Frozen Bait

[MN Mike]

FYI

If you are looking for frozen bait for Pike fishing, take a look at the Used Gear Wanted or For Sale forum. Its nice stuff.

Mike

[kwkfsh]

Good job Mike, herring work great for pike they leave a monster scent trail in the water. When I lived in AK. we used nothing but herring when fishing for pike. Get them into some bait shops in the cities PLEASE!

[MN Mike]

KWKFSH,

Herring definetly work wonders, drop me a email of some of the bigger bait shops down there, I'll give them a whirl. I have to head down there in a couple of weeks anyway.

Thanks....

[fiskyknut]

MN Mike
I don't suppose you have any good size frozen smelt also do you? Late ice Pike bite on LOTW just around the corner and I need some good smelt.

Fisky

[MN Mike]

Fisky -

Sorry, we just have the herring.

I know exactly what you mean about the late ice pike on Lake of the Woods and ice out pike too. To tell you the truth, we only use smelt when we have run out of herring, herring just seems to work better, personally I think it is the condition of this bait, it really gives a shine!

Let me know if your interested.

[Try Too Fish]

If your close to a HiVee try them thats where i get mine.they are cleaned(no head,no guts)but seem to work!!

------------------
Try Too Fish
Forced Too Work!!

[fiskyknut]

Well bummer, I have used Herring before that I have gotten at Riverside in Warroad. I prefer a dead LOTW Tulibee/Ciscoe over anything, then Smelts, then Herring when I run outta the other stuff. I've also done good at times on Pike up here on strips of Mackerel believe it or not!

Thanks....Fisky

[Guest]

How do you guys rig the frozen/dead bait?

[Fish Forever]

How do you ice fish with a 8" long bait? What size hook do you use? Do people jig this kind of bait? I really love summer pike fishing but have never really known how to fishing for them in the winter. Any advice would be great.

[Steve Foss]

Quick-strike rigs work no matter what type of dead bait you use, whether it's cisco/tulibee, smelt or herring.

Terminal hooks go in the head, sliding hook just aft the dorsal. If you have the rigs with two sets of double hooks, where one hook is smaller than the other on each set, it depends on how big the hooks are in deciding whether to put the smaller hook or the larger into the bait.

If the rig has really good-sized hooks, I hook the big one deeply in the frozen bait, the better to hold it with, and leave the smaller exposed (small hooks, if they're robust, hold big fish just fine, and always penetrate easier on the hookset). If the hooks are pretty small, I'll hook the smaller into the bait and leave the larger exposed.

With trebles, you don't have that choice.

With multiple lines (MN 2, ND 4, WI 3), I like one bait alive a couple feet off the bottom, one bait dead a foot or two under the ice (winter-killed fish sometimes lodge against the underside of the ice), and one bait dead on the bottom (dead fish eventually sink). Pike will take any and all of these presentations.

------------------
"I've driven farther before to catch fewer fish . . ."
Steve Foss
[email protected]

[fiskyknut]

I rig my deadbaits on a 2 hook quickstrike rigs and fish them under a tip-up in the winter. If you guys are unfamiliar with this do a search using quick as a keyword and all kinds of tips will pop up.

Fisky

[Guest]

Where can I get frozen ciscos?

[Steve Foss]

There are a couple places in Duluth/Superior, as well as bait stores along the North Shore that stock them, but if you don't live nearby, it probably ain't worth a road trip.

[The Chemist]

Recieved mine today. Will be trying it this weekend.

[MN Mike]

Chemist--

Thanks for the business and also letting me know that it does get there the next day, I was wondering about that.

Keep us posted!!

[The Chemist]

Send me an e-mail telling me who to make the check out to. I'm a little confused. Otherwise give me a call. Thanks.

[Fish Toys]

Hey MnMike how did you guys do up north? Heard you went up there at the coffeeeeeeee
shop?
Maybe see your dad before I hear from you?
"FISH"
Do you know where I can find a wholesale dealer that has mousies, the bott fly grub ? I have a Bait & Tackle store in MI that is looking for them. Her wholesale outlet is sold out? Anybody else know?

------------------
http://www.icesaws.com/

[This message has been edited by Fish Toys (edited 02-03-2003).]

[Mykal]

The ciscoes work for Cats too hey Chem? Tough to keep on the hook sometimes but draws them in.

[This message has been edited by Mykal (edited 02-03-2003).]

[the big dipper]

I've got a couple dozen good sized chub minnows (6-8")that the kids and I caught on the Lost River last summer. We fished a small bobber with a tiny hook, and a bit of worm. It was as fun as trout fishing in Montana. Anyhow, I salted em down and froze them, and plan on trying them in March for LOW monster pike.

Re: herring ? do you guys use fresh frozen herring, or salted frozen herring? Chunked up or wholefish or fillets?

[MN Mike]

Fish --

We did well, didn't get any Pike over 40" but we did come close, threw back a bunch over 30", the frozen herring was working good again, the guys were pretty busy running for flags.

Found a few Waldos and some really nice Perch. Even had a big Pike chase a small Walleye up the hole !!

I put a link to the hook some of us use for the Pike, it under the Gear for sale under $250, look for the Frozen Bait posting.

Finally got to see the Marcum in use, it works well but Jon forgot to get the auto bite feature, still can't make them suckers bite when they are finicky!

Mousies !?! Never heard of them.

Mark -

The herring are frozen, no salt. We just put the whole fish right on the hook and dangle it down there. If I get up in your neck of the woods I'll drop by with a flat.

Mike