Pike on ice! What's working now!

[cjac]

Hey all,

The hardwater season is here, let's get some good posts going here in the Pike Forum on what is working now!

There is also a seperate Spearing Forum to address your spearing questions there with lots of good anglers willing to offer advice.

Thanks!

[CARVER_COUNTRY]

i think the bigger the bait the bigger the fish. i like to use the biggest shinners i can find but who knows about this year with the shinner shortage and such so looks like i will have to find a new tactic. any help? thanks

[Wookiee]

Big creek chubs or big redtails should work well on a quickstrike.

[Mike Stark]

big suckers or frozen ciscos

[CARVER_COUNTRY]

Ya i have never tried frozen baits yet maybe i will have to see what that is all about, o yea and remember, dont put your tip-up too far away form you! i got a warnig for this last year. (it was like 20ft past the max lenght) opps

[Mike Stark]

some will say that frozen bait will out fish live bait

im still in limbo about that one

[minneman]

Dead bait works very well, its all i use for pike. just remember frozen bait will float, thaw it in some lake water first or thaw before you get to the lake.

[Fish&Fowl]

When tip-up fishing, I am a big fan of frozen bait not only because it seems to work beter for me, but also because it's much easier than trying to keep suckers or big shiners alive and dealing with the water.

I usually thaw ciscoes on the defroster on my way to the lake, but you may want to try a different approach if there's a female in the truck!

For jigging, I like big airplane jigs, jigging raps, and jigging spoons. I tip these with part of or a whole minnow depending on what the fish dictate. I think this year I am going to try some BIG, salt-impregnated tube jigs liek I use for lake trout to give pike something different to look at.

[Mike Stark]

was out today.....had two flags....two fish on....zero fish on the ice

i could not get a good hook set...im using a quickstrick rig and even let em take for a bit after missing one

both came off as soon a got to my mono leader

6fow by the weeds...live sucker

[Gordie]

when you can get them try hanging smelt them toothys just can resist um

[czl99]

Where can you buy frozen cisco or smelt at?

[Mike Stark]

the bait shops here in ely have em....but that does not do you much good

[Fish&Fowl]

Where can you buy frozen cisco or smelt at?

If you can't find them close to you, maybe ask a local bait shop if they will start carrying them. I would sure think they'd be able to sell frozen bait, especially as good as it works for pike on tip-ups.

[Fish Toys]

Didn’t someone mention last season that the smelt or herring could be found in certain grocery stores

[Mike Stark]

caught about 20 pike today on a small ely area lake

size ranging from 15"-38"

the 38" was a pig!

caught most fish on a tip up including the big girl....quickstrike rig and sucker minnow....5fow in the green weeds

caught a hand full jigging a 3/8oz glow jig with a 4" white GULP! smelt

good day on the ice!!!

the rod is 34" long

[Gordie]

NICE!!

[Thomas77]

I get my frozen smelt from the meat department at the grocery store, works perfect !!