Coated...Braided...Fluoro ?

[Iceassin]

Which of these is used for your backing line...and why... on your tip-up spools? I have only used coated for many years but am considering going 12# fluoro all the way. A friend of mine swears by it...claims he does better than most who use the alternatives. Also going with circle hooks instead of trebles. BTW, I mostly target northerns and an occasional walleye. Thanks for the feedback.

[Chute82]

Why not just use a floro leader and save money?  You can attach a swivel to your regular tip up line and make a 5’, 10’ or even 20’ floro leader... Not sure why you would do the complete entire spool.  Would be a nightmare with the memory when it starts to uncoil or a birds nest with the complete spool of Floro line.

[Monticatgeek]

use the regular tip up line and then add a fluoro leader. For northern you can go regular tip up line then a swivel snap then get your self one of the Big Tooth Tackle Fluoro Zero rigs  or Big Tooth Fluoro rig.

this is the Fluoro Zero Rig :   http://stores.clamoutdoors.com/bigtooth/zero-fluoro-rig.html

this is the Fluoro Rig : http://stores.clamoutdoors.com/bigtooth/bigtooth-fluoro-rig.html

[esox_xtm]

Backing line? Cripes, save your $$ and use clothesline for cryin' out loud. Backing doesn't amount a hill of beans except for two things: ease of handling on the ice durability over the years so you don't have to replace it often. For me? 36# braided Dacron gets it done.

For the business end? If you're targeting pike and using plastic prepare yourself for disappointment at some juncture. Circle hooks and plastic? An accident waiting to happen. Been there, done all of that. Is there a time and a place and a method? Sure.

Back with Dacron. Cheap and handleable. Leader specific to your target. Pike: steel, Ti, Fluoro leader 50#>. Everything else can be what ever test plastic (that means mono or fluoro) you are comfortable with.

Ain't rocket science, just common sense. I think it's hilarious. Everyone wants this "invisible" leader which really isn't and then monkeys it up with crimps and big flashy blades and junk. Something doesn't add up. Fish aren't as smart as most folks give 'em credit for.

[32footsteps]

I echo much of what esox_tm said. 

I use 100# powerpro. Why? It comes off of my muskie reels when I need new stuff on those. So no additional cost to me because I'm simply reusing it for a different purpose. 

All of mine have this stuff on it. It's the business end that is changed up. I run dead bait for pike 99% of the time so on my tipups dedicated to pike there's a heavy snap swivel tied directly to the powerpro and the flagel rig, quickstrike, etc. gets snapped onto that. My other tip-ups vary a ton because they are set up for different stuff from bluegills, to perch, to bass, to walleyes, etc. Even at 100# the powerpro allows me to tie a "cleaner" less "bulky" knot than traditional tip up line does.

If you exclusively target pike then heck, use baler twine. Pike are not that finicky at all. They are water goats, they'll eat anything. 

[Chris338378]

I've always used the dacron braid and have had the same line on for around 12 years without any problems.  I don't like the coated line and never used Fluoro.

[52isntbigenough]

I take the old 80# Power Pro off my Musky reels and use that as tip-up line.

[esox_xtm]

I take the old 80# Power Pro off my Musky reels and use that as tip-up line.

See? Us musky guys got it made! It used to be 36# Musky Master was the standard until superlines came along and that's what I did. The problem there is 36# superline is like handling sewing thread at the hole. It also busts off at a hint of a backlash on a musky bait. I need diameter, and 52, 80# would be about my minimum for tipups. I spool 65# for light tails and smallish cranks on an 8' St. Croix (too thin for tippys) and 80# for jerks and big rubber. Nice setups. The other problem is superline is incredibly durable so to re-spool frequently is not as necessary as it once was.

Lucky me. I bought a bulk spool of 36# Teflon coated Gudebrod GT Dacron for a song so I'm set for a very long time. I use my "cast off" superlines to tie bucktails and such. Free, super strong, durable and did I say "free"? 

[Iceassin]

It has come down to this...

15# Mason Braided Nylon T.U. line
12# Seaguar Inviz X ( 5' Leader )
3/0 Gamagatsu W.G. Finesse Hook

...and I'm staying old school with the tip-ups
H.T. ETU-10...love the large spool and ability to adjust "drag"

Thanks for all the advice

[RyanW]

I just use whatever Mason is on sale at the time (usually 30#-50#) and tie directly to a 6”-12” steel leader with a single #2 treble. I like to use large shiners (6”+) hooked right underneath the dorsal fin. All of that is spooled onto plain ol’ HT Polar tip-ups. It does me just fine where I’m at and I actually caught my first 40” northern on that setup a few seasons ago.

I don’t think too much about tip-up line and have considered switching to flouro but I figure don’t fix what isn’t broken.