Warning!!!! The New Tip-up Definition and Hand-lines
As you may know the DEC has blessed us this year with a new definition of a tip-up as follows:
"A tip-up is defined as any device used for fishing through the ice that has a signaling device attached, except a bobber or other floating object on the water, that will visually or audibly signal a strike. "
In the Regs. it states you can use 5 Tip-ups and 2 Hand-lines.
I personally don't fish for pan-fish and use 5 tip-ups and 2 rods (hand-lines) in rod holders as pretty much "dead-sticks".
I looked at the definition and saw the DEC's use of the words "signaling device attached" and thought about what else could also be considered a tip-up ....clip a bell on the end of your rod under the new definition it is now a tip-up same with the spring at the end of some ice rods. If you think about it they fit the new definition. Now here is where it crosses the line in my mind; I just found out that my "dead-sticks" are tip-ups because when the rod bends it is considered by DEC to be a signaling device (This is reported to have come from a DEC officer). So you don't even have to have a bell or spring. Does this mean you have to be holding both of your hand-lines for them not to be considered tip-ups or are they still tip-ups because the rod bends? It appears that DEC is considering the reel the "device" used for fishing through the ice and the rod as the "attached signaling device". What a crock!!!!
I'm wondering if I switch my "dead-sticks" to my Eskimo hand-lines, that I loop around the leg of my chair so they don't get pulled in, is my chair now a signaling device? This definition is vague and opens the door to almost anything being considered a signaling device making any hand-line a tip-up.
I don't know how far DEC would take it but be careful.
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