Golden pondies.

[Icetrotter]

I caught a couple Goldens and was wondering if I was better off killing them or keeping them alive for as long as can. I'm using them for pike bait and there pretty large 7 inches about. Thank for any input.

[lowaccord66]

Keep alive...kill at the hole.

[ICEHOLE]

Keep alive...kill at the hole.

X2 color and smell  all stay in tact if you kill at the hole. Plus i get anjoyed by dead baits ive frozen  trying  to float until fully thawed

[KillerFish]

I've started to experiment between fresh kill and frozen / slightly deteriorated dead bait
People have recently convinced me that pike may not necessarily be looking for fresh dead bait
Anyway, just me, and I'm no expert

[Jschumacher]

I'll kill at the hole or make them very wounded. Have had success both ways. Goldies as well as suckers

[PeterSaloom]

Could anyone comment on the best rigging for catching pondies?

[lowaccord66]

Could anyone comment on the best rigging for catching pondies?

Hali dropper jig on the end of a small Sabiki rig use pizza dough for bait.  They will eat spikes, waxies, trout worms, ect.

[JJPSEFfish]

I got a fat 7 inch golden a week ago on a 1/32 tungsten jig with a gulp maggot, never tried pizza dough I'm gonna give that a try

 Josh

[pmaloney86]

Hali dropper jig on the end of a small Sabiki rig use pizza dough for bait.  They will eat spikes, waxies, trout worms, ect.

Now I know why Dominos delivers to the Oxbow.  Bait delivery

[Icetrotter]

Thank for the input. I'll probably kill one of these guys when I go pike fishing this weekend.

[KillerFish]

Thank for the input. I'll probably kill one of these guys when I go pike fishing this weekend.

If I had two Goldie's I would prolly fish one dead and fish one alive

[PeterSaloom]

Hali dropper jig on the end of a small Sabiki rig use pizza dough for bait.  They will eat spikes, waxies, trout worms, ect.

Thanks. I will have to give that a try.

[musky-man]

if im using big live bait i always cut off the tail, they dont trip the flag as easily, it doesnt kill your bait, and it makes your bait swim like its injured

[ronbgood55]

Hey lowaccord66 aren't those Sabiki's illegal in Mass?? 5 hooks,,,the BIG Bad EP is going to get you.I have been breaking those rigs down to 2 hook type....I don't want a $1,000,000,000 fine by the State to pay for that HUGE PAY RAISE they just gave themself...

[PeterSaloom]

I think that you are allowed 5 lines while ice fishing, so if you had 5 hooks on a sabiki an no other traps/lines in the water I believe you would be in compliance with the law.

[Jetmec89]

Only allowed 3 hooks on that sabiki from what I understand. I could be wrong but I always snipped all but 3 hooks.

[Sprocket]

This would be a good time for a laws quote about the number of lines/hooks per line to clarify...

I've searched a link - it's clear as mud but it seems the max number of hooks is 5 through the ice - I would contact EPO official to get a formal interpretation in text.

http://www.eregulations.com/massachusetts/huntingandfishing/fishing-prohibitions/

Also up for consideration is the fact that your are attempting to gather bait, not a game fish.  I'm not sure what the implications are there but it may make a difference.

Be safe, be smart

[THE JIGGER]

Only allowed 3 hooks on that sabiki from what I understand. I could be wrong but I always snipped all but 3 hooks.

We discussed this on a post earlier this season and the law is, you are allowed 5 hooks that each can catch one fish whether it is one hook on five traps or five hooks on one jigging rod or any other combination total 5 hooks. You can use four traps and jig with a plug with multiple treble hooks as long as it is designed to catch one fish at a time. It seems very clear to me.


Prohibited
More than two hooks for fishing open water or more than five hooks when ice fishing. A hook is defined as an angling device attached to a fishing line that is designed to take one fish at a time but is not limited to devices commonly called spinners, spoons, bait harnesses, jigs, or plugs.
More than two hooks for fishing open water or more than five hooks when ice fishing. A hook is defined as an angling device attached to a fishing line that is designed to take one fish at a time but is not limited to devices commonly called spinners, spoons, bait harnesses, jigs, or plugs.

[BFFlynn51]

We discussed this on a post earlier this season and the law is, you are allowed 5 hooks that each can catch one fish whether it is one hook on five traps or five hooks on one jigging rod or any other combination total 5 hooks.

by that logic, same could be said of quick-strike rigs (using two trebles on a single tip-up) right?

