What's you're best gear handling tip at the hole?

[jackal]

What is the best trick you've learned over the years to reduce tackle issues during and after the fight? Learned again yesterday that backpliling the line before reloading the spool eliminates a lot of frustration. There's GOT to be a lot of great tricks people would share... TY Jackal.

[icecruiser]

I agree, I try to lay the line out as I pull in a fish.  If I am fishing with someone I either reel it as it comes in for them or lay it out.   Depends on who I am fishing with if I will put it on backwards or not. 

Also always good to get the spool in the water if really cold and there will be any delay.  Nothing worse than a frozen up spool. 

I use reel wraps and saw a guy I fished with wrap them around the top part of the trap so they say with the trap and are easily accessible when pulling the traps. 

[Wolley]

take the hook/leader end and walk it out straight. Then wind up.

[Coach]

If windy, I  pull so the wind will pull the line away from me, so it doesn't pile up right where I am standing.

[woodchip]

When pulling  a fish that has taken a lot of line. always put your back to the wind and as you pull in line throw all your slack line out with the wind ,Try to spread it out , when throwing it with the wind throw it high so the wind will  take it out and dry it. This will keep it from freezing together and cause a snarl.

[HardwaterFish]

X2 on getting the reel back in the water on cold days, nothing more frustrating than dropping a smelt on a fish's head, and watching your reel bind and the fish is gone. I will even let the line lay out on the ice and stick the reel back in the water.

I try to reel up a fishing partners line as they go, saves on some tangles.

After I land any fish, I always "feel check" the leader and any knick that I can feel, constitutes cutting the leader back and re-tying the hook. I start out with longer leaders and cut 'em back as I go, when they get short, I tie on a new one. You never know when "the big one" is going to bite, and lack of diligence on your gear greatly increases the chances of never landing that fish.

[The Rusty Crab]

another great tip: place your trap in the snow so that your reel is able to free spin it can come in handy

[mike1]

I carry a couple of spare tipups all ready to go, if I get a frozen reel or a huge tangle I just grab the spare and deal with it when I get home. Best to avoid trouble, but stuff happens!

[Sinnian]

I carry a couple of spare tipups all ready to go, if I get a frozen reel or a huge tangle I just grab the spare and deal with it when I get home. Best to avoid trouble, but stuff happens!

To piggy-back... I carry extra Heritage spools in case I get a tangle, lose a hook ~ or heaven forbid, lose a reel.

[ADKer]

When fish approaches the hole try not to move (spectators too) too much. Shadows tend to spook them & can cause them to make 1 last hard run. Also try to clear ice & snow that may have accumulated so you can see it when it nears the hole.

[woodchip]

One idea I have had and think it works well .more so when the ice is 24" thick or more. If one drills the hole at an slight angle with a large fish the fish will move into the hole easier .When the hole is straight down the sharp edges can catch the sinker, hook, or fishes head and fray line.

[kmgb42]

Always have an extra trap or two just incase a snowmobile runs over one ect. Never had that happen but know some who have.I use jack traps I would not be happy for the price of them.

[MadSledder]

When you get a decent sized fish, and small hole, they tend to bang around under the ice a lot before coming into the hole. I give them a bit a of slack so that my main line is banging the sides of the hole rather than my leader. That stuff (I've got 30-50lb test main line) will take way more abuse than my leader before breaking.

2x on throwing line downwind, and not letting reels freeze.

[dvn4flags]

After each fish I check leader and knot by grabbing the hook and about 12" up leader and pulling apart very hard. Even 6 lb line is hard to break and will stretch for you if you have no nicks of weak knots.  Once you start doing this you'll be amazed how often the line will snap on you with just a hint of pressure if there is a knick in it.  Also if it's a big fish don't even think of pulling him out without a free hand ready to get under him if the line snaps.

[The Rusty Crab]

after today I got to say place your gloves so the snow isn't blowing in them.

[Oldfart]

One idea I have had and think it works well .more so when the ice is 24" thick or more. If one drills the hole at an slight angle with a large fish the fish will move into the hole easier .

Smart! A little harder to work the vex, but smart!

[fishingsurveyor]

Tag team effort
1 guy working the fish the other working the trap and line

[TheOutdoorsman]

Jig more, set traps less. 

[MadSledder]

Jig more, set traps less. 

Hogwash. He wouldn't know how to catch a fish 

[lunkahville]

When I'm fishing with my little brother (which is usually all the time) we will rewind the reels so they don't tangle and then if you need a hand getting a big fish up the hole you have an extra set of hands in case you need them. It helps to fish with the same person all the time, you tend to eventually start reading each others minds. Which in my case my mind can be a scary place.   

[icewoman]

If windy, I  pull so the wind will pull the line away from me, so it doesn't pile up right where I am standing.

X2 

[Dags Bait Maine]

After I skim my hole I dig out and smooth a ramp so that when I land a fish I don't have to lift the fish or have someone bear paw it. I can just slide the fish up and away from the hole. Using this method you can land fish larger than your lines tensile strength.

-Dylan

[jackal]

Great tips everyone. Thanks, Jackal.