Tip Downs

One thing you can do too if you are using a reasonable size hole.  I run a 5 inch hole.  I make the rod balance pin 5.25 long.  It doesn't get in the way,  and I don't have to use a rope on the rod.  No matter how big the fish is,  he's not pulling that rod in the hole.

CrappieGuy,  you are the tip down king.  I just don't like PVC.  personal preference.

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=will+PVC+get+brittle

will it happen in 8 hours of fishing,  no.  However on cold days when the bases freeze in,  I'll put my money on cedar or oak to take the abuse.  Like I said,  Just my preference.

Long Barrels,

I have been using the same PVC schedule 40 Tip Downs for 3 years now and also sold a lot of them.  Not one broken one yet and I have used them in below zero temps.

Nice looking set-up! How much are you selling them for? Is there a way to balance them if a guy were to use a spinning reel instead of a schooley reel? Feel free to PM me.

Also yes I do sell these so if anyone is interested pm me or my # is 7153408606 the bases are wood and are stained and clear coated twice with marine grade clear that is waterproof and uv resistant! 

I make these tip downs and build these rods.. the rods are 32inch rods. I have bought a lot of different tip downs and each had its ups and downs but i think ive taken the best of every one ive tried and made these! I love them and building them yourself you get a much better balanced rod and better quality all around! Fun to build and fun to use! Other people really seem to like them too!

I use them perch fishing all the time and love them... I do not miss many fish at all unless i am late to the tip down. Size 14 treble hooks,  As soon as i see one start to go i am in position and grab the rod just as it goes past parallel (2/3 the way down). I never let the rod go all the way down, if the rod is all the way down the fish is usually off because it will feel the tension in the rod. As for crappie fishing, id assume you would have less time to get to them. Best thing when tip down fishing is to stay active and jig them occasionally. 

One thing I learned with tip downs was to grab the line to set the hook not the rod itself.  I also ran dracon to a leader so it was easy to grab the dracon and it would get knotted up.

Kvann is correct in the offset hook leading to better hookset success rate.

I don't fish a lot of tip downs anymore, but when I did it was either with a VMC sure set or a Gamakatsu EWG hook usually in 12-14. They both have one treble that is wider gapped then the others. I still use them on my tip ups. 

I use #14 treble and seems to work well for crappie and perch. Used to occasionally get a big 9 to 10 inch gill when I used #12 single hooks, but don’t get them anymore with the treble. 

I lose a fair share of fish as well. I suppose a treble hook setup may help the odds. 

I mostly hand over hand bringing a fish up since im usually over deeper water. I fumble the line at times and that usually yields a lost fish. Fishing schools of perch or even crappie, there usually is another taker soon after. 

What size hook? I had the same issue and downsized to a size 16 treble hook. I was using size 10-12 in case of a passing walleye but was having a lot of drops.

I've also heard of guys bending 1 of the 3 prongs out slightly to give the hook more surface area to get caught as the fish swims away or when you set the hook. I accidentally bent a prong while unhooking earlier this season and have left it that way, I don't think I've missed a fish on a tip down yet this season. Who knows if it has anything to do with that though.

I use tip downs often and really like them BUT I keep missing the fish after the pole goes down. I use really light line that is very hard to see. Am I hitting them to fast or to do I need to give them more time before I set the hook? I would say I miss more than half my crappie bites on tip downs.

 A few pics of my DIY Tipdowns. I made this one a few seasons ago. They get used heavily as i do not run tipups anymore. 

Very easy to make. 1x2 wood stock and fasteners. Mayb 30 min to put one together once you have your material gathered up. The only thing i would add is a rope tether from the pole to the stand. One of these days i will probably lose one down the hole. I live on the edge : ) 

Made a couple tip downs but I am Having a hard time getting the rod to sit properly on the wood frame. Do you guys use wood dowels and drill through the handle? Any pictures of the rod to wood frame set up would be nice. Thanks 

Oops, you are correct. I wonder if they are going out of business

Thai own website says that they are not in stock.