Tip up for Pike?

[DanP]

Just a quick questions regarding rigging for pike on tip ups. Last year we started fishin tip ups and used a steel leader with a single treble hook. Being we were not keeping the fish we set the hook quickly to avoid deep hooking a fish. We missed several because of this.

Trying to get set up this year and I see talk of quick strike rigs and I think circle hooks. Who does what for rigging. My goal is to release the pike caught. Perch are my target but the kids get a kick out of the pike.

Thanks
Dan

[huxIIIhammer]

I release alot of mine also. Me and my buds use the same set up, we generally wait until the fish is running and then set the hook. If I get there and its not spinning I will generally wait it out a bit to see if it will run again I think alot of times they run then stop to turn the minnow then run again. We usually hook them in the side of the mouth with this technique. I hope that helps.
Hux

[redneckman]

The quick strike rigs are made of 2 trebles connected by some mono line. You hook the minnow with one of the hooks in the head and the other hook goes near the tail. With this you can set the hook right away and should hook up most of the time. (correct me if im wrong)
I usaully just use a single treble hook and do just fine. I did not have one pike swallow the hook last year thankfully. I always set the hook right away and only have missed 2-3 all last year. I guess i get lucky.

Redneckman

[sea nympho]

the quick strike rigs explained above are very good for releasing pike (use with dead bait, bait needn't hang exactly level, either). I also have used circle hooks under floats in the spring with sucess-remember DON'T SET THE HOOK WITH CIRCLES! Have moderate drag tension and the fish will do it for you.

[1fish]

I release alot of mine also. Me and my buds use the same set up, we generally wait until the fish is running and then set the hook. If I get there and its not spinning I will generally wait it out a bit to see if it will run again I think alot of times they run then stop to turn the minnow then run again. We usually hook them in the side of the mouth with this technique. I hope that helps.
Hux

I second hux's comments. The guys you see literally running across the ice to their tip ups are usually making a mistake. 99% of the time a pike will strike the minnow, run with it a ways, stop, turn the bait and take it into their mouth, then move off slowly. The time to set the hook is after they've taken the bait and are moving off slowly. If you get to the tip up and the line is screaming, let it go until it stops and wait for him to move off again slowly. This is the time to sink the hook. Doing it this way will result in a solid hookup more often than not. Usually when you set the hook on the initial run, you're running the risk that the hook is still in the outside of the mouth, especially if you're running bigger bait.

[Frozenfish]

excellent advice.

[WALLEYE MIKE]

I use the 2 hook method. No need to wait. Just pull and they're hooked.

On the other hand, my buddy is one to wait and wait and wait. And he misses many. That guy just doesn't listen.

[aslongasitpullsback]

If you hook them too deep,cut the hook off.[ try to use aberdeen[spelling]hooks only, they will rust out with in 1 one week] this method is only with mono line, no steel leader!!!!! I use 20-30lb. mono, the fish rarlly bite through it.... I have really good success with this. a lot of larger fish will bite this method. I'll try to scan pic pictures from my past trips an up load them. at the time I only had a 35mm. camera, this year have digital one .

[triplehooked]

I also use the quick strike rig, works awesome. Same as other guys have said, set the hook right away, hardly ever have any deep hooking problems and greatly improved strikes and landings. I've noticed a big increase in flags since changing to the mono quick-strike set up. Now if we'd ever get any ice........

[sea nympho]

I use braided wire to make quick-strike rigs, mono makes me nervous- I'm not gonna lose the biggest pike of my life to teeth