Suckers or Shiners for pike?

[Phunnyfarm]

When you are fishing for pike with a tip up, what is your go-to bait...sucker or shiner?

Now I know some guys use smelt (and I do too occasionally), but if you were going to use a live bait, what to you use?

[EBass]

XXL Shiners! That's my .02

[bloc004]

I always try and use shiners, but If the shop is out, then i get the suckers. Have caught plenty of Northern on suckers!

[The Donk]

small suckers

[Jethro80]

I use suckers, I've lost a lot of shiners. They seem to have a 50% survival rate in the bucket, if not lower.

Does anyone have any tips on that? I do have a aerator.

Any info will be appreciated!

[Sandmannd]

Either is going to work, shiners are harder to keep alive though.

[caseymcq]

Both will work but like Sandman already alluded to suckers are a hardier minnow.

A big ol' fat, oily ciscoe is another good bait for pike. They are dead and packaged neatly so they work well for transporting if you have issues with space.

[Selmer]

SMELT! I know, you said live bait, but I'll take smelt over live bait ANY day!

[Newcastle]

Question on for you guys who use smelt or frozen/dead ciscos. Where do you position your bait relative to the bottom-on it-just off-a foor or two up? I've always used live bait on tip ups previously but after a week in BWCA this spring with some frozen ciscoes I think that is changing this year.

Usually fishing tip ups in shallower edges-6 to 12-15 ft.

[caseymcq]

A foot off the bottom for pike works well. Ciscoes will also float up a little bit. You could have a sinke sitting right on the bottom and hve the ciscoe floating up about six inches and that would work too. Smelt or ciscoes, the pike seem to love those stinky and oily dead baits.

[FLnick87]

has anyone had success using frozen baits around the metro? I know when we have fished on lake of the woods they worked great, but i have never heard of them being used down here

[metrojoe]

I like to use medium suckers.

[freebledsoe]

I use suckers 90% of the time. Used to use golden shiners but as has been stated, they die quickly. I usually go with a 5 to 6 inch sucker. I don't drop them all the way to the bottom though, is that done mainly with dead bait?

I'd like to try the smelt or ciscoes sometime just to compare my catch success.

[snoozebutton]

Suckers for me, 6 to 9 inches seems to work the best.

[jwhjr]

In the metro I've only had luck with shiners, up north suckers.

[BullFighter]

Both!

[&JAG]

Suckers survive and get the job done.... Or both work well also.

[icefishing21]

i have my best luck on suckers

[wanger29]

Whichever one dances the most.

[fishin9911]

90% suckers. Cause they last longer and I tend to catch more on them. I also cut off one of the side fins. I believe it gives them a more erratic swimming motion. As far as where to put them in the water, I tend to go in the middle of where I fish. Most of the time I fish from 10-15ft of water so I put it down 4-7ft.

[7outof10]

shiners and i will even use the dead ones but you have to have a wind powered tip up

[Doop]

can I choose a live smelt?

I rarely mess with live bait.....

[Beege]

My brother has been doing good with shiners. I have been doing very poor with suckers lately.

[Beege]

and you do not have to use a wind tipup to use dead bait. Northerns are scavengers as well as predators. They will oftentimes take dead bait over live because they do not expend any energy chasing down there meal when it is unable to swim away.

[paceman]

I have had pretty good luck using both but I prefer shiners..