Tip Up Problem

[icefishermanmark]

This season I seem to be getting more flags than usual, but I've only landed 2 of them. Most of the time the fish runs a good ways with it, but by the time I set the hook there is nothing there. My bait of choice is a bluegill, and I put it on a quick strike rig. The hooks are exposed, and this set up has worked really well in the past. Is anyone having the same problem, or have any suggestions? This is really starting to frustrate me.:rant:

[zx10r2004]

i let the pike run once then it will stop and then on the second run is when i set the hook. the first run the pike only grabs the bait and then when it stops he trys eating it and then takes off again thats when i set the hook. its worked well for me i also use a #4 treble hook. hope this helps.

[roger23]

I made a quick strick rig it has two hooks I made them from 7 strands

[barry county jim]

I set the hook when ever the fish is run because you know it is in the fish's mouth. I used to wait but since I set the hook as soon as I can most fish are hooked in the corner of their mouth which is important because I do not run steel leaders.

[aslongasitpullsback]

If your using larger hooks the fish will feel them and drop the bait. try smaller hook size on your quick strike rig[# 8 or #10] I only use one this size on 30 lb mono and my hook % is preety good. I have sense this year move to circle hooks # 8 size and hooked several fish this year... I post some pic's tomarrow
I had a good 4 day fishing week end [holiday]

[Willie Tippit]

If your using larger hooks the fish will feel them and drop the bait. try smaller hook size on your quick strike rig[# 8 or #10] I only use one this size on 30 lb mono and my hook % is preety good. I have sense this year move to circle hooks # 8 size and hooked several fish this year... I post some pic's tomarrow
I had a good 4 day fishing week end [holiday] Yes on the circle hooks...I used True turn single hooks for years cuz them damn trebles were'nt doing me any justice,last year i tried the circle hooks and like them as well if not better...Good Luck mark

[jwoody]

I set the hook when ever the fish is run because you know it is in the fish's mouth. I used to wait but since I set the hook as soon as I can most fish are hooked in the corner of their mouth which is important because I do not run steel leaders.
I have been trying to convince people of that for a long time. No offense to the believers but the whole let it run and stop and run again thing seems more of a old wive's tale than anything else. Do people think fish put it in there pocket until they eat it?

[WALLEYE MIKE]

I too use a treble with a stinger hook (quick strike). Size 4 treble for the front hook and size 6 or 8 for the back stinger hook. I set the hook as soon as I arrive at the tip-up. I don't wait. Very few if any drops.

[roger23]

homemade rig

http://www.michigan-sportsman.com/photopost/data/500/medium/homade_Quick_strike_rig.jpg

[icefishermanmark]

homemade rig

http://www.michigan-sportsman.com/photopost/data/500/medium/homade_Quick_strike_rig.jpg

I make my own and they look just like that. I may have to use smaller hooks.

[brigeton]

I too set the hook any time the fish is moving with it. Get to the flag as soon as possible. I was taught to wait until the second run but often that never occurs. The fish feel line tension from running through weeds or they're not very aggressive that day or whatever & drop it. From my younger days setting in a spearing shanty I learned pike always grabs the minnow from the side when it hits. As long as you have a hook in the back by the dorsal fin the hook is in their mouth. One problem could be with a large bait like a bluegill the pike could have the minnow but not the hook. with a smaller minnow chances are the whole minnow & hook will be in the mouth when you set the hook.

[roger23]

I make my own and they look just like that. I may have to use smaller hooks.

I use # 4's and 6's have really had good luck with them I like how tho slides up and down the wire for different size bait

[BOEDY]

I have been trying to convince people of that for a long time. No offense to the believers but the whole let it run and stop and run again thing seems more of a old wive's tale than anything else. Do people think fish put it in there pocket until they eat it?I used to wait for the "second run" or when the fish stopped and i found alot of the fish were hooked in the throat, try getting two or three treble hooks out of a northerns throat without the fish bleeding out. I would say that half or better of the fish that your gonna catch tip up fishing are gonna be under size so i to set the hook as soon as i can get to the tip up. Better to miss the fish than a chance of killing it.

[Banditto]

I guess it all depends on your situation. If it is extremely weedy you risk the fish getting embedded in a weedy mess and losing the fish. Waiting too long to set the hook also risks having the hook too deep.

But if you are experiencing light bites the hooks may not be deep enough in the mouth yet.

I rarely lose fish on a live noose rig being it is like a quick strike rig but on a quick strike the stinger sometimes doesnt land being it may be off no where near the fish and you are only hoping it makes the mark. With a live noose rig the stinger hook is firmly planted on the underside of the belly and the top hook is firly planted on the back (but not puncturing the back) so the bait swims freely and you can eventually put the bait back in teh bucket at the end of the day without it dying.


http://www.michigan-sportsman.com/photopost/data/533/404noose6.JPG

[wartfroggy]

if the fish keep dropping the bait, I would first check to see that the line is coming off the reel smoothly, and not binding up. This is usually the main reason pike will drop a bait. Also, you may want to try clipping the dorsal fin spikes off the bluegill's back. I would concentrate more on why the pike is dropping the bait, than worrying about how to set the hook faster. When pike hit a bait, they hit it to eat it. If they don't eat it, there must be a reason they changed their mind. Again, that is usually tension on the line during the run, or feeling the spines or hook in their mouth. You can try smaller hooks, but I often use larger hooks than most people and have few problems. One thing you can try instead of a quick strike rig is a single treble but hook the gill closer to the head or just behind the head. This will put the hook deeper in the pike's mouth as they take the bait head first. When I have used quick strike rigs in the past, most of the fish are stuck with the front hook anyways. Just a few ideas. Play around and find what works.

[C20chris]

I was having a big problem getting the fish hooked with treble hooks earlier this year and went to using circle hooks... since then I am 8 for 10 (one time all the line was off the tip up by the time I got to it) I also solved this problem by putting a bell on the reel of my tip up... now even if I am not paying attention (or catching panfish) I can hear the bell when the reel is turing :D

[TrekJeff]

I did the same thing, used a medium size silver christmas jingle bell. Left it on about an inch of braided and tide it on the indicator, works great.