Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2023 - 38

INTERMEDIATE
Flag
Waving
on Ice
by Jerry Bush
T
hirty minutes after sunrise, a bent, metal
spring is freed from its latch, and a fluorescent
orange flag leaps upward, a clear indication
that a predatory fish has accepted an angler's offering.
The angler sprints to the hole. He lifts the device and
observes that the fishing line is rapidly unspooling.
As he grasps the line to set the hook, a wide smile
appears on his face. He realizes immediately that he
hooked a potential trophy. Just as suddenly, a look
of concern and concentration replaces the smile.
The fish feels large enough to test the strength of the
fishing line. Would it hold? As the large fish thrashes
below the ice, the angler realizes he must use nothing
more than the sense of feeling in his cold hands to
correctly determine when to hoist the line and when
to slowly release a bit of it. Too much or too little
pressure at the wrong moment could allow the fish
to swim free. That's the challenge of fishing with a
tip-up.
Though sometimes rigged for panfish, most
tip-up users target larger species like big bass, catfish,
Muskellunge, Northern Pike and large trout. Tip-ups
are usually spooled with a strong, braided nylon line
and often tipped with a monofilament leader rated for
10- to 20-pound fish. To discourage smaller fish from
rearranging the setup, use larger baits or lures than
usual for panfish, suspended below the rig.
Using lures that look similar to crankbaits may be
more successful. Instead of being tied to an eyelet
at the mouth, they are attached to an eyelet above
38
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater
photo-Linda Stager
the body, where a fish's dorsal fin would be located.
The dorsal fin eyelet allows the lure to suspend
horizontally, the natural position of an idle fish. Some
manufacturers include an additional hook protruding
from the mouth, and many include angled tail fins,
which react to gentle movements under the ice to
attract predators.
Muskellunge and Northern Pike often swim with
prey in their mouths for a brief time before issuing
a hard bite. Experienced anglers develop a sense of
when to stop the line and set the hook. It's better to set
the hook a few seconds late than several seconds early.
Tip-ups take advantage of the simple designs
of the past to serve today's ice anglers. Tip-ups are
nothing more than two sticks forming a cross large
enough to span a hole in the ice, with a third vertical
stick. A 3- to 4-inch diameter spool is attached at
the lower end, and a springy, metal band and flag
at the top. Submerging the reel prevents it from
freezing during use. After the bait is lowered to a
desired depth, the arm is bent against a clasping
point that releases the spring and flag if line is
pulled from the spool.
Emerging improvements include the use of
lighter, stronger, plastic rails to span openings. Units
manufactured with solid bodies that completely cover
the hole are growing in popularity. The full cover
absorbs sunlight and protects the drilled hole from
icing over, which is a benefit for anglers who don't
want to disturb their setup.
fishandboat.com
http://www.fishandboat.com
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2023

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