Tip Ups?

[Teroy]

Never used them before but here in S.D. you can use a lot per person. I dont recall seeing anyone use them while I was in Utah.

Anyone have any experience with them? Opinions on them and are they a bigger pain than its worth??
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[acey]

Years ago I debated on trying them, but Utah only allows one pole per angler without buying the two pole permit, so I decided it wasn't worth it. Idaho allows five poles while ice fishing, so it may work there. Acey
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[wiperhunter2]

When I lived in Colorado some years ago I was reading Outdoor Life and they had an article on how to build tip ups. I built a few and gave them a try, they seem to work fine when you have a lot of lines out and are having a hard time getting too every line. The whole idea is when the fish hits the lure or bait, the tip up sets the hook for you and gives you time to get to the line. Most places in utah only allow one line so there is really no need for them. Idaho is a different matter, five lines are allowed there so it might be a good idea there. If you don't get a good response on the utah board try the Idaho board, I'm sure a few of guys that fish there have used them.
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[GEEZER]

Teroy,

I've got two or three kinda cheapie models that haven't seen water anywhere but in Sodak. P.M. me a mailing address & I'll send them to you.

GEEZER
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[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]Tipups are designed for fishing bait...not lures. They do NOT set the hook. They just let a spring-loaded flag pop up to signal that something has taken the bait. Bait is usually a live minnow. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]There is usually a reel spool below the water line (to prevent freezing). When a fish hits and releases the catch, the flag pops up and the fish swims off with the bait. The angler runs over to the tip up, feels the line to see if the fish is still on and then sets the hook by hand. Fish are then handlined up onto the ice.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]In areas where multiple tipups are allowed, each angler will have several. On a slow day, it increases your odds of getting bit. When there is fast action, there is a whole lot of skating (and falling) as you try to keep up with the flags popping up.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Not many Utah anglers are content to soak one bait under a tip up, if the lake does not allow more than one rod. Also, most of us prefer to jig, when possible. And, when fishing a little jig and bait combo, very few (if any) light bites would even register on a tipup. That's why we have to use strike indicators and still miss lots of taps.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I have thought that a minnow (dead) under a tip up would be a good way to rig for larger fish in Willard or Utah Lake, while you jigged with smaller stuff on your first rod. But, I personally would rather just use a rod. Not as much fun to handline fish.[/#0000ff]
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[GEEZER]

Gotta throw in another 2 cents on tipups. They can be great fun when fishing live minnows for big northerns. Trick is to get to the tipup & watch the spool. If line is still running out, ya gotta wait 'till it stops. Then when it starts moving again, that means the fish has turned the minnow to swallow it head first. That's when you "CROSS HIS EYES" with a mighty yank.

Something about the watch & wait & blood pressure buildup etc. while this is all happening just really toots my whistle.

Don't ever grab the line without gloves on!! I've gotten some nasty line cuts (one all the way to the bone) by getting anxious & stupid.
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[DKSRenegade]

Acey, I fished in Idaho yesterday and found that you can only use one pole at Daniels Reservoir. I don't know about other places. The Officer that checked us was watching for violators with a spotting scope. Be sure to check the regs before you go![]
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[icing_perch]

I used tip ups in Alaska while I was there and used them in South Dakota before. For pike you can use either live minnows or chubs or frozen smelt on them. Walleyes you can use big chubs or minnows under them with success. Have you tried ice fishing Newell Lake or Angastoura? I fished Newell in 2004 and did pretty good for perch and blue gill from shore and picked up a few pike and walleye as well. Might be worth the drive. I am headed to Wyoming in Feb and thinking of hitting a few lakes in SD and maybe ND while I am there. Also have a lake in south east montana that I am going to hit for sure fished it in the late 80's and caught my two biggest bows of my life through the ice both over 5 pounds. It has big rainbows and a lot of perch in it. My dad was up there a couple of weeks ago and they caught about 60 or so perch and the week before that they ended up with 122 perch one trout and broke off a few other trout. If you are interested I can get directions from my dad or we can try and get together in Feb when I come up. Do you live in Rapid or close to there?
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