thats my flag

[hunts2long]

I'm too old to chase every flag....it is always nice to see some "kid" land a fish...I just like being out there...my daughter goes with me most of the time and she gets to run after them all..."TeamLund"...you can set on the ice anytime with me...lol...hunts2long

[eriksat1]

I was going to stay out of this but here goes. I laugh at people who run to there flags, 90% of the time the fish feel the footsteps and drop the bait, I leave it for a while and very slowly walk over to it. I can't believe all the do gooder internet ice fisherman who think it is bad to finish a sandwich before slowly walking out to your flag. Even in open water I let them have the bait for a while. If you are so worry over the fishes well being, maybe you shouldn't fish. Go join PETA.

[Nor Easter]

I've been threatened with bodily harm on here... it made me laugh!

GCD, wipe that Chit eatin' grin off your face! Don't make me come over there and hit you!  

Running (away from danger, let alone to a flag) is no longer in my vocabulary. Not with my foot/ankle conditions. Just one of my orthotics cost more than my auger! If the fish are just 'dying' to be caught, they are just going to have to wait till I get there!  

[Fatfish]

Pike44,this post makes me think about the joke about the old bull and the young bull,looking down the hill at the group of young stock,and the young bull said lets run down,and the old bull said lets walk. You get my idea?  Jerry

[silvah]

I was going to stay out of this but here goes. I laugh at people who run to there flags, 90% of the time the fish feel the footsteps and drop the bait, I leave it for a while and very slowly walk over to it. I can't believe all the do gooder internet ice fisherman who think it is bad to finish a sandwich before slowly walking out to your flag. Even in open water I let them have the bait for a while. If you are so worry over the fishes well being, maybe you shouldn't fish. Go join PETA.

Apparently many are afraid to speak up for fear of posts like this one here. I got several PM's thanking me for my input and opinions on the topic, including some who didnt agree with my post in the thread but valued what I had to say and how I said it. Luckily I dont give two squirts what you think or say about me, I'm not going to cry myself to sleep over an internet thread.

You can care about your fisheries or not, and I think the vast majority on this site or just fishermen in general can and do. I care about mine and I will defend it vigilantly. I don't really care if that offends your sensitivities nor do I care how long you have been doing something a certain way for, that doesn't make it right.

Not once did I say you have to run to the flag, merely not to leave a tip up for "several minutes while eating your lunch". Those were my exact words in fact. Several minutes, I think we can all agree on that. If you are too ignorant or arrogant in your ways to agree that that is not a way to treat something I hold in such high regard, then there is not much I or anyone else is going to do to get through to you. Thankfully it did not happen the way he originally said it (or he changed his story to cover his butt).

If you do or say something stupid, you are going to get called out on it. I'm glad so many got mad, it means that what I have said has been thought about and taken to heart. Now, a box of kleenex for the tears this thread has caused you 3 or 4 vocal members that disagree with my stance, and the OP:

[GCD]

Apparently many are afraid to speak up for fear of posts like this one here. I got several PM's thanking me for my input and opinions on the topic, including some who didnt agree with my post in the thread but valued what I had to say and how I said it. Luckily I dont give two squirts what you think or say about me, I'm not going to cry myself to sleep over an internet thread.

You can care about your fisheries or not, and I think the vast majority on this site or just fishermen in general can and do. I care about mine and I will defend it vigilantly. I don't really care if that offends your sensitivities nor do I care how long you have been doing something a certain way for, that doesn't make it right.

Not once did I say you have to run to the flag, merely not to leave a tip up for "several minutes while eating your lunch". Those were my exact words in fact. Several minutes, I think we can all agree on that. If you are too ignorant or arrogant in your ways to agree that that is not a way to treat something I hold in such high regard, then there is not much I or anyone else is going to do to get through to you. Thankfully it did not happen the way he originally said it (or he changed his story to cover his butt).

If you do or say something stupid, you are going to get called out on it. I'm glad so many got mad, it means that what I have said has been thought about and taken to heart. Now, a box of kleenex for the tears this thread has caused you 3 or 4 vocal members that disagree with my stance, and the OP:
(Image removed from quote.)

