Ice Fishing
home made tip downs
2/16/09 @ 9:13 PM
Hello all--- I hope your ice fishing year is going well.... I had a question on the best design for the tipdowns. I've seen them made of wood and pvc. Does anyone have a good design that I could use to make a couple? I have never used them, but I have seen them used and they seem to do well on crappies and other panfish. I usually put out a couple of tipups, but the places that I've been going have been alittle slow for pike and walleyes. You can pm me if you would like-- any help would be appreciated! Thanks and happy fishing-
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Trying something different in the fish house this year. I installed pegboard halfway up in my shanty and will utilize the 10 inch hooks. All i need is some velcro and an old keyring to make my tipdowns. Also on the pegboard will be the rattle reels that are attached to the hooks to enable them to be moved from hole to hole. I will post pictures when i get the upgrade complete
The only type of reel that might work wold be one of the mini bait casters that they use for open water crappie. The balance and smooth tipping action is just not possible with a spinning or inline reel.
There is now worry about a Pike pulling your pole down the hole if you use a safety line like we do. It's a 5ft piece of very small diameter cord, very strong like paracord. We put a snap lock on the end and put an eye screw in the butt end of the rod handle and another screw eye in the frame. One end of the cord is tied to the eye in the frame and the other end is tied to the snap lock, then just put the snap lock onto the eye in the butt of the pole.
I have had Northerns pull the pole down the hole and had to retrieve it with the cord. Last weekend I caught a 41" Northern on a Tip Down.
That's why I use the lightest rods and reel on the market. They do take the rod all the way down quite easily and the drag allows them to take 2 feet or as much as needed. The fatheads will actually take the rod down almost half way if spooked. They're that balanced and light. Walleye, crappie, bluegill, and even shiners have been caught on mine with dropping the bait. The shiners we just used an ice fly. Caught them to use as bait in the same lake. There are so many people that brand there own stuff especially for tip downs. I have one just like the picture made from a 1x1 and a coat hanger. Cost 25 cents for the hanger. Not saying they don't all work but it's preference and depends on where your fishing and how finicky they are.
Thanks Butch,
I know some guys like the ones with spinning reels, but you have to buy the Stand, buy the pole and transport all of that mess.
The Tip Downs that we use/sell fold flat and allow a fish to take 2 ft of line with near zero resistance from 45 degrees to 0 degrees and then free fall the remainder of the way to the ice. The tip of the pole and the line goes directly into the edge hole.
The spinning reel designs bob when a fish pulls on it, no tipping with zero resistance and no feeding 2 ft of line. There is constant pressure from the rod on the line.
Am I a little bias, heck yea but I believe it is a superior product at a better price.
I had no problem catching this 41" Northern on Sunday using a Tip Down with an Old School rod, took me 20 minutes but man was it fun.
Those metal rod holders are not a Tip Down, they are no more a Tip Down than the Tight Line Tip Down, probably why it's called Tight Line or the Dangler Tip Down. They are rod holders that allow a pole to tip somewhat, but it has constant pressure.
A true Tip Down has very light resistance until it reaches horizontal and from that point it free falls with zero resistance. When the Crappies are on a nuetral or negative bite you have to have super light resistance on the line. Just my experience and opinion.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MdRbS5eTfHI
http://tightlinetipdown.com/
Displaying 1 to 15 of 149 posts
