Fishing for Trout With a Tip-Up

Line

Fishermen typically use a braided or nylon line backing on their tip-ups. While anglers who target species such as northern pike sometimes tie their hooks directly to such line, people using tip-ups for trout should tie a 5-foot section of fluorocarbon or monofilament line to the end of the backing. The blood knot is a good way to attach the two lines. Since trout generally live in clear water, adding the 5-foot leader makes them less likely to be spooked by the braided or nylon line.

Bait

Since tip-ups simply suspend bait at a certain depth, using live bait is key to attracting bites from trout. Two of the best baits are small minnows an inch or two long and night crawlers. If you use the latter, hook the crawler multiple times through its body so little of it dangles off the hook. Hook minnows in their back, just behind their dorsal fins. If you are fishing a lake that does not allow the use of live bait, freeze-dried minnows are a good substitute.

Hooks

For the most part, a plain hook and two to three split-shot weights are all fishermen need to catch trout on tip-ups. The best hook sizes are 8 and 10. Before setting your tip-up, learn the regulations of the lake on which you are fishing. Some do not allow anglers to use hooks with barbs.

System

Use the tip-up as part of a fishing system. By its nature, tip-up fishing is not an aggressive form of fishing, and anglers who use it rely on the fish to come to them. A good strategy is to fish in one hole with a rod and reel and a more aggressive presentation, such as a small jigging spoon. Once you catch a trout or two, which likely indicates the presence of a school, then set the tip-up.