fishing dead bait

[radke22]

How effective is fishing dead bait in winter or summer? i can get by hands on some 5 to 8" shad but i'm hesatent to keep them because i'm used to using live suckers and shiners.

[Lunker]

I'm assuming your talking pike. Well, I was always hesitant to use dead bait as well, having tried dead sucker a few times with no success, but then I bought a bunch of herring off this site, and the stuff is a magnet for the pike. Since I got it I haven't had a trip out where I haven't had at least one run on the tip up. They hold onto it to cause its so oily too, they like it. If you are going to use dead bait, use smelt or herring, if you only have suckers use them live I have found. Have never tried them in open water though.

[Jeff S]

Dead bait can be VERY effective for trophy pike. Make sure you rig them on a quick strike rig though. I prefer large 10" to 14" cisco. As winter progresses the more effictive they become. Don't be afraid to hang the bait just a foot or two below the ice. Dead baitfish tend to float up and large pike will often scavange under the ice looking for an easy meal.

Please let the big ones go, a large pike is a special animal!

Good luck!

[fishgutz]

I fish with dead smelt and ciscoes up north on lake of the woods and will agree tenfold with Lunker that they are a "magnet" for pike. Pike are as much of a scavenger as a predator. They'll take an easy meal Whenever they can get it. I've talked to guys that fish with dead frogs, etc...
I also agree with Lunker to set dead bait a few feet under the ice. On Lake of the Woods many fishermen have stories of seeing pike literally swimming up by their holes when they're fishing in 30+ feet of water. Well, when they yank little 12 inch walleyes off the bottom of deep water they ain't gonna live and the pike are scavenging off the easy meals floating under the ice.

My question regarding dead smelt and ciscoes is this... Can you fish them or has anyone had luck in lakes where they don't exist???

fishgutz

[Lunker]

Fishgutz, I fish in the city lakes almost exculively during the winter, and the herring are great, and the last time I checked we didn't have herring on the list of exotic species . It doesn't matter that they are not native, its just too big of a treat for them to pass up. Was out fishing pannies today but got one 5lb pike off the tip up(released).

[This message has been edited by Lunker (edited 01-25-2004).]

[Steve Foss]

It varies lake by lake, and region by region.

In N.D. lakes like Devils Lake, deabaits like smelt and herring were hands-down better baits for pike than live bait.

In Minnesota, where you can always get live suckers, many pikers will tell you that they seem to be the ticket.

In NW Wisconsin, where live big golden shiners are available, they seem to be great.

I've used them all in those situations, and here's how I approach it. Anywhere you go for pike, bring frozen bait like ciscoes, herring and smelt. That way, if you can't find live bait locally you're OK. If you can find live local bait big enough, you're golden. Just mix and match live and dead until you find what they want. Any rule you try to advance regarding dead vs live bait is simply speculation. Gotta try it to be sure, and each day is a different day.

And a note: Live or dead, quick-strike rigs are the best.

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"Worry less, fish more."
Steve Foss
[email protected]

[fishgutz]

I've been persistent as hell with dead smelt and NO LUCK. I'm going back to shiners and suckers. For some reason the action from live bait triggers the bite. I think late late season toward the pike spawn, which is out of season for us, dead bait is choice. I'll stick with the live bait for the last 10 days....

[LocalGuide]

I was told when using smelt for bait it is the best to use a wind tip-up. That way if there is some breeze out on the lake the bait will flutter in the water and give it some action.
I havent personaly tried it yet but by next year I will.

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AKA PikeEye 300

[Steve Foss]

Sometimes wind tip-ups are better, sometimes not. Depends on how strong the wind is and how active the fish are.

On a neutral/negative day, I've seen dead bait fished under motionless tip-ups outproduce everything else. But sometimes the wind tip-up gets the fish. Just gotta try it and see. Every day's different.

------------------
"Worry less, fish more."
Steve Foss
[email protected]

[northguy]

Started using dead smelt/cisco 7-8 years ago for pike on all lakes I fish, cities northern mn and have not seen a better bait for catching big pike in the winter.

Catch and release!!! Always bigger the second time you catch it.

[LocalGuide]

stfcatfish, You hit that on the spot. Stating, "Sometimes wind tip-ups are better, sometimes not."

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AKA PikeEye 300