Tom- you are truly a god send to us weekend warriors! This information is exactly what fisherman need, no fluff just good-helpful info. You have helped me more than you know. Keep it up bud.
You have the most informational channel out there for this stuff!! Thank you so much it's definitely helping me step my game up this year! Keep em coming!!
Hey Tom just wanna say thank you for the helpful info with tip ups, your page really does help people. Yesterday I landed my very first tip up walleye all by myself and it happened to be a PB walleye through the ice for me!
I am brand new at ice fishing. Can you talk about the different rods and reels you use like you did for summer fishing? What rod qualities are you looking at for different ice set ups? Maybe talk about ice fishing essentials for beginners? Thanks for all your videos! I've learned so much and still keep learning.
I was one who asked a few questions about Tip Ups in a recent video. Thanks for taking the time to put this out, I got the answers I was looking for. Great content as always!
Just ser up my tip ups with this setup. Moved them around a snagged a handful of northern and a walleye. Lost one on dead stick from a rookie mistake in not tightening up the drag lol...I looked stupid. Thanks for the help great vids
Good video. Everything you were showing is basically identical to what I do. Except how you hook the minnow with a single hook pointing the point towards the head. Never thought of that but makes perfect sense.
As an avid fisherman that has put several lines to the test fishing for king Salmon I have to say seaguar sucks against all the elements. I'm speaking from an abundance of experience and talking up to 12 lb test line not heavy line that I have little to no experience with... Vanish works great for most applications but I feel more confident with P Line. Fishing line changes all the time though..... 6lb p line floro is the most diverse line imo from fishing for perch to walleye to salmon and steelhead. Perch fishing and steelhead in clear water I just add a couple feet of 3lb floro. Great info, I'm new to ice fishing... Thank you.
Beaver dam and polar style tipups are nice! I have friends that use them. But i prefer the green wooden Hi-flag tipups and heritage laker tipups. Cross pole style tipups essentially. The hi-flags are nice for pike, walleye, bass, pearch things like that and the flags can be seen from way off in feet of snow hence the name lol. The heritage tu's i use mainly for lake trout because they have the larger spools with a nice drag system (great for larger bait) and the tipup itself is super heavy duty with large spring loaded flags. I run 36lb. tan waxed braided line. The wax does breakdown after a few years of use but its great line. Keeps the line from freezing so easily. I used to use green line but went to using tan years back, I can see the line well that way while fighting fish and never had issues with the fish seeing it. Especially using a long fluro leader. Tip: on very cold days once i set my tipups in the hole is take a little of the ice slush thats around the hole from drilling the hole and throw it in the hole around your tipup (or snow). It breaks up much easier than when the hole just freezes over. I dont always do it, just on really cold days. Who doesn't love ice fishing?! Lol..FLAG!!!!! Lol..Stay safe all! God bless!
Lots of good info here, I live in SW Co and don’t have a targetable population of walleye but these methods you explain will work from stocker trout to perch to big smallmouth and northerns, also nailed a few big channel cats. Thanks for the informative video man lots to take from it even for the seasoned ice anglers.
At the end of this video, you show your double treble setup. Here in Wisconsin, if I’m not mistaken, a setup like that is considered two lines? Correct me if I’m wrong, but I’m pretty sure it is?
Fantastic vid, Tom! My first year tip-upping and with your guidance, and I caught quite a few very nice walleyes here in Illinois... Question, Tom: The lake I fish is murky with poor vsby due to plant growth, approx 3-4' at best, would a heavier line be more acceptable? The fish I catch are mainly 2-4 lb with occasional flathead thrown in. Thks!
Dang bro, you taught an old dog a new trick. I’ll be adding the overhand knot method to my wire leaders. I still like the crimp maybe more benefit to fit finish than function. 🤷🏼♂️
Love your videos Tom. i noticed in this video when showing the leader you use the label did not say for ice. does this mean there is no difference between regular and ice fishing line?
Tom, I have the same stainless steel leader but much lighter, 40, 26 and 15 pounds test. 15 pounds I think would be universal for mixed bag pike and walleye.
