Depth of shiners on a tipup???

[Bukshot]

To all,

Just curious.  I have always put my shiners down to a depth of between 18 inches and 2 feet off of the bottom when fishing for Pickerel , bass, Pike, etc.  And I usually get quite a few fish.  I guess that's just how I learned to do it years ago.  When I was fishing last week I got to talking to an older gentleman who was using tipups and was only putting his shiners maybe 2 feet below the ice in about 10 or 11 feet or water.  He was getting a lot of fish also.  How do you guys (or girls) usually set your baits?  What do you think is most effective?  Thanks.

[Webguy]

I usually set them close to bottom as well (1-2') unless in an area with weeds, then I keep the bait a foot above the tops of the weeds so they can be seen from a distance easier and they won't get tangled in the weeds. Up high does make sense if you think about it, because fish usually feed up. But I also think most fish usually relate to the bottom so that's where my baits are set.

Just under the ice works great for lakers (and salmon I hear). When I'm fishing for lakers in the Adirondacks I put half the tip-ups set near bottom and half up high and both work.

[Icephishnphreek]

I will follow webguys advise! He catches some monsters!!!

[Howyahittinem1]

I used to fish a foot or two off the bottem myself.  I then read an article in Icefishing Mag. about this and started something new this season.  The article explained that fish, no matter what species,  swim close to the ice when feeding, especially when in or near shallow water.  So this year I began setting my bait from 1-5 feet below the ice depending on depth of water, it seems to work!  I have caught more trout this way than I have in the past, and it seems that when I am fishing with someone setting them of the bottem I get more flags.  I guess you have to try it and decide which you like better.  I also find that using flourocarbon leaders makes a great difference(although the pickerel can be hard to land).  Good luck figuring it out.

[KingKool]

Also had a question about using a split shot or not....now in shallow water none is needed,but say your fishing in 15 feet and you want it close to the bottom...is a split shot best or is it best to let out say 14 feet of line and let the bait swin free?

Obviously i dont fish deep water too often and i ask this since tomorrow i will be fishing in somewhat deeper water...

[Howyahittinem1]

Whether I am fishing shallow or deep I always have a weight at the end of the braided line, I use a bullet weight so it slides down to just above the leader at the swivel.  I then use a flourocarbon leader of about 18" so the bait can swim around.  The most important thing in this set up is the barrel swivel between the two lines, otherwise the bait just twists it all up.  If you don't use any weight the bait will swim right up under the ice on you and the fish will not be able to catch it.

[Icephishnphreek]

I use 1/8 to 1/4 oz rubber core sinkers for fishing deep water. I like them better then split shots.

[KingKool]

Whether I am fishing shallow or deep I always have a weight at the end of the braided line, I use a bullet weight so it slides down to just above the leader at the swivel.  I then use a flourocarbon leader of about 18" so the bait can swim around.  The most important thing in this set up is the barrel swivel between the two lines, otherwise the bait just twists it all up.  If you don't use any weight the bait will swim right up under the ice on you and the fish will not be able to catch it.

I do that exact thing...i have a swivel with 25lb floro leader tied on....Im sure a weight will be needed especially tomorrow but when i fish shallow places like Budd,Musky,LH State Park etc i have done better ever since i have taken the weights off and let then swin free. Especially with medium shiners.

[Howyahittinem1]

What keeps the bait at the depth you want?  Doesn't the bait twist the heck out of your line?  I always use large bait and when they are active it seems they just twist the heck out of my line if there is no weight.

[KingKool]

What keeps the bait at the depth you want?  Doesn't the bait twist the heck out of your line?  I always use large bait and when they are active it seems they just twist the heck out of my line if there is no weight.

Well like you said,the barrel swivel helps and the 25lb floro doesnt twist up for me...and most of the times in the areas i mention the depth is only like 4-6 feet and the shiners swin right down....now if someone can tell me how to keep herring down in open water..those things seem to always swim to the top even with weight.lol Then too much weight they weaken.

[Howyahittinem1]

Thanks for info.  Maybe I will try a heavier leader, only using 12lb flouro.  When using weight I only use a 1/8oz bulet weight and it doesn't seem to effect the life of the bait.  Maybe I'll try no weight on a couple tip-ups this weekend and see what happens.

[Webguy]

I like Howyahittinem1's set up for tip-ups with a 1/4-3/8 oz. slip sinker.

For herring in open water straight down under the boat in a rod holder (3/8-1/2 oz.), also on a slip bobber set up. Otherwise live-line w/no weight and let them go where they want! 

[MikeThePike]

I've been using slip sinkers for a few years over splitshots. I prefer to fish right near the bottom and the slip sinkers will pull out a little extra line and sink to the bottom rather than have the fish feel them.

[KingKool]

Thanks for info.  Maybe I will try a heavier leader, only using 12lb flouro.  When using weight I only use a 1/8oz bulet weight and it doesn't seem to effect the life of the bait.  Maybe I'll try no weight on a couple tip-ups this weekend and see what happens.

