Tip-up
Also called tilt
A frame that sits over an ice hole holding a live bait at a set depth, with a spring flag that pops up when a fish takes line.
A tip-up is a fishing rod's replacement, not an accessory to one. The frame lies across the hole, a spool of heavy line hangs below the water line where it cannot freeze, and a bent metal shaft holds a flag under tension. When a fish takes the bait and turns the spool, the shaft releases and the flag springs up where you can see it from a hundred yards away.
That is the whole appeal: it fishes on its own while you jig somewhere else. Most people catch their first pike or walleye through the ice on one, because a live minnow suspended at a fixed depth is a far better big-fish presentation than anything you can do by hand.
You play the fish by hand line rather than by reel, which is why tip-up spools carry heavy braided or dacron line with a monofilament or wire leader at the end. There is no drag to save you; you feed line when the fish runs and pull when it stops.
The number of tip-ups you can legally set is a state rule, it counts toward your total lines through the ice, and it is frequently not the same as the open water limit. Several states also require your name on the tip-up and that you stay within sight of it.
Set the bait a foot or two off the bottom for walleye and higher in the water column for pike, then check your state's line limit before you set a second one.
Common questions
How many tip-ups can I use?
That is set by your state, it counts toward your total number of lines through the ice, and it is often different from the open water rule. Check your fish and wildlife agency's current ice fishing regulations, including whether the tip-up has to be marked with your name.
What bait goes on a tip-up?
A live minnow, usually. Shiners and suckers are the standard for pike and walleye. The bait hangs at a fixed depth set by how much line you let off the spool, which is what makes a tip-up a better big-fish presentation than a jig you are working by hand.
Related terms
Where this comes up
The guides that use tip-up and show it on real gear.
Tip-up is one of 212 terms in the glossary.
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