rigging tip-ups for open water?

[panfishman13]

crazy idea, i know, but i'm wondering if anyone has done it?

the idea is to use them in a manner similar to jugging for catfish, only they'd be tethered to the boat since you have to be tending your rods at all times here in Idaho. i figure it'd be easier to detect a bite if a flag went up.

[Tuffnuts]

We have been doing this for several years. Use round tips and cut 4 inch thick foam to match shape. Glue to bottom and let them float. We only do this on a private lake as we do not tie them to the boat.

[Chris Raymond]

Pretty sure it's illegal here in MI. 

[thomasthepikehunter]

I have thought about tying one to my line to use as a bobber.

[jlaclair]

saw a show once where a guy did this for catfish in a small pond he was in a kayak, put pipe insulation tubes on wood tip ups, the fish rarely set the flag off just basically pulled it around, I think if you anchored it some how it would be better although chasing them in a kayak could be fun

[EssoxHunter]

Ya, get up wind from some one pounding them, and let yer tipi up float into they're area...would be funny to watch...

[Nightbird]

Interesting idea! Add an alarm and I could snooze in the sunshine while waiting for a strike. No more watching a big bobber for pike.

[mt bucket]

It is illegal in New York but I've seen it done.
Use the wood tip up cut some of those foam flowing noodle thing kid use for swimming.
Slide the noodle on the wood cross pieces and a little duck tape and your done.
The orange and pink noodle make it easy to find them., or so I told.

[Whopper Stopper]

We can't do any of the fun stuff either.

           WS

[dangle]

seen a guy at a lake take a plastic milk jug, hang bait at the handle, when fish on, jug will stand up. did not have it secured to any thing. he retrieved it by chasing it with his boat.  He used it  mostly for carp, but sometimes got  a pike or bass. not sure if that's legal or not in MI.

[thomasthepikehunter]

What you describe is jug lining or jug fishing. It works great for rough fish. The fish swallows the bait, and pulls the jug around with it. You just come back the next day and see if you can find the jugs. I know its illegal in a lot of places. That's why I would like to tie the tip up to my fishing pole. You get the bonus of not spooking the fish when you get to it. I've got using a bobber down pretty well. I use those big balsa slip bobbers like many musky fisherman use. Most musky guys use a 6" or 8" long float. I use the 6" unweighted. It is shaped to slide through weeds, is a slip bobber, and is easy to see. I just don't like those gigantic orange round ones. Way overkill, and I see too many dropped baits. I prefer a circle hook in the summer, as its easier to set. A quick strike needs such a hard hook set, I don't really have a rod up to the task. You would really need a fiberglass heavy action rod and set the hook like your hitting a home run. Rods just absorb too much energy. Then with a rod that heavy, its either no fun pulling fish in, or you don't get enough bend/rebound and the fish can spit hooks. I like my 6' (yes a 6') medium heavy fast action, and it sets a circle real nice when reeling in fast. I'm not a fan of long rods. My longest now is 7', but I used to have a 7'6". I don't get how anyone can use the 8', 9', 9'8" etc.  How on earth do you even fit it in a boat? I love rods 6'-7'. a 5'6" and 7'6" is my my idea of specialized rods. Nothing makes sunfish more fun than a 5'6" noodle rod.

[panfishman13]

i never would've thought of the pool noodle, that's a great idea!

i honestly wish it was legal to have straight-up jug lines here in Idaho, i routinely fish some small ponds for catfish, carp, and bass. it'd be a blast to chase down a jugline with a big cat on the end.

still, as long as i tether the line to the boat, it counts as a tended line so i could feasibly set a trap on the far side of the pond and string a line all the way back to a camp chair and just wait for a flag while i roast hot dogs.

[darkeyez]

I actually thought about that awhile ago.
My thought was to mount them on a small inner tube, like from a wheelbarrow, and let them float around.
Never tried it, and don't know if it's legal.

[fishermantim]

Probably the same regulations regarding how many rods you can use during open water.
Once the ice is gone, it's no longer ice fishing no matter what you use to fish with.

Question: If you devise a rig to support a suspended bait, how would you "run" to the flag when a fish bites?

Oh, wait, they already have a device that suspends a bait and indicates when a fish is on the line....A BOBBER!

I bon't want to sink your battleship, but you seem to be reworking a working method/tool for the wrong conditions.

Another question: What do you do if the trap malfunctions and is dragged down? What if it flips over from the wake of a boat?

Sounds a lot like someone needs to get back out on some ice real soon!

[thomasthepikehunter]

I don't think anyone is planning on doing more than twice. Some just can't go 3/4 of the year without line screaming through their fingers.

[panfishman13]

you raise valid points fishermantim,

first answer, you don't run to the bait. you use a boat. and yeah, i could use a bobber, but i'm not necessarily trying to SUSPEND a bait, just mark it with a device that easily telegraphs a bit from a distance. i could just as easily rig a dowel with float, a spool, and a flag tripping system, but that would take time and resources to build, while i already have the same thing sitting around during the summer months.

second answer, i've made it clear that the whole rig would be tethered to the boat or myself.

and yeah, here in Idaho we're suffering a massive warm front. very few places have safe ice anymore, and those that do require quite a long drive to access.

point is, yes, it could be done in a simpler manner. i don't care, i wanna know if it's something i could try. because why not have fun with ridiculous ideas when i'm facing an early end to my ice season?

[Drewski121]

check out you tube  Isaw someone using them on there...DD... ..........

[fishermantim]

you raise valid points fishermantim,

first answer, you don't run to the bait. you use a boat. and yeah, i could use a bobber, but i'm not necessarily trying to SUSPEND a bait, just mark it with a device that easily telegraphs a bit from a distance. i could just as easily rig a dowel with float, a spool, and a flag tripping system, but that would take time and resources to build, while i already have the same thing sitting around during the summer months.

second answer, i've made it clear that the whole rig would be tethered to the boat or myself.

and yeah, here in Idaho we're suffering a massive warm front. very few places have safe ice anymore, and those that do require quite a long drive to access.

point is, yes, it could be done in a simpler manner. i don't care, i wanna know if it's something i could try. because why not have fun with ridiculous ideas when i'm facing an early end to my ice season?

There's also the legal aspect, as some states might consider that a version of jug fishing (like they do for catfish) and have rules against that.
I will say this: there is no lack of ingenuity amongst the ice angler community. We could build a better mouse trap and then go out and create a better mouse!!!