The 25lb i find is the heaviest i can go with not having trouble tying the line to the swivel and hook,its also flexible enough for the bait to move but not too flexible where it doesnt twist. ...i have used heavier and its like trying to tie a rope lol.

[KingKool]

Will have to give slip sinkers a try for tomorrow....looks like i will have to do some cutting and retying today!

[rowboater]

We had always set our tip-ups high (a few feet) for pickerel and a few feet off the bottom for perch.  But this past Saturday, all the perch we caught on tip-ups were just under the ice (set for pickerel).  They quit biting on the jigs (near the bottom) at about the same time they started on the tip-ups, so maybe they do come up to feed (although we had never noticed this in the past, and felt it was due to snow cover and dark water).

[Scientist]

To all,

Just curious.  I have always put my shiners down to a depth of between 18 inches and 2 feet off of the bottom when fishing for Pickerel , bass, Pike, etc.  And I usually get quite a few fish.  I guess that's just how I learned to do it years ago.  When I was fishing last week I got to talking to an older gentleman who was using tipups and was only putting his shiners maybe 2 feet below the ice in about 10 or 11 feet or water.  He was getting a lot of fish also.  How do you guys (or girls) usually set your baits?  What do you think is most effective?  Thanks.

Placing bait just 2 feet below the ice only “works” on certain lakes on late season ice. It is effective on lakes that have fairly thick weed growth and are fairly shallow. Also if ice has been on the lake for sometime the bottom oxygen levels may be on the low side because of weed decay. Typically, I start at the bottom then move the bait up 1 foot every half hour until one of the flags goes up. Then I set the rest of the tip ups to the depth  that the tip-up whose flag went up.

[Howyahittinem1]

I hate to differ with your thought of it only working in shallow/weedy water.  I have been using that method this year in both deep and shallow watered lakes and it is working for me.  I have even seen people get flags in 40 foot of water only fishing 3-5ft below ice.  Usually a bass, perch, or trout.  And I have used it in shallower waters and also caught bass,perch, trout and pickerel.  Like I said before I think it is your personal preference on how you want to fish, but I think I'll stick to what is working for me. 8)

[jiggingfoul]

if it ain't broke,don't fix it.whatever works for ya

[Jig4M]

I've always set mine about 1-2' off the bottom but after reading this thread I want to try some at shallower depths tomorrow. Who knows what will happen! Look forward to meeting you guys!

[bayonne]

in some lakes the pickeral are a foot under the ice because thats were the bait tends to be

[Howyahittinem1]

I tried some new tactics today and they worked!  Went to heavier leader, had 12lb flouro and went up to 17lb flouro; Then I continued using slip weight but put the smallest ones I could find on( I think 1/16oz); I then set my line 2-3ft under the ice in 8-10ft of water.  Success!  I was with four other guys and I caught the most fish( some crappies, bass, and pickerel.  The other guys keep looking at me like it was magic or something.  I think I will use these tactics again tomorrow and see if it works at a different lake.

[Leedz49]

Had good luck hang un 'em high today. I wonder if it has to do with pressure. 2-3 feet above the bottom instead of my usual foot.

[marcus]

i have been messing around with this   I had learned and always assumed 12-18" off the bottom   if i am looking for perch this works out but   trout pickerel and pike   i seem to do better 3 ft up off the bottom    have dropped minnows right under ice for trout never really worked out all the well for me to each their own i say       tiger muskies i have only caught halfway down or alittle higher in 8-14 fow   not sure why but it has worked

[Bukshot]

I fished with 2 other friends on Saturday in Sussex and was curious about this also.  I tried some tipups at what I considered normal which is 1 - 1 1/2 feet from bottom and some others only a little under the ice.  The results? - I don't know !  We caught a ton of fish.  Bass, Pickerel and even the largest bluegill I ever saw on the tipups.  And we caught a lot on each type of setup.  I guess if they are biting, they are biting no matter what.  I do know that some of these predatory fish will come up high to hit a shiner.  In one case, I was actually rebaiting a tipup and I had barely let the shiner into the water when a decent sized pickerel came up and smacked it.  I hadn't even set the tip up down yet.  Shiner was barely below the ice!  It is fun and interesting to try different tactics.  We were just outside of Sparta and had about 11-12 inches of ice all around still. 

[projoe]

wen there like that i prefer to jigg

[Luffy]

Everything always seems to change from day to day...  2' off the bottom, just under the ice, weight or no weight, etc...  the best way is to experiment and see what seems to work for you...  I used to switch back and forth with stuff, depending on what other guys seemed to have success with at the moment...  you will drive yourself nuts...  stick with whatever you are catching fish with...

[Howyahittinem1]

I agree, I am starting to think the same.  If fish are biting you are gonna catch em!  I tried eveything yesterday at Swartswood, had three flags all day and never put a fish on the ice.  Maybe there isn't as much to this as we think!  Although, my buddy won the contest by trying something different.  He was ont the ice at 5am,  He drilled his holes and was set up before first light, on two tip-ups he used lunker lights and low and behold when it got light he had a flag on one of them.  It was a four pound pickerel and it won him a wad of cash we all would have loved($580)!  So don't quit trying things cause you never know what you might learn!