Windlass Tipups

[Fishinut]

Who used windlass tipups and for what species do you use them for? I have a couple that I have really never used but plan on emperimenting with them a little this year (if we ever get any ice). Any comments would be appreciated. Thanks

[taz54868]

i have used them when it's warm enough the holes don't freeze easily. have caught walleye and pike bothoe on them.

[iceintheveins]

I have a windlass and it often produces twice as many fish as my stationary ones. Lakers like it especially because the wind will give the bait the light jigging action that lakers love. Great for pike, cats, and walleye as well. I fish in bitter cold temps, often well below zero here in Colorado. When it's that cold, you just have to walk by every 10 minutes or so and scoop the ice out. Cabelas also makes a floating disk hole heater that works awesome. Placing a dab of vaseline in the hole in the fan also keeps it from freezing. The spool however never freezes up for me because I use HT Vinyl Coated Tip up Line. Honestly for any tip up, that is the line to use. It doesn't freeze up at all.

Tyler

[Icephishnphreek]

Do you use live or dead baits on these tip ups? Or do you use a jig?

[iceintheveins]

When fishing for lake trout I have found that using the same tube jigs tipped with a piece of cut baitfish, which I use on my jigging rod, triples my number of flags on my windlass for lake trout as opposed to using just plain deadbait. With pike and catfish however I use plain deadbait and it works great.

Tyler

[reelcharacter]

Once you get how to adjust the spring tension for various wind conditions, I think you will like the Windlass a lot. Hole placement can vary also. On a windy day I will place the metal "fin" (that catches the wind) on the side away from the wind. This will impart the jigging action, without allowing gusts to raise the arm upright. On really calm days I have placed the fin to face the wind, so even the slightest breeze will jig the bait.

I use the Windlass to impart motion for smaller minnows, looking for Perch, Gills and etc. Have caught Pickerel on these as well. Have not been in Pike or Walleye water. I have heavier duty Polar Tip Ups that I use for Pickerel and the larger fishies.

Be prepared for some early frustration on the first few set ups. But in my limited experience, set up will become easy after the first couple of trips.

-Reelcharacter