Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2013 - 18
When preparing for ice fishing, pay careful attention to the rigging on your tip-up to ensure that it is ready to go. Check the monofilament leader after every fish and replace it if it gets heavily frayed.
photos-Carl Haensel
Get ready for more than pike and pickerel when you put down a tip-up in a fishy location. Largemouth bass will commonly take the same baits and can be a blast to catch as well. Anglers fishing for pike and pickerel have been known to catch trout, big crappies, walleyes and more, so be prepared.
fish well with movement. Be aware of what size fish you are targeting. If you are fishing a small pond with 14-inch pickerel, a 6-inch shiner is big bait. On the other hand, if you’re targeting trophy pike, look for big sucker minnows to bring in fish from afar. Hook your minnow through the back behind the dorsal fin. Be careful not to injure the spine of the minnow, or it will not be as active or last as long. By hooking the minnow this way, it will tend to swim toward the bottom. Anglers using a “quick strike” rig should note that they work best with larger sucker minnows used for targeting larger chain pickerel and northern pike. Anglers may also find that dead baitfish can be effective, so freeze your expired bait for future use. A few small incisions in a dead baitfish can spread scent in the water and bring in pike and pickerel.
movement of the minnow. Another rigging option is a “quick strike” rig made of braided wire and multiple hooks. While it may scare fish, it allows for a swift hook set and easier release of fish without injury.
Pike and pickerel are not picky eaters. They will consume just about anything that swims in front of them. When fishing with tip-ups, a medium-sized baitfish will work well. Shiner and sucker minnows are your best option, but creek chubs, fallfish, dace and fathead minnows will all work. Sucker minnows are more durable, and shiners attract
Baits for pike and pickerel
After hooking your baitfish on your line, quickly lower it into the hole. While you may catch fish at any level in the water below the ice, anglers will find success by lowering the bait until it is 2 or 3 feet off the bottom of the lake. If fishing over a solid weedbed, raise the bait until it is suspended a foot above the weed tops. Next, place your tip-up in the hole and set the flag. Set it as light as possible without your baitfish triggering the flag. A hard or stiffly set tip-up may cause pike or pickerel to drop the bait when they feel resistance. Avoid standing directly next to your tip-ups. Fish can feel the vibrations of your activities on top of the ice easily and can be scared away from the bait.
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Setting up a tip-up on the ice
18
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater • January/February 2013
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2013
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2013
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2013
Straight Talk
Table of Contents
Secrets of Solid Fishing for Crappies
Tying the Scud
Your Fishing Field Guide
Transitioning to Fly Fishing
Mercer and Venango Counties on Ice
Tip-up Fishing for Pike and Pickerel
Make Your Own Rabbit Hair Jig
Not Working, Try Something Different
Notes from the Stream
Lively Larvae
Commission Fish Stocking Volunteers: A History of Dedication
Take Your Ice Shanty to the Next Level
10 Tips for Safe Ice Fishing
Ice Safety Thickness Chart
Homegrown Fishing Lures
Reflecting on the Water
Impacts of Fishing Line and Other Litter
Ohio River Sauger and Walleye
Winter PLAY Newsletter
Finding the Right Powerboat
Pennsylvania’s Not-so-bland Blanding’s Turtle
Deputy Waterways Conservation Officer Graduation
Currents
Angler’s Notebook
Fishin’ from the Kitchen
Cast & Caught
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2013 - CT1
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2013 - CT2
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2013 - Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2013
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2013 - Straight Talk
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2013 - 3
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2013 - 4
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2013 - Table of Contents
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2013 - Secrets of Solid Fishing for Crappies
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2013 - 7
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2013 - 8
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2013 - Tying the Scud
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2013 - Your Fishing Field Guide
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2013 - 11
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2013 - Transitioning to Fly Fishing
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2013 - 13
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2013 - Mercer and Venango Counties on Ice
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2013 - 15
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2013 - 16
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2013 - Tip-up Fishing for Pike and Pickerel
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2013 - 18
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2013 - 19
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2013 - Make Your Own Rabbit Hair Jig
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2013 - 21
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2013 - Not Working, Try Something Different
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2013 - 23
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2013 - Notes from the Stream
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2013 - 25
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2013 - Lively Larvae
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2013 - 27
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2013 - Commission Fish Stocking Volunteers: A History of Dedication
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2013 - 29
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2013 - Take Your Ice Shanty to the Next Level
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2013 - 31
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2013 - 10 Tips for Safe Ice Fishing
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2013 - 33
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2013 - Ice Safety Thickness Chart
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2013 - Homegrown Fishing Lures
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2013 - 36
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2013 - 37
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2013 - Reflecting on the Water
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2013 - Impacts of Fishing Line and Other Litter
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2013 - 40
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2013 - 41
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2013 - Ohio River Sauger and Walleye
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2013 - 43
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2013 - 44
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2013 - Winter PLAY Newsletter
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2013 - 46
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2013 - 47
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2013 - 48
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2013 - 49
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2013 - 50
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2013 - 51
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2013 - Finding the Right Powerboat
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2013 - 53
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2013 - Pennsylvania’s Not-so-bland Blanding’s Turtle
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2013 - 55
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2013 - Deputy Waterways Conservation Officer Graduation
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2013 - Currents
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2013 - 58
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2013 - 59
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2013 - 60
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2013 - 61
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2013 - 62
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2013 - Fishin’ from the Kitchen
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2013 - Cast & Caught
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2013 - CT3
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2013 - CT4
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