keeping line depth

[NorthwoodsIce]

so i have been jiggin all my life and now i want to set a few tipups to cover more water.  I was just wondering how everyone keeps there bait at the same depth everytime you pull the bait up?  Any help would be great.
Northwoodsice

[TJG]

They make these things called "bobber stops".
They are made of rubber, with a piece of wire
looped through the centre, run your line in the
loop and draw the wire through with the line.
Later TJ

[Out4Trout]

I used to use a paper clip, I liked it better than a button because you can loop it into your line anywhere without having to slide it up and down the line or thread it in. There's a little trick to looping it in but pretty simple. Now I mostly just tie a slip not in my line for a marker. It can slip out when you catch a fish but I got sick of carrying paper clips around.

[duketter]

I just use the smallest split shot weight I have.  I put a heavy depth checker on the line and drop it all the way down to the bottom.  Then I pull up as much as I want depending on the depth I want to fish at and put the split shot weight right there on the line.  Then wind up the tip-up right up to the split shot weight.  Don't forget to account for the couple inches the tip-up sticks in the water when you are deciding where to put the weight.

[BuckShotJon]

I use a button.

Jon

[HIMO]

I agree with Jon. Abutton works the best.

                          HIMO

[Ice Troll]

Little tiny line marker bobbers. They are made precisely for marking depth when fishing with tip ups. clip on and off for easy adjusting. Also, if you want to be precise with your depth, make sure you allow for the distance your reel is under the ice surface.  8)

[groum]

I use a white or bright colored button.   

[JT]

Line bobbers,quick,simple and cheap and effective.

[IceBob]

Small pieces of bread wrapper twist ties.  Just cut them in two and twist them around the line.

[fishboy899]

I just use the line bobbers.  They are easy to attach and take off.

[BASSandICE65]

I use 40lb white braided line and mark it with a permanent marker in 1, 2, or 3 ft increments depends on how deep you fish. Slip on a white button. I then attach a 4-6ft leader of 20lb dark green braided line with a blood knot. To measure depth attach a drop weight to your hook and slowly let it down the hole as it drops count the marks this gives you a good idea of the depth. When the weight hits the bottom used your button to adjust how deep you want to fish anywhere from 1ft off the bottom to 20ft. The button then serves as a marker when you catch a fish you can immediately get back to the same depth and catch another hopefully

[BASSandICE65]

Thanks cider it really works for me can fish anywhere and mark the depth fairly easier. My buddy has a strikemaster depth finder that is awesome you can find the depth of the water before you drill a hole. They cost a bit though around 150$  so until i buy one use the marker trick 

[Mongo]

I have to agree with JT, the line bobbers work the best and they are very easy to work with.

[Jack Magnum]

Little tiny line marker bobbers. They are made precisely for marking depth when fishing with tip ups. clip on and off for easy adjusting. Also, if you want to be precise with your depth, make sure you allow for the distance your reel is under the ice surface.  8)

Hey Ice troll,
                            My son wants some of those bobbers .who makes them and where can we get some?

[reelcharacter]

I plan to use a tiny piece of rubber band wrapped aound the line and pulled back through itself next time I go out.

-reelcharacter

[nodakbassmaster]

I know HT Enterprises makes some... I like the colored split shot myself

[camo_fish]

Line bobbers,quick,simple and cheap and effective.

I use little bobbers too. Very quick, simple, easy, etc.........

[camo_fish]

I also use the bobbers. But I moved up the size scale to the tinyest red and white jobs that are 1/2 inch in diameter. These seem to last better they are easier to see (bad eyes) and they taste better when I have to pop one in my mouth to thaw it out in  the morning!!
Also eisier to manipulate with stiff fingers.
FM

yes, plastic, metal, and frozen lake water always goes good with the morning coffee. 

[mullen2525]

I run the line all the way to the bottom and use the smallest split shot I have to mark the bottom, this way it's easy to tell hhow far up from the bottom i'm fishing and if I feel like it i'll mark the depth as well so its easier to get back to that spot as well.

[Jimmy The Jigger]

Buttons work great! and are easy to slide up/down your line

[camo_fish]

Buttons work great! and are easy to slide up/down your line

Only thing with a button is, if you were fishing 15-20 FOW and then over 100 FOW the next, that is a long way to be moving a button up or down your frozen line that you use the day before. A little bobber would work alot better. Just my 2 cent. 

[Tip-Up]

Button for me. 

[camo_fish]

Button for me. 

Very nice NP picture flasher. Those are some awesome beast. 

[Poorboy]

I have always marked bottom with a slip knot so that even if I am fishing at a different depth I can always drop to the bottom without resounding.  I write the number of feet deep I am fishing in the snow beside each hole.  This has always been close enough for me, and when there is no snow I just try to remember. Now that I have read these posts I will be trying some of your ideas, though, since a hookset or just battling a fish often pulls out the slipknot.

   There is great value in marking both bottom and where each trap is fishing, though.  It helps you respond to the action and get other traps in the kill zone fast.

[billybono]

I plan to use a tiny piece of rubber band wrapped aound the line and pulled back through itself next time I go out.

-reelcharacter

i have always done that and it works great!!!
          billybono

[Fishinut]

Last year I used buttons, but they dont work too well on the coated stuff so this year I am going to try rubber bands.

[TJC]

Button usually works well. Also I have seen buddies of mine use small bobbers(I think they are mad by HT) made for this purpose.

[chetter]

Tiny splitshot for me!!!

Remember the bobbers float and i have hade trouble with them floating up and around the spool.........then you got a mess!!!

[iceintheveins]

I just use my vexilar and remember where the depth was. I usually fish tip ups for just pike, lake trout, or catfish so usually the bottom is where they are, especially for lake trout.

Tyler