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help a teen catch more fish

Author Subject: help a teen catch more fish

zach dooley Posted At 16:37:47 11/21/2001
I am 14 years old and would like to know how to set the hook on a northern pike and how long to wait plus any other advice you would like to give me

zach dooley Re: help a teen catch more fish (Currently 0 replies)
Posted At 18:10:56 11/21/2001
drtuy

mike Re: help a teen catch more fish (Currently 0 replies)
Posted At 12:36:53 11/22/2001
zach,

well it a depends on exactly what you're fishing, river, lake etc. personally, the best spot on a lake is near an inlet where a stream runs into the lake. if the ice is safe of course. if you are running flags, put one close to the bottom, about 6 inches, and the other flag about half way to the bottom, remember, northerns have eyes on top of their head and will swim up to a bait, not down. after you get a strike (flag) let the fish run with your bait until it stops, wait 4-5 seconds and set the hook. the fish is swallowing the bait during this time and may be swimming towards you. just keep pulling. e- mail me with your results. good luck, hope it was helpful.

mike

Dan in VT Re: help a teen catch more fish (Currently 0 replies)
Posted At 13:37:59 12/06/2001
Hi there Zach!
Glad to hear that you have been bitten with the pike bug too! My partner and I have differing opinons on hook setting tactics... I like to get to the hole fast, watch them run, and if they don't slow down, yank it hard and fast. He likes to wait for them to stop, swallow, and then hit 'em. We are strictly catch and release so I don't want to give them enough time to swallow that hook. When you hit them on the run, it's riskier, but if your releasing them, they are more often lip hooked. Other than that, my best advice is to shake up your bait often. When you go out to clear your holes, make sure to lift up that bait and get him moving again. I've had flags go off right behind me and I'm sure it's because I've jump started a slow minnow. Oh... be sure to bring a pair of needle nose pliers with you. Have a great season!
Dan

JP Re: help a teen catch more fish (Currently 0 replies)
Posted At 09:32:39 12/31/2001
Like the guys above, I'm C&R with anything over about 6#'s.

I hit my deadbait+quickstrike fish early. 99% of the time, this means layin' them out while they're on the run. Choose appropriately stout line and terminal rigging that will handle the impact of a big pike that's running hard when you stop her.

When using live chubs, shiners, suckers or perch, I hook the baitfish close to the wrist of the tail. This ensures that the treble is the LAST thing to enter the pike's gullet. Even if you wait too long, chances are good the fish will still be releasable. Most of mine are hooked in the hoof of the mouth. Baitfish hooked in the dorsal area or lips result in the hook being swallowed deeply much too fast for my liking. When hooking near the tail, go with very little shot, well up (3'-4') up from the minnow. He will free swim nicely. Suckers instinctively head for bottom. Chubs and shiners will often struggle for the surface before settling down.

While you've got a setline down, try jigging. Nothing compares to the way a pike unloads on a jigged bait. Williams Whitefish, Jigging Rapalas and 1/4oz jig+grub+minnow+stinger hook are my three confidence baits. Spool up with 14#-20# Fusion or Fireline--the hits can be hard when you've got less than 20 feet of line below you. Set your drag to slip a bit on the hook set, and go to a rod with a tip that isn't too fast. Always use a leader. Pike tend to inhale baits that free fall, I find.

In clear water, I like blue/silver and chartreuse/silver for my Rapalas, 1/2 gold-1/2 silver for my spoons and a pearl white grub with a red jighead. In dirty water, I use golds, chartreuse and firetiger patterns more.

