Favourite Ice Fishing Setup???

[reelinrolly]

I was just wondering what everyones favourite setup was for pan fish adn pike?

 

I just ordered some stuff and want to know if im on track....lol

[Rizzo]

call it simple, but for pike I like to use a tip-up (orange pop up flag type) baited with a 5-6 inch minnow about 2 feet off bottom. I use a split shot or 2 to prevent Mr Minnow from swimming back up the hole and tangling everything up. I don't bother with the spreaders/2 minnows. Sit back in my lawnchair, fire up the portable bbq and wait for the flag to pop. Because I plan to release the fish, I set the hook as soon as possible, rather than waiting for the pike to stop, swim off again etc. Don't catch them all, but successful release rate as far as I can tell is 100%

[reelinrolly]

What sort of jigging setup would you suggest though?..for pike

[Rizzo]

can't help you there as I have never actually expended the effort to jig for them, and have never even used a rod! (just the tip-up method or spool of line laying in the snow with a real small bobber to keep the bait off bottom). I've done a very small amount of ice-fishing for perch, where I've got one jig that will be right on bottom, and a second jig about a foot up, both tipped with a minnow. I use 4 lb test for this.

[trapshooter]

There's lots of options for jigging pike through the ice. I like a spoon tipped with just the head of a shiner but a simple jig/minnow also works well. If it's shiny and you can jig it, chances are a pike will at least take a look. It's not rocket science, that's for sure. Deadbait on bottom on a tip-up is key though. Jig near by and in another hole and watch your flag. Sometimes though with jigging less is more. I like a lot of pauses and sometimes just a short jig thrown in. Pike also cruise the entire water column so try on bottom, up 3' and so on until you are just below the ice. You'd be surprised.

[addict]

polar tip up with a fat minnow for pike,small minnows or plastic jigging for perch.

[reelinrolly]

thanks for the info guys!!