Wanted tip up expert...

[smoker craft]

How is the best way to rig a tip up do you use a monofilament leader tied to the tip up line then a cable style leader or cable leader to the tip up line...

Thanks Bret

[Guest]

It all depends on what you are fishing for.

For Walleye, trout and Crappie (yes, I do occationaly use tips up for them and it works great, especially if you are searching for the school) I'll use a leader made of florocarbon or a floro-mono blend.

For Pike, I have been using leaders made with either Stren Superbraid or Tyger Leader.

No matter which leader material I use, I will attach it to the main line, which could be dacron or I will take the old superline off of my muskie reels and use that. Then I will either use a Uni-Knot or a Blood knot to attach the learder or a good quality ball bearing swivel.

Good luck!

[JP Z]

I will add a little to his myself.

For Pike I generally will use some 20-25lb Mono as my leader this has worked out and the toothy critters I catch don't seem to bite through it. It's a good option. But of course now with TyGear leader material I'm using that a bit and it's nice considering it's a smaller diameter and easy to work with.

But on the lines of using your old superline. Is this for the mainline.........OUCH! If that snot rocket runs your getting a cut straight through your hand!

[Walleye Guy]

Use coated tip-up line and then tie on a ball bearing swivel. On the other end of the swivel add 6-8 ft of 20 lb. Vanish Flouocarbon. For pike I use a quick strike rig and for walleyes I use a #4 kahle hook. A red bed above the hook can also be helpful.

20 lb flourocarbon make seem excessive for walleyes but I have had no problems with themseeing it or preferring other tip-ups with lighter line.

[ethan77]

I like using sinking fly line as the main line and tie on 5foot of superbraid

[augernaut]

if you are going to use superbraid as a pike leader, you might as well use steel. superbraids are opaque and just as visible as steel underwater. Plus, northern's teeth will slice superbraid just as easily as mono. I use #18 sevenstrand leaders I make myself. I run much smaller hooks than most. #8 triplegrip trebles for northern, #10 and #12 3551 Mustads for walleyes - and for walleyes it's a #8 Vanish leader. I am looking a the heavy fluorocarbon for pike leaders - will try this year.

[berfish]

I have run into this same dilema as well. I used to use a steel leader until a trip to Red Lake with my cousin. He had 20lbs. mono with a red bead and he got at least 10 to 1 flags on his to mine. I think the mono gets more action because they can't see it as well. I have heard some people say that on Red Lake you don't need mono because the water is so cloudy. I don't believe it. Now I use mono and my buddies use the steel with a trebel and I get all the flags. Granted I do snap off once a and while but I still catch more fish with the mono. You just have to be more careful. I am no expert with tip-ups this is just something I have observed.

bf

[augernaut]

I fished a lake on Wednesday that gets HEAVY early season pressure here in northern Wisconsin. I set up for pike, since I had to be off the ice before dark, no sense in setting for eyes. I had my sevenstrand steel leaders with flipper blades, beads on. There were 4 other guys there, all set for eyes. They had 4 northerns on their mono leaders, I had zero flags. This water is pretty stained/greenish too. I'm really starting to wonder about pressured northern and steel leaders. I'm going to pick up a spool of heavier test fluorocarbon and give it a go.