If you really care about your fishery, you'll lose those treble hooks and learn how to use circle hooks silvah. A lot less damaging to the fish, especially those "throwbacks".

[eriksat1]

It seems the only thing you are upset about was that he was eating a sandwich? But it is ok if he wasn't, but just giving the fish time to take the bait? There are definitely more times than not where the fish will spit the bait if you don't give them a few minuets to take it, that is just the way it is fishing for pike.

[silvah]

If you really care about your fishery, you'll lose those treble hooks and learn how to use circle hooks silvah. A lot less damaging to the fish, especially those "throwbacks".

lol, sure thing bud.

I will learn how to use hooks ASAP!

[GCD]

lol, sure thing bud.

I will learn how to use hooks ASAP!

Did I mention they were Circle Hooks?... sure I did, it's in print where you quoted me.

[Kevin23]

Funniest thing about this thread so far is that none of you armetures have commented on the guy writing a  mistermeaner ticket..
Ya..I'm from the back woods, but back here even the amateurs write misdemeanors

Obviously your back woods education proves you are too stupid to follow a joke. Notice how everyone has been misspelling words in their posts on PURPOSE??? You dum armatuer

[silvah]

Did I mention they were Circle Hooks?... sure I did, it's in print where you quoted me.

  how about square ones?

[MattR]

There are definitely more times than not where the fish will spit the bait if you don't give them a few minuets to take it, that is just the way it is fishing for pike.

Walleye pike...YES. Northern pike rarely spit the bait out if you walk quietly. I have been fishing for 35+ years and that is just the way it was and still is for fishing northern pike. Maybe you are walking a bit too loud, the way you hook your bait, or something else that is making you lose northern pike.

BTW, you should know better anyways being a WI resident also. To agree with the fact that pike44 went into his his AND closed the door when he knew he had a fish on the line, is leaving your line unattended AND illegal in WI. If you need to give the fish a few minutes to "take your bait", then WALK SLOWER. Take one step every 15-30 seconds. By the time you get there, it will be given plenty of time to accept your bait and still be following WI DNR laws regarding tending to your lines. I have been fishing for over 35 years this way and rarely lose a fish. So my suggestion to all those who think pike44 was correct in going back into his shack... try walking at a snail's pace to your flag. You will be happy with the results.

Matt

[Kevin23]

If you really care about your fishery, you'll lose those treble hooks and learn how to use circle hooks silvah. A lot less damaging to the fish, especially those "throwbacks".

I've never had a fish swallow a treble in the last 10 years. Use the correct gear, catch your fish in time, and there will be no problems. The only people who need circle hooks are the ones who let the fish eat the bait for 10 minutes, then rely on the hook to come out of the stomach.

Trebles have been around much longer than circle hooks, so was the fishery in danger before the invention of circle hooks?

[GCD]

I've never had a fish swallow a treble in the last 10 years. Use the correct gear, catch your fish in time, and there will be no problems. The only people who need circle hooks are the ones who let the fish eat the bait for 10 minutes, then rely on the hook to come out of the stomach.

Trebles have been around much longer than circle hooks, so was the fishery in danger before the invention of circle hooks?

Maybe they don't swallow them, but those trebles have a nifty way of getting into the gills eh?

... and if you'll think about it, would you rather be stuck 3-6 times or just once?

Trebles are for people that can't get the hang of circle hooks, yes... you have to learn how to use a circle hook.

Trebles have been around much longer than circle hooks, so was the fishery in danger before the invention of circle hooks?

... as a matter of fact, some places require the use of circle hooks instead of "J" or trebles... and for a darn good reason. Can you guess what that reason is?

[silvah]

... as a matter of fact, some places require the use of circle hooks instead of "J" or trebles... and for a darn good reason. Can you guess what that reason is?

So your soup doesn't get cold?

[Layne]

I've never had a fish swallow a treble in the last 10 years. Use the correct gear, catch your fish in time, and there will be no problems. The only people who need circle hooks are the ones who let the fish eat the bait for 10 minutes, then rely on the hook to come out of the stomach.