[THE JIGGER]

by that logic, same could be said of quick-strike rigs (using two trebles on a single tip-up) right?

That is a good question.
I would say you would have a good argument as long as the two trebles on the quick strike rig are hooked on the same minnow.
If it is a wooden or plastic fish with multiple trebles or a live or dead single bait with two trebles attached, they would have a tough time calling that  a violation.

[lowaccord66]

Hey lowaccord66 aren't those Sabiki's illegal in Mass?? 5 hooks,,,the BIG Bad EP is going to get you.I have been breaking those rigs down to 2 hook type....I don't want a $1,000,000,000 fine by the State to pay for that HUGE PAY RAISE they just gave themself...

When I made the suggestion it was in good faith that people like yourself were already aware of the number of hooks allowed. 

[ronbgood55]

Guys, I think my 2 hook Sabiki is illegal  according to page 16 of F/G Rules. A Sabiki with 5 hooks can catch 5 fish at once if you drop it into a school of perch,gills etc . it has 5 lures on one line. :(you can have 5 hooks, single, treble, on ONE LURE,bait etc. The bottom line is that you can ONLY CATCH ONE FISH AT A TIME PER LINE PAGE 16 F/G RULES.

[lowaccord66]

If you think it's illegal by all means stop using it.  I've been checked smelting numerous times.  I use one rod with a Hali and a single Sabiki hook and another with a Hali and 2 Sabiki hooks.  No more baited hooks than I would have fishing 5 traps. Does that make sense to you?

[pmaloney86]

Guys, I think my 2 hook Sabiki is illegal  according to page 16 of F/G Rules. A Sabiki with 5 hooks can catch 5 fish at once if you drop it into a school of perch,gills etc . it has 5 lures on one line. :(you can have 5 hooks, single, treble, on ONE LURE,bait etc. The bottom line is that you can ONLY CATCH ONE FISH AT A TIME PER LINE PAGE 16 F/G RULES.

I haven't read the exact regs you are referencing but I don't think you are interpreting them correctly.  I know a 2 fly dropper rig is legal in MA and you can easily catch 2 fish at a time on that setup.

[pmaloney86]

To Jons point..."More than two hooks for fishing open water or more than five hooks when ice fishing. A hook is defined as an angling device attached to a fishing line that is designed to take one fish at a time but is not limited to devices commonly called spinners, spoons, bait harnesses, jigs, or plugs."

So essentially you are allowed to take 5 fish at a time ice fishing since you can have 5 angling devices.  That doesn't mean you can't have one pole w 5 hooks.  Those 5 hooks just count as your 5 legal angling devices.

[ronbgood55]

How do you use 5 lures and catch only one fish? You tell that to a ep guy....LOL  Some of those EP guys a simple others a very wise...you take the chance...the law states ONE FISH A A TIME and you use a lure that can catch 5 at a time...........

[KillerFish]

Sabiki rigs are absolutely legal in ma. If u use 5 hooks, you can't have any other lines out. If you use 4 hooks you can have one other line out, etc... Ronbgood - you are reading the law wrong. The way pmaloney describes it is correct

[ronbgood55]

I wish some one would ask an EP guy(get his name) or the Mass Wildlife on the Sabiki's. I hated to use them from a safety issue...all those hooks tangling up--hooks in gloves,hands etc . I like to fish and not play games with lures just because they look pretty.I wonder how many guys have taken hooks out of themself...I'll think the Sabikis have caught more fisherman then fish LOL

[THE JIGGER]

I wish some one would ask an EP guy(get his name) or the Mass Wildlife on the Sabiki's. I hated to use them from a safety issue...all those hooks tangling up--hooks in gloves,hands etc . I like to fish and not play games with lures just because they look pretty.I wonder how many guys have taken hooks out of themself...I'll think the Sabikis have caught more fisherman then fish LOL

call fish and game to get your answer

[ronbgood55]

Well guys....I was fishing Forge Pond yesterday in Granby and a EP guy came out to check me(got a report a guy in black was catching a lot of fish....me ..lol).I asked him about the Sibiki's and after explaining the lure he stated that they were ILLEGAL....repeat ILLEGAL... :'(his name was Teghese(spelling??) So Watch guys...You know that the Sibiki's have been a topic on  Iceshanty.com since 2007