# Question on how many rods you can fish



## HookEmUp (Apr 14, 2012)

Heres what odnr says on the page i went to... 

"Anglers can have two hand-held rods, and six tip-ups at one time"

First, it doesnt mention anything about tip-downs.. Whats the story here? Tip downs hold fishing rods, so it would seem like a no go, but then i thought about it some more...When they say "only two hand-held rods", they dont say "fishing rods" which made me wonder why they phrase it that way. So do they mean holding two fishing rods in your hands, OR are they referring to anything thats a fishing rod period, whether your holding it or not..? It seems like it wouldnt make a darn difference whether you used 6 tip ups, or 6 deadsticks, 6 tip downs ect... Its the same end result. Bait goes down, and attracts fish.

So i guess what im getting at with this is, im wondering if an unmanned rod is in the same category as a "tip up" according to odnr. Can i fish six rods in holders or tip downs, and also fish my two "in hand" rods?


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## huntindoggie22 (Mar 28, 2008)

6 tip ups and two hand held rods regardless if you are holding them or they are in a stand or lying on the ice. 


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## laynhardwood (Dec 27, 2009)

You can use 6 jaw jacker tip ups that require an ice fishing rod and reel to work which is cool or just 6 regular tip ups and 2 jigging rods for a grand total of 8 presentations there is an old thread on this very topic already


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## HookEmUp (Apr 14, 2012)

Well thast some conflicting feedback..

Laynhardwood- So your sure that we can use 6 tip downs (jawjacker), and/or 6 rods in holders, plus the two in our hands?


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## Cajunsaugeye (Apr 9, 2013)

It's not and/or,its OR.8 total.

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## laynhardwood (Dec 27, 2009)

I'm not 100% sure I don't use jaw jackets I use polar thermal tip ups but last year was a huge thread on this topic you can't have 6 dead stick rods just sitting there it has to be part of a tip up look the old thread up.I'm sure someone else will put in their .02


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## ErieRider (Mar 23, 2010)

Not diverting traffic from the site but on icefishohio.com they have a letter from the odnr boss which clarfies jaw jacker usage. They consider this one tip up. Don't rely on my word. I printed a copy of the letter and keep it in my tackle box in case there is ever an issue. Which in 4 or so years or use there has not been

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## Jmsteele187 (Dec 22, 2011)

ErieRider said:


> Not diverting traffic from the site but on icefishohio.com they have a letter from the odnr boss which clarfies jaw jacker usage. They consider this one tip up. Don't rely on my word. I printed a copy of the letter and keep it in my tackle box in case there is ever an issue. Which in 4 or so years or use there has not been
> 
> Sent from my DROID RAZR using Ohub Campfire mobile app


Correct, jaw jackets, automatic fishermen and tip downs are all looked at as tip ups. A dead stick in a holder or sitting on a bucket is a handheld rod.


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## Jigging Jim (Apr 3, 2010)

Pymatuning is a total of 5 Lines per person. Whatever combination of Devices - as long as they add up to 5 at most per person. Pymatuning is a Pennsylvania owned Lake - and therefore has PA Rules.


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## whjr15 (Jun 16, 2005)

Doesn't make much sense to me, really... Just because it's "unmanned" doesn't make it any less of a "rod." By that theory I could have 8 trolling rods, total, since none of them are "manned!" Or is that rule ice-fishing specific?

I don't use tip-ups anyway, just my one rod, so I guess I just never bothered looking into the regs.


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## laynhardwood (Dec 27, 2009)

It's ice fishing specific


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## HookEmUp (Apr 14, 2012)

Thanks for clearing that up guys. I shouldnt have said and/or. I know its 8 lines total. I just wasnt sure if you could use tip downs, or unmanned rods in holders, or a mix. When they say "hand held" and it sounded to me like they are talking only about your 2 personal rods. Leaving the option for unmanned "non-hand held" rods. Apparently thats not the case unless they are in some type of "device" according to some.

What is the big difference between having a rod in a holder, or a rod in a tip down?
Like i said, in the end, your achieving the same result. Bait in water... I dont understand what the mentality is here.. 

