Ice fishing line spreaders

[Geezle]

Ok, first off I did do a quick search, but I didn't really turn up anything on these guys.

I was poking through the CT website looking at their fishing stuff, and I saw 2 and 3 way line spreaders ( http://www.canadiantire.ca/AST/browse/5/SportsRec/Fishing/IceFishing/PRD~0786494P/Sub%2BZero%2BDeluxe%2B3-Way%2BSpreader.jsp ) and was curious about them.

I haven't ice fished for years, but when I used to go out in SK I don't think I EVER saw anybody using something like this.

So my question is, how do you use this thing? Just fire some bait on there, drop it down and jig it like you would a regular jig?:confused:

I could kinda see a use for this just to try a couple different baits at the same time to see what the fish are biting on, but beyond that, the hooks are so close together that I don't see much benefit from it. Seems to me something like a pickerel rig displaying the bait at different depths would be a little more useful.

[DarkAisling]

Neat . . . I've seen a much larger version of this used. The larger version that I saw in use was being used to mimic a school of fish. That one had a motor that spun the rig clockwise, so it looked like the fish were swimming.

I can see how the one you've posted could be helpful . . . put three minnows (or whatever) on it, jig it, and hopefully the fish you're hunting will be interested in your little school. I wouldn't think it would provide double (or triple) headers, but it might increase the appeal of your bait.

[WayneChristie]

might be interesting to try a minnow, leech and worm all at the same time to find the fishes preference. Or 3 other baits, save some time finding out what they want! and dont be surprised if you do hook up 2 or even 3 fish, stranger things have happened. :D

[Rainbow]

Hey Geezle;
I met you down at the NSR when you were trying to get the tree out of the river.You are an alright guy,you want to get a little info on ice fishing.

Don't waste your money on some of the crap sold at Can.Tire.
Give me a PM and we can get together and I will try to steer you in the right direction.

Rainbow.:wave:

[Geezle]

might be interesting to try a minnow, leech and worm all at the same time to find the fishes preference. Or 3 other baits, save some time finding out what they want! and dont be surprised if you do hook up 2 or even 3 fish, stranger things have happened. :D

Yeah, I'm thinking this would be the main use for an item like this...use it to find out what they're biting on, then switch to a regular jig.

I do like Shelley's thought that if you put a few minnows on there the fish may perceive them to be a small school too though.

And I would be surprised if I hooked more than one in one shot, just because I've never had a double header before :)

[calgarygringo]

I have not used lately but did several years ago when fishing for big pike at Badger. Wholesale Sports has been selling them all along. I find they work good if hooking on to giant smelts it sits in there better. If you buy them they also have 2 and 3 hook combos.

[Geezle]

Hey Geezle;
I met you down at the NSR when you were trying to get the tree out of the river.You are an alright guy,you want to get a little info on ice fishing.

Don't waste your money on some of the crap sold at Can.Tire.
Give me a PM and we can get together and I will try to steer you in the right direction.

Rainbow.:wave:

Hey Rainbow, I remember meeting ya down there :wave:

Anything I see at CT, like this item for example I'm usually a little wary of, especially if it's something I'm not familar with. I also don't know that I'd spend money on something like this...maybe just one to take a good look at it, but I'm pretty sure I could tie up something similar myself as well.

I'm not exactly new to ice fishing...grew up doing it, but it's been many moons since I've been out, and never in AB, so if you're up for it maybe we can get together some time for a couple 'adult beverages' or whatever your in to and shoot the chit about ice fishing :)

[Cal]

I dont like spreaders. They used to call them "panfish spreaders" so I've only ever used them for smaller fish. The problem is that you can not detect bites very well with them on there, when the fish pulls down on a bait the rig seesaws so if your arms are 6" long that fish will have to pull 6" befor the rig stops tilting and you feel a tug on your line. If the fish decides to swim off to the side the rig will spin and he might have to go as much as 18" befor you notice your line moving, I hope that makes sense.

