The Sucker Question

[thomasthepikehunter]

I am in the process of finding pike in this summer heat, but I have been wondering, why use dead bait? I used dead bait a few times, mostly sucker that have died on me, they don't catch squat. I have fished with people who claim dead smelt (I think) would out fish my "mammoths"; I use large suckers 8-10". He did get one, which I couldn't believe, but I got 3 of 4 that day. Why would an ambush predator ever choose a dead rotting fish, over an easy to catch wounded one? I'm not trying to sound like a smart ass, but all I ever hear is how dead bait out fishes live 4:1 or some other crazy ratio, but have not once in my life saw someone do that. Why is live bait looked down on?

[da man cave shack]

I have relitivly good luck with live bait and switch it out if it starts act dead.

[UP jigstick]

Does dead bait out fish live bait by 1:4, 1:10, 1:2 margins on winter northerns? Not by my experience, and I still use dead bait for pike. I purchase/catch bait at the beginning of the season. Bag it up with some secret sauce and freeze it. As the season progresses, and I'm using it up, I'll just pull a 'fresh' bag out as I need it. For me it's more of a convenience thing than anything else. I can say that I've never fished with rotted bait though.

Ok, just reread your post and caught that you were talking summer pike fishing. I can't offer much on your question as I don't fish much in the summer any more and when I did it was strictly artificial baits for pike. 

[Skipper]

Live for me... I rarely use live bait for pike in the summer, but it is a sound tactic on deep weed edges.

Hook them so they struggle. Use a sinker to prevent them from surfacing or finding a hiding spot, and experiment with clipping fins.

[thomasthepikehunter]

Never really targeted them during summer, but during winter pike slow down and get lazy.  Bait fish die from temperature shock, low oxygen levels, etc.  Pike have good sense of smell, so they see and smell a nice easy meal.  Fresh dead makes all the difference though, I haven't had nearly as much luck on old or rotted bait

I wasn't just talking about summer. Now I am confused, this is the first time I have ever heard pike use their smell when deciding to eat something. What difference does it make? Live suckers smell too.

[Skipper]

The reason pike prefer dead bait when they are under stress or in a very negative mood is because it won't try to get away. They can lay on the bottom, look at it for as long as they want, and come to the conclusion that there will be NO effort involved in eating it. As Jon said though, fresh dead makes all the difference.

I am 99% sure that putrefied bait is a mistake 99% of the time in the waters I fish. Even for catfish.

[UFCreel]

Try a big bluegill or better yet a crappie. Where legal to do so. Have seen many pike caught on ether one. Winter or summer.

[yoslick]

Try a big bluegill or better yet a crappie. Where legal to do so. Have seen many pike caught on ether one. Winter or summer.

Better yet hook on a small perch, eyes and northerns go ape for them!!

Slick

[thomasthepikehunter]

I am still confused, a pike can stare at a live sucker as long as it wants, its not going anywhere either. 

[Skipper]

They have a brain the size of a pea.... I don't think they reason like we do.

[Boydric]

Pike like dead bait in the winter because they have to put weight on for the spawn.  It is minimal effort to eat a dead fish.  They will take the opportunity of dead or alive.  During the summer they are not trying to pack the weight on and will ike the fresh prey better.

[eplindstrom]

I caught, salted, and froze a bunch of 3-11" creek chubs and they definitely out fished live side by side for catfish this summer. I can't wait to try them on northerns this winter. It would be much convenient than trying to keep live bait alive

[Quantumn]

Better yet hook on a small perch, eyes and northerns go ape for them!!

Slick

Very interesting to hear that Slick. In my area, we have plenty of lakes around that are packed with stunted perch that are just a nuisance, but now I have an idea to supplement my bait shop expense account, lol. I will give this a try this year for sure. Thanks for the info.

[saxmatt]

There is no magic bait that will outperform every other bait 100% of the time. It's all about putting in time learning the body of water you are fishing and studying the tendencies of pike during specific times of year. During the spring when the pike are post spawn and starving they'll hit almost everything that moves and live bait will most likely outperform dead. If you are looking to catch giant females mid to late winter dead bait is the way to go. They would much rather suck up a big easy meal than waste energy and risk damaging their eggs chasing after a lively bait. There is an abundance of dead fish in the winter because of the low water temps and oxygen and during those fish kills the big pike really key in on scavenging for dead fish.  I bet if you look through the 40" class fish posted on this site you'll find the majority took dead bait. The species of bait and rigging are both very important. If your lake is full of golden shiners, fallfish, or giant alewives and that is what they are feeding on then your sucker might get ignored. If you are fishing a highly pressured lake with clear water and you are using a heavy steel leader with giant treble hooks they might shy away from your bait no matter what it is. On other lakes suckers might be the way to go, and if the water is stained using steel leaders and big hooks might not matter. Learn where they are located during different periods throughout the winter, learn what the forage base is in your lake,  learn what the best rigging and presentation is and put in some time sitting on the ice. If you figure it out you'll be rewarded.

[nitram]

X 2 could not agree more!

[jimyoumook]

through the ice i use live bait were leagle but otherwise i do just fine on froz smelt

[northernnyice]

A pikes goal is to find food while using the least amount of energy possible. Simple as that. Sometimes a dead sucker/shiner/smelt is just a better, easier option.

[northernnyice]

I bet if you look through the 40" class fish posted on this site you'll find the majority took dead bait.

If you fish dead bait often, then sure most of your big fish will have came on dead bait. If you fish live often, big fish will come on live. It doesn't matter really.


I've caught 3 pike over 40" and all 3 came on live bait. (yes I fish live and dead).