Ok anyway, so if this is the case, what qualifies as a "device"? Tip downs are a modification for your rod, and from ive read, they are considered "devices" by odnr, therefore you CAN use un-manned fishing rods in them. Rod holders are also modification for your rod. So is a rod holder a "device"? It would seem like it, it doesnt come standard with your rod purchase, and neither does a tip down. It sits there and holds your rod, its essentially its the same thing as a tip down. Tip downs have WAY more advantages than just a plain old rod in a holder anyways. So WHY would they make it against the law to have unmanned rods in holders, and then say "oh but you can use tip ups, and tip downs instead"? Its not making sense to me...


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## whjr15 (Jun 16, 2005)

HookEmUp said:


> ...Its not making sense to me...


Me either! I'll just stick to my one rod lol


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## Evinrude58 (Apr 13, 2011)

You expect something written by the government to make sense?


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## tomb (Oct 9, 2004)

I don't think you would be given a problem with unattended rods setup around you in holders. This is just my opinion based on the ODNR letter.


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## laynhardwood (Dec 27, 2009)

Why would you only use 1 presentation when you are allowed 2 rods and 6 tip ups it's a no brainer I have caught many extra fish on tip ups they just don't work as well for bluegill but are deadly on midday crappie, bass, walleye, pike,perch,trout and catfish plus it lets you cover a huge spread searching for active fish but to each his own I guess


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## whjr15 (Jun 16, 2005)

laynhardwood said:


> Why would you only use 1 presentation when you are allowed 2 rods and 6 tip ups it's a no brainer I have caught many extra fish on tip ups they just don't work as well for bluegill but are deadly on midday crappie, bass, walleye, pike,perch,trout and catfish plus it lets you cover a huge spread searching for active fish but to each his own I guess



My previous posts were tongue-in-cheek, incase you couldn't tell. 

It's because I fish for fun, not food. I C&R 99.99% of the time. The only time I keep anything is when I'm at the Cottage in Canada.

Seeing a flag pop up, having to put my rod down, going over there and "fighting" the fish is of no interest to me. Just doesn't do it for me! "To each his own" is correct!


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## HookEmUp (Apr 14, 2012)

Im with hardwood. If your allowed 8 lines in the water, why not use it to your advantage? Ice fishing can be challenging enough as it is. I look at "Traps" as the hardwater version of trolling. Its a searching technique. Cover more area faster until you dial in the fish/area/depth/bait ect...Then maybe just use your hand-held rods if you feel necessary, once your on the fish. I enjoy running around maintaining the traps, and catching fish on them. Keeps you busy, warm, and outside of a cramped and stuffy shanty most of the day.


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## Erieangler51 (Sep 24, 2012)

I could see using a few tip up but 6 is just too many to keep an eye on while still jigging 2 rods. Plus it takes longer to set 6 tip ups than you should fish an area unless you are certain you are in a productive area. Tip ups work well in certain applications. I like drilling 2 holes fishing in shack for 20 mins and moving if nothing's happening so tip ups aren't for me just to much hassle. But if someone likes to stay put for a few hours or all day it's worth it to put them out extra lines in the water= more fish!!!!


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## whjr15 (Jun 16, 2005)

Erieangler51 said:


> ....Plus it takes longer to set 6 tip ups than you should fish an area unless you are certain you are in a productive area.





Erieangler51 said:


> I like drilling 2 holes fishing in shack for 20 mins and moving if nothing's happening so tip ups aren't for me just to much hassle.


Two more reasons why I don't bother with them! I like to be mobile! 

Since I don't keep them anyway, there's no sense in setting any up. Sometimes fish get gut-hooked when you set the line right away, let alone after a few minutes or more. Now if I _were_ fishing for the table, you bet I'd have 'em set up! 

Plus, I like to feel the bite. Kinda like trolling vs. casting for Lake Erie 'eyes, and you guessed it, I prefer casting!! Call me what you will, lol.


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## tomb (Oct 9, 2004)

I've had days where my tip ups were the only thing catching fish. I'm talking my own rods and 10 other people around me jigging away. Yet for some reason the crappie would only hit the tip ups. If it wasn't for them, we wouldn't even had known fish were there. Suspect it had something to do with light and tip up holes being covered. Don't be so quick to write them off.


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## ballast (Sep 15, 2011)

I don't usually fish with tipups, but when I do I find the to be unproductive.


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## ErieRider (Mar 23, 2010)

http://www.icefishohio.com/index.php?topic=8154.0

Here is the link which contains the letter from geno barns of odnr

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