Tightlining is a skill that evolved in Michigan ice fishing in the 1970s that involves which is a form of sight fishing, where you try see the bite,not unlike watching a spring bobber or rod tip strike indicator, only the line, usually a hi visibility line like gold Stren monofilament, is your bobber. The biggest advantage in tightlining is, instead of watching your rod tip, you are looking down in the hole underwater, away from wind, and freeze ups, and closer to where the action is. they work up and down in the water while imparting subtle "dabbles" of action to the bait to trigger strikes. many times you can see the strike as the line twitching or moving sideways, other times, it may be just a subtle change in the load on the line as I am working it. That is how they were biting during this video, most strikes were barely perceptible. When I think a fish has bit, I drop the rod tip just a little. if I see a bend or coil in the line that doesn't come out immediately, and I am not on the bottom, IT IS ALWAYS A FISH ON! Pull him in! Watch every time I pull up a fish, you will see the bend, and you will learn when a fish has it before I even hook it!, all other times it is straight. Re watch until you get the concept down. Then go out to a good spot where the fish are stacked and biting to practise and build your confidence. I hope this makes you a deadlier angler! Special thanks to Dave Young and Mike Boedecker for sharing much of this knowledge with me on the "Icemen" TV show, and out on the ice!
