pike have thier eyes on top of their head, not on the side like a bass. No guarantee you won't get a bass still, but you might have a better shot at a pike that way.

[rtbluver]

Try setting your bait much higher,maybe 2 or 3 feet under the ice.  Pike have thier eyes on top of their head, not on the side like a bass. No guarantee you won't get a bass still, but you might have a better shot at a pike that way.

Should I just run my tipups throughout the water column? Ive always been told 1-2 feet off of bottom.  3 foot under the ice in 20fow?

[cfisch84]

Should I just run my tipups throughout the water column? Ive always been told 1-2 feet off of bottom.  3 foot under the ice in 20fow?

yes it never hurts to keep a bait or 2 up high. you always have a chance at a big girl cruising some open water.

[thomasthepikehunter]

Shiners are great for a mixed bag, but if you want big pike, you need big bait. 8+ plus suckers are my first choice. They seem to keep bass away, but you still get plenty of smaller pike. 20" pike will eat a 10" sucker. I agree, move your baits up. 3' off the bottom as a minimum, and I would bet they cruise suspended over those deeper holes.

[deadsmelthead]

looks like a few good spots to me, but the one that calls out to me is where the "Fiberous Peat" is.. Looks like there is a pinch point between the gravel bar and the shore with roughly 10-15FOW, just me but it would be the 1st place id go.. From there i would try the oposite pinch point on the gravel bar  and that inlet/outlet ? down at the bottom...

[rtbluver]

Im going out tonight, gonna run one 3 ft off bottom, and one 50/50 in the water column. Ive got a few bugger suckers left, 7 or 8 inches, but I havent been able to keep them damn bass away!

[Knife2sharp]

In shallow water with weeds, typically under 10 ft, I like to go about 3 feet off the bottom, above the weeds.  Once I get over 10' I put the bait no more than halfway down, so for 17', I'd go 8'-10' down. 

[Firetrap]

Go shallow near weed and brush for pike 5 to 15 FOW. The fish push shallow when they hunt. Place near inside turns on points . Go shorter on the tip up line if you are in brush piles. I use 80lb to 100lb test tip up line to help mitagate sage brush and willows under the water.

[thomasthepikehunter]

If the ice is safe, the first place I would go would be that bay on the south end with the creek coming in. I would find the weed line, put a tip up down, and start jigging around it.

[rtbluver]

Over by that creek ice is never safe, it actually flows pretty fast right there.  stays open about 10 to 15 feet past it.  I went out last night, and set tipups halfway down.  One hole was 23 foot and i set it about 11 feet down, another was 18 so i set it around 9 feet down.  I didnt get one hit.  This lake is hard to find shallows because 10 feet off shore it drops hard down into 15-20 FOW. Should i just deal with it and set them in 10 fow right off shore?  We have ran tipups every weekend in the south end around the fibrous peat, and the island and surrounding areas without a hit.  I am stumped. Everything i read says not to fish for pike in 20 FOW but i only catch them in 20 fow 1.5 feet off of bottom.. but then i have to worry about bass.

[thomasthepikehunter]

Well your first problem is thinking what you read applies to every pike lake in the world. If the weed line is 20' out form shore in 10', that would be a good place to put a tip up. You have to realize that pike of any size are not attracted to weeds, their food is attracted to weeds. If what they eat lives out in 20' of water, that is where they will be. You can either look for your best chances of intercepting them in places like points, weed lines, saddles, etc. Or you can go out, keep moving, and try and find them. Neither option is better than the other. It could just be that the lake is not a good pike lake, and is a good bass lake. Its not a big lake, and you know it better than anyone here. Just keep an open mind, and always try new things. Put one tip up on the money spot, and put another over a deep hole 2' under the ice. If no dice, do something else next time.

[pikeaddict]

i only catch them in 20 fow 1.5 feet off of bottom..

You just gave yourself something to go on right there. 

Caught pike in 60ft on bottom fishing for Lakers, so don't live by the 20ft thing.  Pike will definitely cruise deep/over deep water chasing schooling fish.

[northernnyice]

As we are getting closer to prespawn I would be ever closer to the southern part of the lake where the water is dumping in. More pike less bass? Thats easy just upsize baits. Try some mondo deads.

[mojonixon]

I fish in hillsdale county all the time most of my luck on tip ups on my favorite pike lakes are in 16-20 fow. Only fished cobb once so can't help you there but i would setup around the same area you been catching them with bigger suckers like someone said before helps keep the bass from bitting. What is that app you're using? I need to get me that.

[thomasthepikehunter]

That would be Navionics.

[Mr.Esox]

Usually if you are fishing with wire the bass will not hit.

[thomasthepikehunter]

Usually if you are fishing with wire the bass will not hit.

I have never found this to be true.

[pmaloney86]

Try some dead bait as well.  Bass are less likely to hit dead bait while pike will eat anything that is available.

[essox hunter]

I have never found this to be true.

Me either I always run wire and catch plenty of bass,sometimes too many.
agree on dead though never caught a bass on deadbait

[pikeaddict]

Me either I always run wire and catch plenty of bass,sometimes too many.
agree on dead though never caught a bass on deadbait

X3

Bass definitely will hit steel.

Last winter I caught a 5-6lb largemouth in late March on a 6-8in dead yellow perch on a steel quick strike....  When I got it thru the whole, all I could think was now I have seen it all.  I have caught them on dead shiners quite a bit, but never perch, or a quick strike...  Late ice it may not matter when the feed is on.

[essox hunter]

X3

Bass definitely will hit steel.

Last winter I caught a 5-6lb largemouth in late March on a 6-8in dead yellow perch on a steel quick strike....  When I got it thru the whole, all I could think was now I have seen it all.  I have caught them on dead shiners quite a bit, but never perch, or a quick strike...  Late ice it may not matter when the feed is on.

I caught a 4.5 lb largemouth last winter on a single #6 treble,and steel leader with a big shiner and it swallowed hook deep out of season.I cut steel leader as far down as I could and released,hope fish lived!

[lakerman]

THATS WHY IT SHOULD BE LEGAL TO FISH FOR BASS LIKE IN MASS. just leave it open til march 15 like pike in ny