Quinte Fishing

I Went pike fishing today caught a few small suckers hooked them on a bass hook through there mouth and fired them out ... I had Decent luck as i caught 4 little pike ... biggest being 5 pounds but had 6 for 7 others get off ... my question is how are other ways i can rig live bait????? .. I was going to hook a treble in there back but i didnt want the pike to swollow the bait

also the 5 pound pike a had a leader going into its stomache and he was still eating lol i cut the leader as short as i could but in went right into in stomache... Also had a big bite mark out of its side ... wish i brought a camera didnt really expect to catch much as i was trying a new spot of shore

Cheers Jeff

no one else uses live bait ?????

I rarely use live bait unless fishing for bigger pike on a float...but typically put it thru the back and have used a stinger hook to put it thru the tail end if big minnows.

Just my $.02 - I think the lack of response could be in fear of being jumped all over for using bait that could, as you've written, cause a fish to swallow the bait and not be able to be released.

Again, I could be wrong so please don't anyone get all uppity on me!


Cheers

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The fishing was so good........I thought I was here yesterday!

Try a quick strike rig. You can buy them commercially or tie your own. The setup is very similar to what legacy described, with two hooks spaced 3-4" apart. One for casting usually has a single hook that goes through the nose and a second in the dorsal fin. For float fishing or ice fishing the first hook is usually through the dorsal and the second in the tail, allowing for a horizontal presentation of the bait. The key to using this setup is to set the hook as soon as the fish hits the bait. With the two hooks in the bait the fish will have at least one in his mouth as soon as it picks it up, so there is no need to wait for the pike to start to take off before setting the hook. By setting the hook immediately most fish are hooked in the front of their mouth or the corner, and in good shape to release.

I tie my own for icefishing with 40lb flouocarbon leader material and #2 trebels. Hook up rate is great, I had no break offs, and didn't have a single fish last winter that could not be released. If using florocarbon remember to check for nicks in the line after every fish, and retie after catching a big one or 4-5 smaller fish. I tie several ahead of time so I can change it out quickly on the ice, and tie them in the heated confort of the ice hut.

Google quick strike rig and you can see what I'm talking about. Good luck out there and if using a quick strike rig remember to set the hook IMMEDIATELY. You won't miss many fish and will have the option of releasing them in most cases.

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Bruce Ogilvie

"Fish Hard, Hunt Hard, Live Hard"

http://www.muskiescanada.ca/

awsome thanks alot guys i looked a bit online but didnt really find much ...This info is awsome .. This should do the trick as i can see the pike swiming around and grab the bait ... as my problem was i couldnt get the hook to stay in the pikes mouth.. thanks alot gunna try this tommorow

also dog lake u said I tie my own for icefishing with 40lb flouocarbon leader material and #2 trebels. Hook up rate is great ... do u specifically use flouocaron leader because it is stonger than regular floro or just ties on better thanks

I've used quick strike rigs also but lately ice fishing I've been using a single circle hooks on 40lb. fluorocarbon and have had good results. You don't set the hook but simply tighten the line and begin reeling in. Most fish are hooked in the corner of the mouth so cut-offs are minimal and releasing fish is easy. Hook size depends on bait size but the convenience of a single hook over two trebles is nice. Unlike quick strike rigs you let them take the bait and the hook should slide to the corner of the mouth. If you try to set the hook ( a tough habit to break) you generally miss the fish! I actually tie a slip knot on my tip-up real and wind about 15' of line back on the reel and the fish generally are hooked when I get there and I don't have to run to the tip up. We can put out 5 tip-ups in New York.

I use the leader material as it is much more abrasion resistant and stands up better with the toothy critters. It is stiffer than regular flourocarbon so it's not the best option to spool on a reel, but as an invisible leader it's just the ticket.

Longlegg, good tip on the circle hooks, never thought of using them for pike. That will work perfect for an older gent who fishes near us and is not as mobile as he used to be. Takes him a little longer to get to the flag and that should help him out, if he can resist the urge to set the hook that is.

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Bruce Ogilvie

"Fish Hard, Hunt Hard, Live Hard"

http://www.muskiescanada.ca/

went out to the same spot i got those pike today i got 3 more today including the the same one that had the leader goin into its stomache ... crazy doesnt seem to be bothering it to much as its still eating