Tip up fishing for pike

[tibs36]

So last year I bought a tip up for pike and never got a chance to use it due to the rain. Ive never tip up fished for pike or walleye before any tips and bait selection and size,depth. I also was told once if you put a can of catfood down your hole it will attract pike, anyone heard any info would be great

:fish:

[Hoosier Daddy]

Tipup fishing is a great time. When the flag goes up it can be a great rush, but when you get to the hole and your reel is spinning like crazy whoo boy!

I would recommend fishing for pike relatiely shallow near weeds early in the season and heading deeper as the season goes on. The towards the end of the season heading back to the shallows.

I get the largest most lively bait I can get my hands on. Chubs/sucker/huge shinners. I have heard dead paits work well also smelt(where legal) herring any oily fish.

I set mine from a few feet below the ice to almost on the bottom depending on lake clarity and how deep I am fishing.

I always look for weeds.

Good luck and make sure you have good terminal tackle that can handle these tooth critters.

I am sure others will have some good advice.

[walleyeman2006]

well you mentioned walleye i have more experience with them then pike but the only thing i do different for walleye is a smaller hook and lighter leader line

for walleye

i use a 20 pound dacron or braid main line then a 10 to 15 lb leader 3 ft or so a number 4 bait holder a 1/4 oz split shot or 1/4 oz jig just to add another hook to the mix
i like fathead minnows about 2 inches or spot tail shinners
depending if you have any wind operated tip ups jigging rappalas and different spoons will work
\
/
for pike
20 to 25 lb mono leader
# 1 or 2 hook or a 4-12 treble a small blue gill is my fav bait shad shiners suckers all work too

a big single hook will set deeper then a treble and help prevent line cut off


and remember let the fish run till they stop then bring line back in slow do not set the hook until you can feel the fish never let the line rap around your fingers or hands ..a big fish can give a good cut that way ..thats why i still like that good old dacron its far easier on the fingers

[MrBluegill]

Tip up fishing is a good way to target two species at one time....first ice i like to target pike in shallow water(8-10ft) weedy or where a lota smaller game fish are....you can use shiner/sucker those are some of the more popular baits....when mid winter comes around head deeper water and when last ice come go shallow again you will get the rutine fast....but reamber pike are always looking up for an easy meel, dont keep your bait all the way on the bottom........when your about to set the hook there are many diffent ways to do it...but my method is take them on the run works most of the time but some guys wait tell they stop..........also when you see some one get a flag go watch what there doing you will learn from it.

And when you get your first flag try not to fall head over heals when your runin to it!:yikes: :lol:

[Ugly Stick]

Use a stinger hook! You can buy them or make them. When you use a stinger hook set the hook right away. It prevent the fish from getting hooked deep. IF you let them run and stop they swallow the hook.

In water 15 feet and shallower I like to set the it half way down or a foot or to above the weeds. In deeper water 5-10 feet of the bottom.

[RKP514]

I have had my best luck and even won tip-up tournaments fishing in 20-30 fow about 2 ft. off bottom. I use the biggest sucker minnows I can get and cut the fins off of him so he is still alive but can't swim fast. Fish like easy meals this time of year they prefer not to chase foods like they do in warmer water. Anyhow this has been the ticket for me. I fished one tournament that started at daylight and I did not arrive until about 10:30 in the morning. Some decent fish were already caught and I figured I was just wasting my time. By 1 pm I had the tournament won using this tactic. There were over 120 tip-ups out and I went and picked a spot in the center of them so there was no spot I was looking for in particular. They were fishing like 10 ft. off bottom and using smaller minnows than I was. Hope this helps you.

Ryan

[fishless fisher]

I am a huge fan of tip uping for pike. O my i think i just created a word :idea: . I usually use the biggest shiners i can find with a decent sized treble hook through the upper back. Along with that i will use steel leaders and a big sinker. I think the greatest part about pike fishing is that nothing has to be perfect just raise it up off the bottom a few feet or so and let the pike go at it. Walleye on the other hand are a pickyer kind of fish. Thats when we'll start useing light leaders, small hooks, and small sinkers. But over all useing tip ups has to be one of the funnest ways to fish exspecially when your with a group of people. Sometimes we'll have rules such as who gets to the flag first gets to pull in the fish. That becomes quite a showing. But on a serious note tip ups are very effective and a fun way to catch pike and walleye.

secret known by quite a few but not everyone: cut the tails off of shiners they will wingle about 3 times as much and are unable to dodge on coming predators as well.
Good luck and Good fishing

[sea nympho]

i catch suckers all summer while catfishing. I freeze 20 or so 8-16" suckers. i use deadbait rigs (with homemade treble stingers). balance them level. i fish old weed flat points(6'-16') jutting into deep basin. i usually fish 8' of water. bait 2' off btm and out of weeds so it is very visible. i took hook off 1z daredevle, tied 10' of para cord to it. i go around to the different holes, drop it in, give it a few hard and a few soft jerks in no certain order. use oily bait. use small trebles and let fish take bait so fish is swimming away from hole for good hookset. dont set hook as soon as flag tips. i'm thinking about using big circle hooks this year.

[sea nympho]

I also was told once if you put a can of catfood down your hole it will attract pike
:fish:chumming with catfood might work for cats or carp (both fine sportfish).