I used to use a pickerel rig under a regular fishing rod when ice fishing for pike but where you would usualy clip on a weight I clipped on another hook so I had three minnows on my line. It worked alright but I could never determine if it was working any better than a single bait. The fishing rods were not as portable as tipups or most of my other home made rigs and with all that hardware on your line the fish can not run freely with the bait, I like to use quick strike rigs but this was not realy an option except on the bait at the bottom. The only real benifit I found was that if you missed a strike you knew that you probably had a couple minnows still on your line and so you could wait and see if the pike would bite again rather than pull your line up and re-bait. This was somewhat offset by the incovieniance of having to unhook the odd greedy fish that tryed to eat them all. I imagine using a spreader with minnows would have the same pros and cons as my pickerel rig.

[ghostguy6]

Hey Geezle, I know a few spots around here where the ice fishing is decent. I should be headed out alot this winter. Your welcome to come out if you want to get back on the ice.:wave:

[Geezle]

I dont like spreaders. They used to call them "panfish spreaders" so I've only ever used them for smaller fish. The problem is that you can not detect bites very well with them on there, when the fish pulls down on a bait the rig seesaws so if your arms are 6" long that fish will have to pull 6" befor the rig stops tilting and you feel a tug on your line. If the fish decides to swim off to the side the rig will spin and he might have to go as much as 18" befor you notice your line moving, I hope that makes sense.

I used to use a pickerel rig under a regular fishing rod when ice fishing for pike but where you would usualy clip on a weight I clipped on another hook so I had three minnows on my line. It worked alright but I could never determine if it was working any better than a single bait. The fishing rods were not as portable as tipups or most of my other home made rigs and with all that hardware on your line the fish can not run freely with the bait, I like to use quick strike rigs but this was not realy an option except on the bait at the bottom. The only real benifit I found was that if you missed a strike you knew that you probably had a couple minnows still on your line and so you could wait and see if the pike would bite again rather than pull your line up and re-bait. This was somewhat offset by the incovieniance of having to unhook the odd greedy fish that tryed to eat them all. I imagine using a spreader with minnows would have the same pros and cons as my pickerel rig.

That all makes a lot of sense...particularly the part about not being able to detect the bites until the fish has gone a fair distance.

I think the only real use for these things might be to try a few different baits at the same time and see what the fish prefer. After that ditch the spreader and just go with a regular jig or whatever you choose to use.

[Geezle]

Hey Geezle, I know a few spots around here where the ice fishing is decent. I should be headed out alot this winter. Your welcome to come out if you want to get back on the ice.:wave:

Cool man, I really appreciate the offer and you can definitely count me in whenever I have the free time to join you! :cool:

[pikester]

I dont like spreaders. They used to call them "panfish spreaders" so I've only ever used them for smaller fish. The problem is that you can not detect bites very well with them on there, when the fish pulls down on a bait the rig seesaws so if your arms are 6" long that fish will have to pull 6" befor the rig stops tilting and you feel a tug on your line. If the fish decides to swim off to the side the rig will spin and he might have to go as much as 18" befor you notice your line moving, I hope that makes sense.

I used to use a pickerel rig under a regular fishing rod when ice fishing for pike but where you would usualy clip on a weight I clipped on another hook so I had three minnows on my line. It worked alright but I could never determine if it was working any better than a single bait. The fishing rods were not as portable as tipups or most of my other home made rigs and with all that hardware on your line the fish can not run freely with the bait, I like to use quick strike rigs but this was not realy an option except on the bait at the bottom. The only real benifit I found was that if you missed a strike you knew that you probably had a couple minnows still on your line and so you could wait and see if the pike would bite again rather than pull your line up and re-bait. This was somewhat offset by the incovieniance of having to unhook the odd greedy fish that tryed to eat them all. I imagine using a spreader with minnows would have the same pros and cons as my pickerel rig.

Cal, I have been experimenting with the pickerel rigs vs. single baits for pike & burbot for the last 2 seasons & can tell you that yes, the pickerel rig has outfished the single for me @ 80% of the time. If you want to get really experimental add either a white tube or even a big pike fly to the top hook harness & see what happens!

[tatonkagp]

These speaders are not meant for jigging, I only use mine on my tip up. Works awesome. Set it up with whatever combo of bait and I bet, it will have one on before you will jigging. I have caught a decent size pike on mine, and a good sized burbot. I am going to get a couple of more I find its better then a pickerel rig because it doesn't fool the hook by tangling in the line.