bait?

[whale1979]

just wondering?

what baits do u guys u use, when u r using bigger baits?  like 10-12 in.

i cant find smelt that big!  just wondering whats oily and smelly??

[PIKE FISHERMAN]

I've never had good luck with 10-12" bait. Had a few takers, but they always drop it.

I do best with 5-6" live shiners. I've alternated live shiners, with smelts, and dead smelts. Live shiners always seem to outfish the others 3:1. Its all what your confidant with, I know people that just use dead smelts and do good all season.

I saw someone next to me catch a 15 lb pike on a 3" live shiner, so you never know.

[tench]

Can't transport bait in VT so you can only use what you buy or trap/catch when you are fishing- can't even take bait off the water. Because of this I use whatever pike bait I can buy, whether its leftover 3-4 inch shiners or I get lucky enough to get the 7's and 8's. Sometimes I'll use suckers on a few traps just to see what is working that day. I'll do this until I jig up a few big goldens and use those or some small perch. I seem to do the best on the 7's and 8's and the goldens I jig up. I don't do quick strikes or anything, just a size 2 I think octopus hook... Does the trick pretty good up here.

[taggin out]

I to am from vt. How do u jig up goldens? I try every year and have zero luck

[St. Lawrence River Guy]

Would love to hear what others are using for pike baits.  We have the same restrictions on transporting bait from one body of water to another so I tend to stick with certified shiners from bait shops but given a pike's tendency to want easy meals I can see where dead bait would be successful.  Has anyone ever used the dead smelt that Gander Mtn sells?

Thx.

[tench]

I to am from vt. How do u jig up goldens? I try every year and have zero luck

Usually find them in places with panfish and bass (weedy shallow bays). I just get them on tiny jigs with a single spike, or even just a spike on a plain hook. Get a good number of them in the later part of the season when they start to move back into the bays

[Grizzly1]

I use large-8" to 12"-dead herring for bait on a quick-strike rig. Herring is an oily fish, but I do know some who inject herring oil into their bait.

[PIKE FISHERMAN]

Can't transport bait in VT so you can only use what you buy or trap/catch when you are fishing- can't even take bait off the water. Because of this I use whatever pike bait I can buy, whether its leftover 3-4 inch shiners or I get lucky enough to get the 7's and 8's. Sometimes I'll use suckers on a few traps just to see what is working that day. I'll do this until I jig up a few big goldens and use those or some small perch. I seem to do the best on the 7's and 8's and the goldens I jig up. I don't do quick strikes or anything, just a size 2 I think octopus hook... Does the trick pretty good up here.

Thats a tough rule. I cant imigine having to do that.

Whats the reason for it??

[tench]

Stopping the spread of VHS. If you buy bait you have to use it within four days of purchase too.

[Hardwaternubie53]

Stopping the spread of VHS. If you buy bait you have to use it within four days of purchase too.

4 days?
 Boy, I thought NY was tough with a 10 day rule. That sucks!

[BillyGoat]

i use 8" to 9" smelt, that i HAND picked out of the niagra river . and boy u better bring alot cuz the flags dont stop flying.(never seen smelt as big as those ones that day on the river)

[slipperybob]

All this talk about using smelt for bait makes me want to ice some rainbow smelt...usually get them from 6-10 inches but catching the bigger ones of about 11-12 inches is just awesome.

[tench]

By the way, smelt taste super good too... The ones that don't get mauled, just belly the little things and eat all but the heads. The bones are small enough to eat and they are delicious tasting fish!

[JDN]

Goldens & suckers about 4"-5" long.You can jig goldens with sm glow jig tipped wth wax worms.

[emkay]

I just went to the store and they didnt have big smelt, only decent sized bait they held was mackerel. Do you guys think they would make good bait?