Recommendations ice rods, tip ups and line

[BearInTheWoods]

Hi all,

As the title implies I'm looking for recommendations on ice rods, tip ups and ice fishing line. Few questions below... Feel free to chime in with answers or more questions. Trying to get my learn on as best I can before the ice thickens...

1. Fishing for pike, through the ice is 100% new to me - What action rod should I be using? MH? I like braid for pike but wondering how it handles in the winter - I was thinking about 20lb ice braid - any input or suggestions?

2. For tip ups - Very new to me!! - Any suggestions on what to spool these with would be great!

3. I've ice fished trout for quite a few years but I still consider myself an intermediate rookie - can never stop learning. I wouldn't mind hearing about other people rigs, rod/reels, lines , etc...

4. In general - who here uses the same spinning reels for ice fishing as they do in the summer?

 

[IR4Jflyfishing]

1. MH will be fine however rarely will you find this is the best way to target pike.

2. Tip up line is specifically built to be used on tip up with a large diameter for hand bombing however in very clear water mono is my preferred (grew up fishing 20-25lb mono for lakers)

3. Look of Gord Pyzers articles and videos on lake trout, although I have been icing lakers since I was old enough to hold a rod I learn something new just about everytime he posts. He has a certain way of making sense of fishing

4. I use my summer reels on my ice rods, not complaints it may look funny with the big reel on the little rod but more often then not they will perform better and why spend the money on ice specific reels for our 3 month season.

 

[MuskieBait]

Unless you are expecting oversize pike as a common catch, M is usually good for jigging. You will get a better action out of your lures. MH is good for deadstick. Rarely do people use H.

Avoid braid unless you are fishing inside a hut. Braid absorbs water and will free solid on your spool. It can also freeze on your guide. You'll have to balance your presentation with the line. I find anything more than 10lb mono too stiff for jigging. It's OK for deadstick to go heavier since your minnow just hang there.

For tip ups, use dacron or mono. You want a good thickness in your line, since you'll be fighting the fish by hand. Cold skin cuts more easily than warm skin. Don't make the mistake of using braid for tip ups. I used to use tip ups. I used 20lb dacron as backing and then add a mono leader. Length of the mono leader depends on water clarity and the depth you are fishing. For deep water, dacron has the advantage of being a really limp line (it's essentially a braided line but with different material), so sensitivity is good and you don't have any unwanted coiling.

Reels that you use in the summer can be repurposed for icefishing. Graphite body is better than metal body since graphite can insulate better than metal. A metal reel can get really cold and the grease and oil can thicken or freeze, affecting your reel smoothness at minimum, or completely ceasing your gears and anti-reserve in severe cases. You can use grease and oil that operates under cold weather if you are really worried. I've used white lithium before on winter reels...but come spring, remember to change your grease and oil again as the viscosity is too low for warm weather and the lube can run off the gears.

 

[BearInTheWoods]

Unless you are expecting oversize pike as a common catch, M is usually good for jigging. You will get a better action out of your lures. MH is good for deadstick. Rarely do people use H.

Avoid braid unless you are fishing inside a hut. Braid absorbs water and will free solid on your spool. It can also freeze on your guide. You'll have to balance your presentation with the line. I find anything more than 10lb mono too stiff for jigging. It's OK for deadstick to go heavier since your minnow just hang there.

For tip ups, use dacron or mono. You want a good thickness in your line, since you'll be fighting the fish by hand. Cold skin cuts more easily than warm skin. Don't make the mistake of using braid for tip ups. I used to use tip ups. I used 20lb dacron as backing and then add a mono leader. Length of the mono leader depends on water clarity and the depth you are fishing. For deep water, dacron has the advantage of being a really limp line (it's essentially a braided line but with different material), so sensitivity is good and you don't have any unwanted coiling.

Reels that you use in the summer can be repurposed for icefishing. Graphite body is better than metal body since graphite can insulate better than metal. A metal reel can get really cold and the grease and oil can thicken or freeze, affecting your reel smoothness at minimum, or completely ceasing your gears and anti-reserve in severe cases. You can use grease and oil that operates under cold weather if you are really worried. I've used white lithium before on winter reels...but come spring, remember to change your grease and oil again as the viscosity is too low for warm weather and the lube can run off the gears.

2 of the tipups I got came with what looks like some super thick braid. So thick I'm not even convinced it is fishing line. It does kind of look like the Dacron line you mention but then again I am a total rookie when it comes to tipups so maybe not. I think for one I'll leave it and add a mono leader like you suggest. I also have some thick 20 or 30 pound mono which I could try on the other.

As to the 3rd and fancy tip up I might take it in to the bait shop to get his suggestion on it.

I avoided braid so far as you suggested, picked up a couple ice rods - I got a medium light spooled with 8 pound ice line - medium heavy with 10 pound and an unknown rod spooled with 6 - all using my regular old reels.

IR4J - if you happen to see this would you care to elaborate a bit on what you meant about the best way to target pike?