IceShanty.com's Ice Fishing Community
Ice Fishing Tips -Check your local regulations! => Northern Pike => Topic started by: Kevin23 on Jan 27, 2017, 09:52 PM
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When fishing pike with tipups, do you guys put your dead baits down frozen or do you thaw them in water first? Anyone ever notice a difference between the two in terms of bites/drops?
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I always thaw them, I feel it makes it hard to get a good hook set if they are frozen.
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I always use thawed, I think the smell disperses better.
WS
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I thaw mine out in the fridge the night before I go.
I think flash thawing makes the bait mushy and not as good.
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When we were allowed to use them, I always used them frozen. In fact, my biggest pike ever was caught just a few minutes after I put it in. It never took them long to thaw once they were in the water anyway, so I didn't worry about it much.
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I tend to thaw them in heavily salted water in the fridge.....toughen up the skin
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What is the salt to water ratio for brining that helps to toughen the skin?
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Thawed, and puncture the cavity if needed to help it sink and release some scent. Shove a bell sinker in its puncture help it sink down there a bit.
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Thawed, and puncture the cavity if needed to help it sink and release some scent. Shove a bell sinker in its puncture help it sink down there a bit.
Hey now! We can't be wasting sinkers on bait. We have to save them for derby fish. :o