Always tip your leadhead+twistertails and spoons with a 3-4" minnow and a stinger hook. Good Luck.

garrett Re: help a teen catch more fish (Currently 0 replies)
Posted At 12:36:21 01/24/2002
have u heard of those new hooks that theres 2 treble hooks? there new things i think and u put one hook up front of the shiner and one in back by the tail so either way if a northern grabs the shiner in the back half its gonna get a hook same goes for the front
thanks~
best of fishing
garrett

Author	Subject: help a teen catch more fish
zach dooley	Posted At 16:37:47 11/21/2001 I am 14 years old and would like to know how to set the hook on a northern pike and how long to wait plus any other advice you would like to give me
zach dooley	Re: help a teen catch more fish (Currently 0 replies) Posted At 18:10:56 11/21/2001 drtuy
mike	Re: help a teen catch more fish (Currently 0 replies) Posted At 12:36:53 11/22/2001 zach, well it a depends on exactly what you're fishing, river, lake etc. personally, the best spot on a lake is near an inlet where a stream runs into the lake. if the ice is safe of course. if you are running flags, put one close to the bottom, about 6 inches, and the other flag about half way to the bottom, remember, northerns have eyes on top of their head and will swim up to a bait, not down. after you get a strike (flag) let the fish run with your bait until it stops, wait 4-5 seconds and set the hook. the fish is swallowing the bait during this time and may be swimming towards you. just keep pulling. e- mail me with your results. good luck, hope it was helpful. mike
Dan in VT	Re: help a teen catch more fish (Currently 0 replies) Posted At 13:37:59 12/06/2001 Hi there Zach! Glad to hear that you have been bitten with the pike bug too! My partner and I have differing opinons on hook setting tactics... I like to get to the hole fast, watch them run, and if they don't slow down, yank it hard and fast. He likes to wait for them to stop, swallow, and then hit 'em. We are strictly catch and release so I don't want to give them enough time to swallow that hook. When you hit them on the run, it's riskier, but if your releasing them, they are more often lip hooked. Other than that, my best advice is to shake up your bait often. When you go out to clear your holes, make sure to lift up that bait and get him moving again. I've had flags go off right behind me and I'm sure it's because I've jump started a slow minnow. Oh... be sure to bring a pair of needle nose pliers with you. Have a great season! Dan
JP	Re: help a teen catch more fish (Currently 0 replies) Posted At 09:32:39 12/31/2001 Like the guys above, I'm C&R with anything over about 6#'s. I hit my deadbait+quickstrike fish early. 99% of the time, this means layin' them out while they're on the run. Choose appropriately stout line and terminal rigging that will handle the impact of a big pike that's running hard when you stop her. When using live chubs, shiners, suckers or perch, I hook the baitfish close to the wrist of the tail. This ensures that the treble is the LAST thing to enter the pike's gullet. Even if you wait too long, chances are good the fish will still be releasable. Most of mine are hooked in the hoof of the mouth. Baitfish hooked in the dorsal area or lips result in the hook being swallowed deeply much too fast for my liking. When hooking near the tail, go with very little shot, well up (3'-4') up from the minnow. He will free swim nicely. Suckers instinctively head for bottom. Chubs and shiners will often struggle for the surface before settling down. While you've got a setline down, try jigging. Nothing compares to the way a pike unloads on a jigged bait. Williams Whitefish, Jigging Rapalas and 1/4oz jig+grub+minnow+stinger hook are my three confidence baits. Spool up with 14#-20# Fusion or Fireline--the hits can be hard when you've got less than 20 feet of line below you. Set your drag to slip a bit on the hook set, and go to a rod with a tip that isn't too fast. Always use a leader. Pike tend to inhale baits that free fall, I find. In clear water, I like blue/silver and chartreuse/silver for my Rapalas, 1/2 gold-1/2 silver for my spoons and a pearl white grub with a red jighead. In dirty water, I use golds, chartreuse and firetiger patterns more. Always tip your leadhead+twistertails and spoons with a 3-4" minnow and a stinger hook. Good Luck.
garrett	Re: help a teen catch more fish (Currently 0 replies) Posted At 12:36:21 01/24/2002 have u heard of those new hooks that theres 2 treble hooks? there new things i think and u put one hook up front of the shiner and one in back by the tail so either way if a northern grabs the shiner in the back half its gonna get a hook same goes for the front thanks~ best of fishing garrett