A Little Tipsy....

[GetANet]

I'm also looking for some advice on the type of Tip Ups would be recommened for using a large live bait. I have the basic wooden style Tip Ups and always have problems when fishing with bigger live baits tripping the flag. They are not too bad with shiners but looking to fish with some big baits for pike or muskie this year. Do you know if there's a way to to rig the wooden style to require more tension to trip them with out alerting the fish? Was thinking about trying to rig up a strike guard or downrigger release. Any Suggestions????

[saxmatt]

You can wrap a rubber band around the bottom of the wood tipups and run a loop of line through the rubber band so they have to trip that before they trip the flag. You can also mount different kinds of clips like downrigger clips of clothes pins. A lot of tipups have drags you can crank down so it's harder to trip the flag, but I'd rather use a rubber band or clip so they can swim away free spool once they take the bait. I think if they feel the tension of the drag they are more likely to drop he bait.

[GetANet]

I'm liking the rubber band idea, simple , cheap, and prob pretty effective result with it. I agree with the free spool after the trip especially with a nice big perch or sucker for bait. You know they're gonna run with it for a while before they swallow it. May not catch anything on it but if i do it's gonna be a beast. Gonna try to dedicate one or two tips to some large baits this year and see how it goes.

[saxmatt]

It will probably take more than 1 or 2 trips but you never know. I've gone a week straight without a flag before, and I've also seen multiple 40" pike or multiple musky come out on the same day. Try some big dead baits for pike, especially late ice and mid winter. Fishing big bait is all about patience and confidence. Put in the time and you'll get a big one.

[AndyS]

Go HT or GO HOME !!

4 different bait settings. I have used live suckers up to 3 lbs on these.