Line color??

[infamusc]

Im going to re spool my tip up' s and Im wondering if line color really matters? I was using TAN/Khaki color for years. Thanks in advance

[octanehi5]

color does not matter on your main line, what you use as a leader depends on what your fishing for,Most guys use mono or floro

[cutler331]

octanehi5  nailed it. I use 8-12 lb fluro (depending on the target species) with about 2-5 ft depending on depth. Same applies for my ice reels expect I use 10 lb braid.

[lowaccord66]

I have bright orange dacron on one set of lakers and dark green on another...both work fine. 

[BWB-ice]

And how much line does everyone usually put on each tip-up???
I enjoy pike fishing so I know I better have enough line for runs...
Just curious.

[Ravo Himself]

Personally i put on as much as the spool will hold on why worry about being spooked out. And if it ever got really knotted up you could always cut it and still have plenty. I also use red Dacron. I like bright colors. It's easy to see which way your bait/fish is going when you get over to the hole

[dmach83]

welcome to ice shanty. 20 guys will have 20 answers.  For pike i use orange line but add 40 lb flouro tippet. The orange makes it easier to see where the fish is in relationship to the hole so you know where to stand when fighting it.  My panfish tipups are are standard 30 lb ice braid from cabelas with 10 lb flouro off that. Good luck.

[Capn Ez]

And how much line does everyone usually put on each tip-up???
I enjoy pike fishing so I know I better have enough line for runs...
Just curious.

I use a bulk spool of 80lb braid to load up the tipup spool about halfway and then fill the rest with dacron line.  The braid is small diameter and takes up little room on the spool but can get tangled during the playing of the fish, so i like to use a good 25 yards of dacron with the braid as a backup for big strips to avoid spooling out.

Main line color has never mattered in my catch rate.  I typically use black, but not for any reason other than it's easy to see on the ice when you're piling it up fighting a fish.

[Curley]

A gain I like bright line. I have Chartreuse. Easy to see on the ice as your laying it out as you take the fish in. Another plus is on clear black ice you can follow it right to the fish. JMO. I would never use braid on a tip up. Great way to cut yourself.

[saxmatt]

I use black dacron and black tipups. Sometimes it doesn't matter, but if I'm fishing 3' of water for pike with dead baits those big smart pike might know something is up if they see a spool of brightly colored line. I've seen people catch nice pike with orange line but I'm sticking to black.

[Capn Ez]

A gain I like bright line. I have Chartreuse. Easy to see on the ice as your laying it out as you take the fish in. Another plus is on clear black ice you can follow it right to the fish. JMO. I would never use braid on a tip up. Great way to cut yourself.

As I said, I use it as a backer, not the main line.  This was in response to a question of "how much line do you use on the spool?" and concerns of getting stripped out.  If you cut yourself on 80lb braid, you must be icefishing for tuna.

[icechaser]

I only spool orange on the bottom of my tip-ups-then top them up w/ a natural-type color like green or tan.-then floro. leader.-the orange is like a "caution"-If I see orange-I know I got a big fish that ran far!

[jebra]

Im going to re spool my tip up' s and Im wondering if line color really matters? I was using TAN/Khaki color for years. Thanks in advance

It seems to me that as far as spooking a fish your leader is the key. A fish is unlikely to see your spooled line until after it's "too late".

I would recommend spooling your tilts with whatever feels best in your hands, doesn't freeze up, and is the easiest for you to see.

Tight lines. 

[lowaccord66]

I use black dacron and black tipups. Sometimes it doesn't matter, but if I'm fishing 3' of water for pike with dead baits those big smart pike might know something is up if they see a spool of brightly colored line. I've seen people catch nice pike with orange line but I'm sticking to black.

In dark conditions black is the highest contrast underwater.  Easiest for fish to see and its lighter colors in the spectrum which fade underwater with the absense of light.   Pike are much more likely to see black at any depth than any light color. Regardless of depth black shows in the absense of light as significant contrast. Lots of reading on the subject if you are ever so inclined.  This is also greatly dependant on water clarity and light penetration...

[saxmatt]

In dark conditions black is the highest contrast underwater.  Easiest for fish to see and its lighter colors in the spectrum which fade underwater with the absense of light.   Pike are much more likely to see black at any depth than any light color. Regardless of depth black shows in the absense of light as significant contrast. Lots of reading on the subject if you are ever so inclined.

Black and dark green are natural colors like the decaying wood, leaves, and weeds pike are used to seeing in the winter. Bright orange line is unnatural and sticks out like a sore thumb.

[lowaccord66]

You can be right Matt...

[saxmatt]

I've used both. I'll stick to what works best.

[lowaccord66]

She must have been having bad vision day...4 fow...that spool was in her face.

[saxmatt]

I use black dacron and black tipups. Sometimes it doesn't matter, but if I'm fishing 3' of water for pike with dead baits those big smart pike might know something is up if they see a spool of brightly colored line. I've seen people catch nice pike with orange line but I'm sticking to black.

[lowaccord66]

Well Matt, I agree with you...and its only 9:43 and the car is packed and I can't sleep.  I will have orange and dark green out tomorrow and will probably get skunked 

[esox_xtm]

OK. Don't give fish too much credit. If they were as smart as we make 'em out to be they'd have made the first moonwalk. I know, if we can "outsmart" a critter that makes us "mega smart" but c'mon man...

Line color? Done it all ( black, white, tan, greenspot, blackspot, orange, yellow, chartreuse, camo, geez what did I leave out?) and I've never really found a definable difference. Leaders? OK, maybe I get more particular. But day in, day out it's location, location, location. Even if it's just the "hot hole". Nit pick all you want on minutiae, that's the beauty, that's the fun, that's the discussions. The reality is get on active fish and nothing else matters (that much).

Go fish, find a great spot, have fun...

@ lowaccord: "Knock it off with the negative waves man".