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Breaking the Ice
other side . Unlike standard batteries , lithium batteries don ’ t lose any of their battery life in the cold . I think it provides a great solution to a common issue .”
Vladyka says that although the standard size of an ice fishing hole ranges anywhere from five to eight inches , holes with a diameter of five to six inches are not well-suited for a commonly-used method of ice fishing known as “ tip-up ” fishing . He explains that a tip-up is a fairly simple instrument , which has become a longstanding hallmark of Vermont ice fishing . Ice fishers who use tip-ups can set up multiple fishing holes and fishing lines , and are able to monitor them from a distance while achieving maximum efficiency . When using tip-ups , a line with hooked bait is attached to a platform that holds a flag or weighted bar . When a fish latches on to the bait , the force of its movement pulls the flag or bar on the tip-up , alerting the ice fisher that a fish is on the hook . “ It ’ s a good technique if you want to spread out across multiple spots ,” says Vladyka . “ Tip-ups come in a lot of different styles , but when I first started , I used the classic ‘ Champlain Jack ’ tip-ups with sliding metal weights .” These days , Vladyka strictly uses underwater tip-ups for multiple reasons , such as the fact that they keep the lines from freezing up and the holes from freezing over . “ The great thing about Vermont is that every licensed fisher is allowed to run up to 15 tip-ups on the 163.4-mile expanse of Lake Champlain ,” notes Vladyka . “ On Vermont ’ s smaller inland lakes , you can run eight tip-ups at a time .”
When Vladyka is fishing without a tip-up , he likes to use his Clam Scepter Rod . “ It ’ s got a short handle on it , so when you hold it , it doesn ’ t stick out too far . It ’ s balanced very well , and the tip is nice and sensitive , so you can really detect the bite .” In terms of lure setups , Vladyka tends to gravitate toward the “ Dropkick ” jig from Clam Pro Tackle . “ The Dropkick is a horizontal lure with a decent-sized hook shank on it . It has a really nice shape , which gives it a great
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