big pike on a tipup

[MADFISHERMAN]

in the past a few people have told me "if you wanna catch big pike put ur tipup about 1 foot down just below the ice you will catch bigger pike" anyone ever heard of this or has done it  any tips would help  and again i love this site!

[pikekiller]

Yeah, I've seen that kind of advice on this site a few times.  I was always told that pike travel near the bottom.  Anybody out there with some info on this? 

[billybono]

first and last ice  fish 6 inches under the ice in shallow weedy areas. the fish are more active and will see the bait above them from a distance and rise to strike it

  when the bite starts to slow mid winter, fish a foot off the bottom in mid winter areas


   billybono

[pikekiller]

That makes sense.  I've always found that putting bait down into the weeds is problematic, so I wind up raising it anyway. 

[empty hook]

That makes sense.  I've always found that putting bait down into the weeds is problematic, so I wind up raising it anyway. 

I have read  that you catch the biggest pike by heaving a 4-5" dead bait right on bottom.  I have never tried this way of fishing pike,  I feel you will catch more fish being above them.

[pikekiller]

It seems like the fish would be more likely to see the bait if it is above the weeds.  Also, live bait gets tangled up if you fish it down in the weeds.  Like I said, I have been told that pike "cruise" along the bottom.  if this is true, a dead bait could be put near the bottom without tangling itself in the weeds, and you'd catch more bottom feeders. 
I have had great luck in deeper water fishing right on the bottom.  if you can find the edge of the weeds, this is a good spot to fish near the bottom.  pike will often travel along the edge of a dense weed bed.

[AirManCam]

Theres no deffinate way to say that so and so method will catch a bigger pike than the other way. I've seen a 20lb pike caught on an icicle, its all in what they feel like hitting.

[team95monte]

Any water less than 6 feet put it right below the ice.  In the dead of winter in a deep lake with shear drop offs randomly place your tip ups at different depths until you get a consistent bite.  i.e. Last week a lake that is 100 acres but about 40 of that is 4 feet or less with 40 feet max depth i fished the back side of a point that goes into 4 foot shallows with grass, i had poles from 3 feet to 16 feet, caught a lot of cruisers in the 3 feet but caught some nice 5-7lbers in 12 feet half way down, come spring i will be fishing as close to moving water as possible in about 3-6 feet.

[team95monte]

Oh yeah, BIG BAIT=BIG FISH, 5"-10" suckers, they are natural in the lake, otherwise dead smelt or CREEK CHUBS!   YUM YUM!!!

[blaster22077]

i use x-large shinners about a foot above the weed bed
it works for me but everyone has there own way 

[IceTroll]

Pike cruise and prowl in all different depths of the water column. It depends on the type of structure you are fishing in where you want to position your bait. Most, if not all, predatory and scavenger fish see better above them then they do below. They see very well out in front as well. It stands to reason that you want to try and get your bait on the same plane or above the fish then too low. A hungry Pike will rise in the water column to hit any offering that they see. They probably don't drop in the water column very often unless they see the bait from a distance and the clarity of the water allows them to do so. Most times, if the bait is below them, in less then crystal clear water, they simply don't see it or sense it well enough to illicit a response. I never fish right on the bottom and always pull my bait at least two feet from the bottom. Depends on the situation. If I was fishing weeds, I would try to get my bait higher than just right at the top of the weed level. Perhaps 18" to 24" above. I have caught Pike right below the ice especially in shallow water. My favorite way is to put the bait halfway to the bottom. Fishing in 12' of water, I position my bait at 6'. My experience has taught me that big Pike are loners and cruisers. They are not locked in at any given time to any specific depth in the water column like Walleyes tend to be. Putting the bait where they can see it will increase your strikes.

IceTroll
     

[pikekiller]

I've been wondering about quick strikes.  I used one a couple of times, but never got a fish on that particular tipup.  After you hook a fish, does the leader material bend and mess up rig?  Does that affect the presentation of the bait?   When you make your own, do you need to get a special tool for the leader connections or can you use regular pliers?  I want to start making some, but don't want to get into too much expense.

[empty hook]

I've been wondering about quick strikes.  I used one a couple of times, but never got a fish on that particular tipup.  After you hook a fish, does the leader material bend and mess up rig?  Does that affect the presentation of the bait?   When you make your own, do you need to get a special tool for the leader connections or can you use regular pliers?  I want to start making some, but don't want to get into too much expense.

I stopped using a leader and use 12 lb Vanish.  Haven't lost one yet, but haven't caught anything over 10 lbs. I do retie after a couple fish. My number of flags has gone up,although I don't feel pike are line shy.

[pikekiller]

I've been using heavy flourocarbon, but I'm used to having the steel.  I catch myself setting the hook with more power than I should.  I want to switch back, but this time with quick strike rigs.  The flouro makes me nervous when they thrash around at the hole.  Between the teeth and the ice, I'm afraid a really big one could slice itself off.  I had two good ones get off during my first year of ice fishing because the cheap swivel clasps on my leaders popped open (I suspect this happen as they scraped against the hole)  Nothing is worse than losing big fish because of the wrong tackle, and I want to have the right setup.  its a big trade-off, I think losing the steel increases flags, but I don't want it to cost me a trophy.  I'm considering a steel quick strike with a heavy mono leader to the dacron main line.

[pirkaus]

I use 14lb Vanish with a 1/0 circle hook
The hook ends up in the corner of the mouth keeping the leader away from danger
just my 2 pennies

[woodyvt]

I've been using heavy flourocarbon, but I'm used to having the steel.  I catch myself setting the hook with more power than I should.  I want to switch back, but this time with quick strike rigs.  The flouro makes me nervous when they thrash around at the hole.  Between the teeth and the ice, I'm afraid a really big one could slice itself off.  I had two good ones get off during my first year of ice fishing because the cheap swivel clasps on my leaders popped open (I suspect this happen as they scraped against the hole)  Nothing is worse than losing big fish because of the wrong tackle, and I want to have the right setup.  its a big trade-off, I think losing the steel increases flags, but I don't want it to cost me a trophy.  I'm considering a steel quick strike with a heavy mono leader to the dacron main line.

I use 15lb leader because I feel the fish can see the line.  If you are worried about them thrashing around, you may want to invest in a gaf.  Since I catch and release more often than not I dont worry about it as much.

[woodyvt]

Pretty consistent techniques.

Personally I put tip ups 2-5 feet from shore in about 1-3 feet of water. 

Last year landed a 9lb and a 12lb this way.

Seems the closer to shore the better.

I also use large suckers for bait.  8-12"......smaller bait=smaller catch

[Rumrunner]

I see its an older thread but hey..Ill put my 2 cents in.

I use large suckers...11" or a bit bigger.  They are commonly called decoys..most use em for spearing here in MI.  To keep from having the large sucker trip you all the time....hang a downrigger release from your tip up at the level of the reel.....It hasnt bothered my fishing.

I try to find weed channels.  Two weed beds reletivily close together with some type of space between.  I fish around 3 ft off bottom and have had good success. 

Good luck.

[deadsmelthead]

I like 30# mono, I try to find weed beds, shallow weedy bays, Islands have been good to me also, I rarely will fish for pike in water deeper than 10 ft. I randomly set my tip ups  but generaly in water less than 5 foot deep I stick the bait close to ice. One key thing that has panned out for me getting to bigger pike has been using small perch for bait, I'm constantly trying to jig up small perch and wouldn't you know it I get the bigger ones all the time, I find a few guys I fish with laughing at me because Im upset when I catch big perch.