Just a few questions about set-up and bait.

[Jiggen]

First off I am new to the forum and would like to say hello and introduce myself. My name is Jim Gonyeau and live in Ontario NY. I am new to ice fishing and mostly am a bass fisherman during the summer months, but do catch quite a few pike. I couldn't stand the long winters so I took up ice fishing this year. My gear. Homemade Tip-Ups similar to Polars. 50lb Dacron line connected to a # 2 coastal lock via a Palomar knot and finally a quickstrike which is homemade using 30lb surfstrand uncoated 7 strand wire with two Gamakatsu red round bend treble hooks # 4 and 6. My quickstrikes have a long enough lead end so I eliminated a leader. Now to my questions. Can I improve on this rig? I have been using live Shiners and would like try dead bait. Which do you recommend? Is Smelt or Herring better? Finally how far off the bottom would you put them if any? I have been reading this forum for a while and am convinced this is the one where the expertize is. Any help will be greatly appreciated. Thanks. Jim

[IceMan08]

Sounds like you have it covered.  I cant comment on the live bait as its not allowed where I live.  For dead bait we crimp up a quickstrike rig from 40#fluro and 2 #4 trebles to hang the bait horizontally and it works really well.  Pretty much always use 5-7inch smelts that we get in bulk 10#boxes, very good quality from a sea food distributor. 

[PIKE FISHERMAN]

There is alot of debate on dead vs. live bait.

I personally do much better with live bait (4-6" shiners). I've alteranted traps many times with live shiners and dead smelts or shiners. And live bait always outfished dead bait, sometimes 5:1. I've tried hanging dead bait 1' off bottom, layed em' on bottom, and just dont have much luck with it.

But there are  ALOT people who swear by using dead bait.

[IceMan08]

I agree and if it was permitted I would use live bait every time.  I just dont see how a dead bait could work better than a struggling bait fish.

[deadsmelthead]

You should be ok with your rig.. i'd experiment with heavy fluoro just to see what kind of results you get. As far as live vs dead bait my experience has been to go with dead bait towards the end of the season when they put the feed bag on before the spawn but I will throw an old dead shiner on now and then.

[hillmann]

Do you have pics of the homemade tipups.  Everybody here seems to like seeing homemade equipment.

[Jiggen]

I will take a picture tomorrow and post it. Jim

[northernnyice]

prefer live bait, dead bait works too though, seen it done