As an on-the-move ice angler, I’m loving this warm winter.

雪已经很小,温度bearable, and I have used my heater twice in the last month.

When I do sit down on a spot, I’m wearing layers underneath an ice suit while covered up inside an insulated fish house, so I’m usually plenty warm without a heater.

However, one of the disadvantages of being a roaming ice angler is never getting a chance to use tip-ups.

The other day, I spied my tip-up bag sitting on a garage shelf, collecting dust. A number of years have passed since I last used them, but I figured this might be a good chance to put them to use.

My friend, and Black Hills fishing fanatic, Craig Oyler looks at tip-ups like game cameras. If fish are moving about on a point, hump, bar or flat, you can put out the tip-ups and see which sites or depths are getting the most visitors, just like trail cameras document wildlife passing through an area.

Minnesota becomes like all of its surrounding states in winter, when it is legal to use more than one line. The extra line is an opportunity to see what the fish are doing, where they are hanging out and what bait they prefer.

Everyone has a personal preference for tip-ups, and the variety of tip-ups for sale is starting to mimic the diversity of ice fishing rods.

There are rail tip-ups, round insulated tip-ups, heated box tip-ups, Bluetooth device tip-ups, and rigged rod device tip-ups.

I have rail and round insulated tip-ups, as well as a few Arctic Warrior tip-ups, that allow me to use a rigged rod. I’d consider some of the other unique notification tip-up devices if I used mine more.

There are also tip-downs: devices made to be pulled down as the giveaway that you have a bite and which offer minimal resistance to spook fish.

Pat Kalmerton of Wolf Pack Adventures Guide Service in Wisconsin is a diehard tip-up user. “It’s all about catching fish and staying on fish. It doesn’t matter if its trout, pike, walleye, perch, sunfish or crappie, I’m putting them out there and trying to keep customers on fish.”

Kalmerton says your common rail tip-ups and insulated tip-ups come with two default trip settings on the perpendicular pins that lay over the flag when the tip-up is set – an easy-to-trip light setting that most use for walleye, as well as a sturdier side that many use for pike.

But what happens if you are using a really heavy bait that keeps setting off the flag?

Kalmerton has you covered: “On the rail tip-ups, tilt the spool spoke until it is fairly offset. Then set it on the heavy setting. You’ll notice it’s a lot harder to trip. Same thing for the insulated round tip-ups. Move the plastic flag down to right behind the T-bar, and it’s going to provide additional resistance.”

What about if you put down a tiny jig with bait and are hoping to catch some panfish?

“On the rail tip-up, adjust the spool spoke, but place it on the lightly noticed side,” says Kalmerton. “You’ll notice it doesn’t take much to set if off. On the insulated tip-ups, run the flag down so you have plastic on plastic and the tiniest pull will free the flag. Or slide the spool up, which will put less tension on the spring and make for a lighter trip.”

One of Kalmerton’s panfish and perch tricks is to use a size 18 treble hook with bait and to let tip-ups show him where the schools are moving.

“I put down a tip-up here or there, flanking me or my clients while I’m guiding,” he says. “If my jigging hole slows, I can usually just look up and see a flag up.”

Kalmerton says he’ll walk over, set the hook by grasping the spool spoke and lifting, and then he’ll move and jig the hole.

The tip-ups end up working like little bite-propelled motion sensors, helping Kalmerton and his clients stay on fish.

Whether you are doubling your effort, prospecting new water, trying to locate fish or trying to stay with the school, tip-ups are a great way to enjoy your time on the ice.

Break out the tip-ups you have tucked away in the back of the garage, put on new line, add a little cold weather lubricant to the spool and put them to use.

Like a sinking bobber in summer, there are few things as exciting as a tip-up flag flying and the spool spinning on a winter’s day.

Scott Mackenthun is an outdoors enthusiast who has been writing about hunting and fishing since 2005. He resides in New Prague and may be contacted atscott.mackenthun@gmail.com.

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