Trebles have been around much longer than circle hooks, so was the fishery in danger before the invention of circle hooks?

x2.

Not everybody is allowed to use live bait, if you bury a circle hook in a frozen mackeral your not going to catch a damn thing.

I could care less how anyone fishes but being an avid hardwater pike fisherman I do find it odd someone would knowingly let a fish swallow a hook that would very likely get into the stomach, I understand things may be different where you fish and if theres no large fish present or if you keep every pike you catch then I guess theres nothing wrong with it. We grow big gators up here and for that reason I would probably be pretty angry if I seen someone not respond to a popped flag, 100% C&R on the big girls. If your in a small lake just weeding out eater pike then I dont see anything wrong with this style of fishing, a mans gotta eat and different things work for different people.

FYI a treble set at the right time should never hit the girls or stomach, once shes done running set the hook!

[icechick]

First off I think the guy that stole my flag would get and ear full from me. Then second off silvah don't come to montana then cause we can leave tip ups out unattended all night long in some places.

[silvah]

First off I think the guy that stole my flag would get and ear full from me. Then second off silvah don't come to montana then cause we can leave tip ups out unattended all night long in some places.

[Kevin23]

Maybe they don't swallow them, but those trebles have a nifty way of getting into the gills eh?

... and if you'll think about it, would you rather be stuck 3-6 times or just once?

Trebles are for people that can't get the hang of circle hooks, yes... you have to learn how to use a circle hook.

... as a matter of fact, some places require the use of circle hooks instead of "J" or trebles... and for a darn good reason. Can you guess what that reason is?

Had one fish get the gill in as long as I can remember. Was an eager 10" bass that hit a #12 rapala crank trolling for pike, got the front hook in the gill plate. Didn't hurt a thing. I've caught fish missing gill plates and gills, so I dont think touching a gill with a hook is going to kill them.

Circle hooks are useless except for people who think they help them catch fish, or want to look like they know what they are doing. Set the hook when the fish bites and you will get them in the lip. I've even went to trebles on slips for walleye in the open water, now I dont have to let them eat it for 5 minutes. Bobber goes down, fish comes in the boat hooked in the top lip.

[GCD]

x2.

Not everybody is allowed to use live bait, if you bury a circle hook in a frozen mackeral your not going to catch a damn thing.

I could care less how anyone fishes but being an avid hardwater pike fisherman I do find it odd someone would knowingly let a fish swallow a hook that would very likely get into the stomach, I understand things may be different where you fish and if theres no large fish present or if you keep every pike you catch then I guess theres nothing wrong with it. We grow big gators up here and for that reason I would probably be pretty angry if I seen someone not respond to a popped flag, 100% C&R on the big girls. If your in a small lake just weeding out eater pike then I dont see anything wrong with this style of fishing, a mans gotta eat and different things work for different people.

FYI a treble set at the right time should never hit the girls or stomach, once shes done running set the hook!

You either love or hate circle hooks, if you can't learn how to use them you'll hate them. They work with live, dead, or cut bait. Learn how to use circles and your catch rate will actually go up.

First off I think the guy that stole my flag would get and ear full from me. Then second off silvah don't come to montana then cause we can leave tip ups out unattended all night long in some places.

In a lot of places unattended means left for longer than 24 hrs. without checking, some places the time limit is 48 hrs.

If your regs don't give a time limit it can be sketchy.

[Kevin23]

Unattended means you are not tending the device, whether it be a tip-up or a rod. So if you see you have a fish and do not tend it, that is a violation. Not watching it is not illegal unless stated in the regulations. It is stated here that you must be in sight of your tip-ups.

Seeing you have a bite, then going back into your shanty is not attending a device. In violation of unattended line rules.

[Layne]

You either love or hate circle hooks, if you can't learn how to use them you'll hate them. They work with live, dead, or cut bait. Learn how to use circles and your catch rate will actually go up.

Whose saying I dont know how to use them? I believe they have a time and place but tipup fishing for pike where I live is not one of them, I generally only use them when fishing for food as I find they are prone to getting swallowed.

