What is the best Hole layout?

[calumet14]

What is the best way to layout your tip-up holes? I am fishing for Northern pike

[jiml]

In my opinion it depends on the area you are fishing and what is under the ice....humps dropoffs etc. If I am fishing a narrow and fairly shallow bay for Pike in late winter I lay my tip ups in a straight line across the bay. I feel it covers the fish coming in and out. Plus if I start getting more flags at a certain depth I'll move tip ups to cover that area. If I'm sishing a hump I'll lay them in a circular pattern around the hump. If a drop off is the target I'll lay them along the drop in a line. Bottom line is my layout definately depends on what's under the ice. Hope this helps.

[calumet14]

Ok that sounds good thanks for the help.

[Jim111]

I use a two-tiered linear pattern for pike, especially when set up along a weedline, which is the usual cover for most pike fishermen, I'd wager. First line is tight to the cover and the second a bit further back, past the drop-off, which is almost always present and which creates the weedline in the first place. I like to space them 15-30 yards apart. -Jim

[surflizard]

Here is a diagram from the Chitown angler forum that give you a good idea how to cover structure using tip ups.

#1 - good early season location as they search out panfish hiding in the weed bed point
#2 - quick vertical access point from deep daytime haunts onto the sporadic rocks, good all season
#3 - outside turn edge of the daytime feeding flat gradually leading into deeper water
#4 - large inside turn at the base of the gravel bar
#5 - topside gravel bar placement in the rocky transition
#6 - base of the rock slide coming off the bar leading into the daytime feeding shelf in the mud

[snowman6902]

That's a good little chart Surf. As always you're on top of it.

[surflizard]

Back in the day this info was all catch as catch can, if ya got lucky, you got to mentor with a older guy and learned the ropes of ice fishing from the guys who did it ! Nowadays most of the old timers are gone, but thanks to modern technology, if ya have a question, the web most likely has the answer !

[snowman6902]

Least we got sites like this where you can get help from "old-timers" and new-timers"

[56987]

What is the best Hole layout?

I will generally set them up from shallow to deep starting close to the shoreline and out into the lake. Once we find the depth the fish are biting at, we will move our tip ups and stagger them throughout the area.

[LLT]

That's a good little chart Surf. As always you're on top of it.

when we hit a spot with no structure-we use a nifty thing we purchased..."structure on a String"...looks like real long aquatic stuff-and cut hole in a semi circle out the front of our Frabill -in a half circle. It really draws in the curious fishies- then we strike!!!!!!!If that doesn't work- swiss cheese works great!

[surflizard]

Here are some more hole pladement diagrams.

[steven girard]

I choose a spot with the GSP and do a big circle of holes and a couple also in the center!

[56987]

I think its depends upon the area. If I'm sishing a hump I'll lay them in a circular pattern around the hump. If a drop off is the target I'll lay them along the drop in a line.


Koh Samui beaches

Welcome Michelle!

[surflizard]

Welcome aboard, the more the merrier !

[ICE WANDERER]

I think its depends upon the area. If I'm sishing a hump I'll lay them in a circular pattern around the hump. If a drop off is the target I'll lay them along the drop in a line.


Koh Samui beaches

That's the way I'd do it, Some time I like to 1 tip-up in the middle of the hump, I have found that some of the bait fish will tavel there & the pike will follow.

Welcome Michelle!