Lots of people in the US are also catching big pike on similar set ups using fun dogs (cheap brand hot dogs). When you put either the dog or dead minnow on, make sure it hangs slightly downhill (about 5*)
Thanks for another great video Tom! What do you think of using a Brocraft tip-up (or similar like Ifish Pro) with essentially the same setup you are using but on a walleye rod (with 10# Suffix 832 Advanced main line)? Also, do you think putting a small snap swivel on at the end of the leader will turn walleye away? I would like to add that so that sometimes I can also use the same rod and set up to jig.
I bit my split shots , now I keep them in a blue box at night ! Great video as always. Supprised you use a tremble on the walleyes , and smallish also ?
Yes Tim that was interesting. I ultimately decided to just go bigger on hooks for sucker and shiner. Hate when the hook just seems too flush inside the bait with not enough hook showing. But let's face it I'm not going to argue with TB knowledge so I will be experimenting with Mustad.
Where do you store your hook when tip up is wrapped up. I stick mine into line on spool. For this reason I don't use braided. It snags. Have you tried the coated braided?
Growing up in Wisconsin you were not raised right if you dont use artic fisherman. In fact i usually buy my tipups in beaver dam had to go to madison this year to pick up some for wife and kid.
Used these on a really cold day at the lake ru-vid.comUgkxDn2sw8y7H6oNOV0envADWPlTV9pvctAA the spool was really fluent in letting the line out and the whole mechanism was really responsive to any hit from the fish, it was also great that you can adjust it for big or small fish. The light it came with works great in the dark. The only thing that I had problems with is the depth droppers clasp is really weak and it wouldn't stay on the hook unless you threaded the hook through the springs
Hey tom, if your ice fishing for pike in 3 feet or less of water do you run a shorter leader? I'm afraid to wrap my barrel swivel into the spool I feel like it will get caught if a fish grabs it or something.
Best tips for walleyes: get rid of the sinker completely on your rigs for walleyes, and run 15lb power pro braid for your tip up line and run it through a candle to wax it. Helps it not pick up water, and really helps your grip. This is for walleye, brook trout, perch and crappie rigs only. Anything you can do to decrease resistance once that fish takes that bait will help immensely. For pike a guy can damn near run straight 7strand and they dont care much.
I would love to see a video where you talk about your perch or crappie setup on tip ups. What pound line and mostly what hook/jig and bait you use. Love the content!
Great tips Tom! Going to try the 20lb here in Northern Michigan this year. I fish alot of lakes with 12 to 20 ft visibility. Wanna catch some walleye but it sucks to get bit off by pike so hopefully the happy medium will work. Thanks man!
*These work with rod and reel or tip ups **enjoyable.fishing** recommend it’s good for keeping snow out of the hole and to greatly slow hole freezing. They are not heavy so need to be held down by tip up or some snow/ice shavings if windy. Have not had them freeze down even when placed in wet ice shavings.*
If you want to get away with more try P Line. This is coming from a guy that had tested several different lines a couple years ago when I had access to all the line working at a pro fishing shop and fish a couple hundred days undreds of days a year.
Everyone watching this likely ate A LOT of lead as kids and we turned out fine, LOL. Great video as usual, thank you for sharing your experience, knowledge and passion. TIGHT LINES
so is your split shot on the bottom? or are you finding bottom and cranking it up a foot and leaving the split shot free hanging? also if you are free hanging it...what you using for your marker for depth? just wondering..have a great day!
On the tip up it seems like you can adjust where you can put the bar on the brass T part by sliding it up higher towards the flag or lower towards the spring. Can you explain how and why it seems adjustable
Tom, so you said you dont guide anymore. Can we all assume the reason why is because you are a professional You tube vlogger now? And this is your main source of income...
I have a lake that isn't a "known" walleye lake but I have an amazing amount of luck but only on my tipup. Won't Mark a fish for two hours and then the tipup starts waving.
i am super happy you use a swivel to connect the lines... its literally why i am here, i bought some ball bearing swivels for this, but did not want to screw it up, i have never set up a tip up before.