[eriksat1]

I catch pike to eat them, there is no size limit where I fish, I don't care if the hook is coming out there @ss if they are to small to do a boneless fillet I pickle them.

[Kevin23]

I don't care if the hook is coming out there @ss if they are to small to do a boneless fillet I pickle them.

You eat dinner after seeing the flag? I think you are letting them take it a little too long lol

[GCD]

Whose saying I dont know how to use them? I believe they have a time and place but tipup fishing for pike where I live is not one of them, I generally only use them when fishing for food as I find they are prone to getting swallowed.

You should read this.

http://www.heyfish.com/tips_tricks/whycirclehooks.htm

[danceswmuskys]

if he want,s to eat the last two bites of his sandwitch thats his busines.any law enforcement officer that would fine him for that watches way too mutch walker texas ranger.and that guy should not have touched his tip-up period!

[jaysun23]

Here's my $0.02 worth

1. Agreed that if you had been fishing in WI, you would have a nice piece of stationary with Wisconsin DNR letterhead on it and a lighter wallet to go along with it. 

2. NEVER, NEVER, NEVER do you touch someones gear before being told to do so.  I've had guys fishing next to me ask if I could grab a flag for them if they were in the process of working on another tip-up or fish, no problem, but you don't just run over and start man handling other peoples gear, that will get you an ass kicking around here. 

3. Giving a fish some time to get hooked up is not as bad as some are making it out to be, but I do think think a couple minutes (if we're actually talking more than 60 seconds here) seems a bit much.  I don't think I've ever waited more than 30-45 seconds before going after it, and I don't lose many fish. 

[Nor Easter]

I've had many, many, maybe hundreds of hit and runs over the years, and have tried everything from holding the tip-up in my hand after I've reset it, even held it in the air and had the flag go up and tried from immediately trying to set the hook, to waiting over 5 minutes (uh, oh, here it comes...  ) and sometimes the fish are finicky or just new generation 'educated fish' that have learned how to get the bait off the hook without getting caught.

We are hashing and rehashing one,, yeah ONE incident where someones hunger superseded a mad dash to a flag. Someone in a shack, coat on a nail, gloves on a heater, lunch in various stages of in hand or in mouth... and we, not having seen the situation firsthand, have the audacity to tell him he's in the wrong! Merely by his lack of detail or journalistic skill?

Give me a break!

Lively thread though, who would have imagined!! 

[oletimer]

I would have Nor Easter....This is the SHANTY, where everyone is right and everyone is wrong. On the same thread...

[pike44]

Apparently many are afraid to speak up for fear of posts like this one here. I got several PM's thanking me for my input and opinions on the topic, including some who didnt agree with my post in the thread but valued what I had to say and how I said it. Luckily I dont give two squirts what you think or say about me, I'm not going to cry myself to sleep over an internet thread.

You can care about your fisheries or not, and I think the vast majority on this site or just fishermen in general can and do. I care about mine and I will defend it vigilantly. I don't really care if that offends your sensitivities nor do I care how long you have been doing something a certain way for, that doesn't make it right.

Not once did I say you have to run to the flag, merely not to leave a tip up for "several minutes while eating your lunch". Those were my exact words in fact. Several minutes, I think we can all agree on that. If you are too ignorant or arrogant in your ways to agree that that is not a way to treat something I hold in such high regard, then there is not much I or anyone else is going to do to get through to you. Thankfully it did not happen the way he originally said it (or he changed his story to cover his butt).

If you do or say something stupid, you are going to get called out on it. I'm glad so many got mad, it means that what I have said has been thought about and taken to heart. Now, a box of kleenex for the tears this thread has caused you 3 or 4 vocal members that disagree with my stance, and the OP:
(Image removed from quote.)

Hey whine a$$, I never changed my story, just gave more unnecessary detail. What is it with your personal attacks anyway? You called me tough guy several times on here. Do you have a problem with tough guys? Oh I know, you were that kid on the playground that always got the wedgies weren't you?  Well, I'm out of time to pick your claims apart, tip ups and venison sandwiches are loaded and I'm  headed to sleep in my shanty for six nights and fish for seven days, (no computer).