Better luck live or dead bait for pike

[Lunkerman5000]

Hello fellas,
Recently in Maine I saw about a dozen pike pulled up on all live baits. I’ve heard dead baits are best but while others fished all live baits and I fished multiple dead’s, not one pike was caught on my dead baits. I caught 4 pike on live large shiners. Any opinions on wether large dead bait (presented correctly) are preferred by pike over a live shiner?

[DR.SPECKLER]

I would  use live over dead any day.only time I run dead shiners is if they died in my minnow bucket and were the only bait I had left.live bait does the work.

[Buckshots]

I would  use live over dead any day.only time I run dead shiners is if they died in my minnow bucket and were the only bait I had left.live bait does the work.

X2

I think the reason people use dead bait is because in some states, you’re not allowed to use live bait. I could be wrong on that. I know I was up on Devils Lake one year and the bait shop had frozen dead bait and said that’s what we had to use.

[32footsteps]

Both will work. To some extent it’s a self fulfilling prophecy. If you use live bait 90% of the time you’ll catch more on live bait.

I prefer dead bait for pike and have not used live bait for them in 30 years. I’d probably get more action on live bait but once I switched completely over to dead bait the average size of fish caught increased significantly enough to a point where I won’t switch back. I’d rather get one or two quality fish a day over a dozen sub standard fish a day.

I’m very active when fishing dead bait. I don’t just set it and leave it soak. Every 10-15 minutes I’m walking around lifting my tip ups up a few inches and setting it back down. Pike will stare a bait down and if it doesn’t move they’ll just keep staring at it. By making the dead bait a bit more “lively” it triggers a reaction response.

[t0mmyt316]

caught even numbers on both. Good luck!

[river_scum]

live bait = more attraction = more fish. 

that being said, they can get in a funk (aks nutral) and prefer not to chase live.  then dead mite be better.  also fresh dead and old dead are way different.  the old stinky one will attract from a longer distance imo.  pike are scavengers as well as predators.  caught many on the river with liver, fished for cats. even at night!

[bullpine]

They can see the live bait more easily, but if they can see the dead bait they will eat it too.   We have to use dead bait, that's why we skin perch or at least one side so the pike can see them.  Otherwise they are camoflaged in the weeds.  I would use live bait where legal. Dead perch are definitely cheaper.

[lowaccord66]

Scientists have found big female pike will specifically seak out decaying dead baits prespawn because they can metabolism them easier and are typically available after a long winter. Google up research on the fish and you can see they absolutely have a preference at certain times of the year.

[nbourque]

Scientists have found big female pike will specifically seak out decaying dead baits prespawn because they can metabolism them easier and are typically available after a long winter. Google up research on the fish and you can see they absolutely have a preference at certain times of the year.

Couldn’t be more dead on. This time of the year most big fish will be caught on dead bait.

[JonPerry]

This time of year on Lake of the woods pike tend to move into the shallows. You may want to try some dead bait in shallower water, 4-6' deep.

[marknpanfish]

On  hot dog.

[tipman14]

On  hot dog.

☝️ Yep hotdogs only thing i use