Favorite Baits for Monster Pike?

[stephensonswille]

What's everyones favorite bait for those big pigs?

[PIKE FISHERMAN]

Most of my biggest pike have come off 4-5" shiners (several over 10 lbs). I've tried 8-9", and never had much luck, mostly hit and miss.

[GAMBELL]

Dead smelt 12 - 18" off the bottom or top of weeds.  Big 8 - 10" shiners are good too.  Kill them and hang them above the weeds or close to the bottom like the smelt. 

[saxmatt]

Big goldens 8-10". Bring them to the lake alive and give then a belly poke, slit the gills, and pop the air bladder. Place them close to the bottom and make sure you have a strong leader 

[FishinAddiction]

If you want the big ones 15lbs and up then, go big(8"-12"), dead, and suspend them. And patiences. The old saying of good things come in time. That stands true when hanging large bait.

[Iceholes]

Big Goldens, both live or dead

[captain54]

The lake I fish,the pike feed on gills,crappie,and perch.So that's what I use,small 5-7 panfish,I use a quick strike rig,size 8 and six hook,27 lb braid,no leader,tie steel to braid.I use polar tip-ups,and rigged a down rigger release,from tip -up to the line so the bait does not set flag off .Seems to work ok,get pike every year a lot of big ones 35-43 inches.

[VTtrophychaser]

in the last two seasons me and my buddy have a 26 and 29 pound pike, both were caught on bait no bigger than 6 inches...we like big bait for the most part, but thats what the two monsters came on

[mempfree]

Not sure on how much, or if everyone on this thread is paying for there bait, but where I am from, its $8.00, for a dozen of the golden shiners, that I use to catch Pike.  Due to new bait laws in my State.  How are everyone, dealing with getting bait, for Pike now?

[stephensonswille]

Thanks for all the tips! Shiners are 6 dollars a dozen at a local store 20 miles away theyre 4.50 a dozen. I luck out when i want dead bait i just go to work and grab some smelt (from 9in-2in)

[pikeking]

If you guys are listening? You should have no problems catching the big Pike. The whole thing now,,,,Is finding them... Good Luck and be safe!!!

[deadsmelthead]

I use large shiners, until I can get a dink (3-6") perch or 2 nearby..

[hulv]

well i had a casualty in the aquarium last night
think i can use it for bait?  i normally use dead bait anyway...

[stephensonswille]

by the looks of that fish ya mine as well clean it and eat it lol

[warwin125]

BIG dead suckers 12-14in.

[gbrebory]

youd prolly go to jail for using that thing as bait

[sinkyfish]

This is probably a dumb question with all the fish I've cleaned . But wheres the air blader on a shinner or perch to pop if I was to use it for dead bait .I'd like to pop it with out making a huge mess out of it . Thanks

[stephensonswille]

right under the backbone

This is probably a dumb question with all the fish I've cleaned . But wheres the air blader on a shinner or perch to pop if I was to use it for dead bait .I'd like to pop it with out making a huge mess out of it . Thanks

[Jiggen]

right under the backbone

Not to question you because I don't know, but I thought on most fish it was about a 1/2 to an inch right behind the pectoral fin?

[stephensonswille]

I could be wrong but it usually stretches most of the length of the back stopping just before the beginning of the tail

[***WaterWolf***]

Go "Big" or "Go Home"

[northernnyice]

big ol fresh living suckers or shiners

[mealworm]

big!!

[MeadowPikeman]

toooooooolabeeees!!! 10"

[Captain1978]

well i had a casualty in the aquarium last night
think i can use it for bait?  i normally use dead bait anyway...
(Image removed from quote.)

Illegal in NY !!!

[Wiener]

Very large smelt, set on a windless tipup.

The windless should be set to just give it a slight one to two inch jigging motion.

Hope this helps,


Wiener