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Author Topic: Champ pike  (Read 2662 times)

Offline Hottuna5150

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Champ pike
« on: Jan 06, 2019, 04:54 PM »
I’m headed to Champlain in February and am going to try my hand at pike fishing through the ice. I’ve bass fished in the lake a few times (many years ago) and caught pike accidentally. I’m trying to figure out the best way to make leaders for tip ups and jawjackers. I’m leaning fluoro with crimps but that’s only because I have some experience making bluefish leaders and figure it would be similar... or not? Any help with leader pointers or general set up for either rig would be greatly appreciated.
Cheers
Keith
Perhaps I should not have been a fisherman, he thought. But that was the thing that I was born for.
-Ernest Hemingway

Offline keithm87

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Re: Champ pike
« Reply #1 on: Jan 06, 2019, 05:45 PM »
All of my pike rigs are 30lb flouro crimped with really small crimps. I use owner brand hooks, a single size 2 or 4, others swear by quick strike rigs with 2 trebles but bait here isn’t big enough to warrant that imo, and it reduces safe releases. Usually 3ft leader with a single split shot 12 inches above hook.

Offline Hottuna5150

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Re: Champ pike
« Reply #2 on: Jan 06, 2019, 06:35 PM »
I appreciate the help Keithm87. That makes it pretty simple.
Perhaps I should not have been a fisherman, he thought. But that was the thing that I was born for.
-Ernest Hemingway

Offline dodgetech4

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Re: Champ pike
« Reply #3 on: Jan 07, 2019, 06:17 AM »
what does everyone recommend for a leader. Ive used steel leaders and had some luck but there are guys who swear by 40lb fluro

Offline Light liner

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Re: Champ pike
« Reply #4 on: Jan 07, 2019, 06:49 AM »
I like mono, I like a little stretch in my leaders and it tends to work better in the cold.
But it takes time to get used to using it and hope for a good hook on the corner of the mouth.
Just take your time fighting the fish.
Champlain
Memphremagog

Offline TRT

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Re: Champ pike
« Reply #5 on: Jan 07, 2019, 07:36 AM »
Friday about 5pm, a young buck walks into R&L with a 41 inch fish he said it was caught out of Keelers.
He said it weighed 18 ish pounds, nice fish. 

Offline EyERipLip

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Re: Champ pike
« Reply #6 on: Jan 07, 2019, 07:52 AM »
I fish steel whenever targeting toothies open water or ice. Seen too many smal fish bite theought 30-50lb fluoro and swim away with flies. Pike arent as line shy as people like to tell you. Afv makes a good product but rios bite wire is my favorite. Much easier to tie than 60 lb fluoro also. Good luck !

Offline keithm87

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Re: Champ pike
« Reply #7 on: Jan 07, 2019, 09:00 AM »
I have never in 5 years of using it been cut on my 30lb flouro leaders. A buddy got cut off fighting a fish on one, but I have never, and that’s landing many fish in the 10lb class. Even deep hooked. They have sharp teeth, but those are only a factor if you are rough on the hookset or when playing them. Anything under 20 seems to cut like butter, but 30lb has been great, crimping is best, but in a pinch I will tie.

Offline LittleFishin

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Re: Champ pike
« Reply #8 on: Jan 07, 2019, 02:24 PM »
I run quick strike rigs and single trebles as well as some single hooks. Pike do not seem to care. The new thought is to put the quick-strikes on tip ups closest to you and the single hooks further away (allowing the fish extra time as we go to the tip up). If you run quick-strikes be careful you don't slam the extra hook into the bottom of the ice when the fish gets to the hole (lost many that way so we now tie an extra Dacron leader so we know when its about 4 feet from the hole). I run whatever is on sale when I go to restock as long as the diameter of the steel leader material does not exceed .028... I recommend putting it all together without using snap swivels as that will limit the natural movements more than the steel leader itself.  ALSO, nylon coated wire kinks more and I would recommend storing your leaders in a way so they do not get all twisted. they last twice as long.
Load it, Drive it, Park it
Bait it, Jig it, Hook it
Catch it, Clean it, Cook it
Simply put just get out/ and do it

Offline Hottuna5150

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Re: Champ pike
« Reply #9 on: Jan 07, 2019, 05:01 PM »
I’d like to say thank you to all that responded. It’s awesome that so many folks on this site are willing to help out a fellow fisherman.
Greatly appreciated.
-keith
Perhaps I should not have been a fisherman, he thought. But that was the thing that I was born for.
-Ernest Hemingway

Offline KillerFish

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Re: Champ pike
« Reply #10 on: Jan 07, 2019, 05:10 PM »
50 lb mono - mono has strectch, which is desirable if you have only braided tip-up line otherwise. Also mono has better resistance to cold and abrasion. Just the better choice for pike fishing in the winter. I have caught many pike on this up to 22 lbs with only one bite off.

Only difference is if I’m fishing big dead bait I’ll use steel quick strike rigs. Which have also been successful.

Offline lowaccord66

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Re: Champ pike
« Reply #11 on: Jan 08, 2019, 12:37 PM »
Never a shortage of opinions regarding pike fishing.  My advice is try out a few different things and you'll figure out what works for you.  I've tried most if not all of the methods mentioned in the post here.  Most work just fine.  What works best for me I keep to myself and maybe a few friends.  It's a very simple rig.

Offline Nthaburgh

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Re: Champ pike
« Reply #12 on: Jan 08, 2019, 02:53 PM »
I rigged up some of these recently. Work pretty slick. Have landed 4 out of 5 flags so far. I used 40# fluoro for the main leader. One hook through the upper lip and and one behind the dorsal fin. I use them on big bait like perch and such.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g8cBBafIX3A
"I've come to know the cold...I think of it as home" -G&R

Offline fishy1

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Re: Champ pike
« Reply #13 on: Jan 08, 2019, 04:56 PM »
I rigged up some of these recently. Work pretty slick. Have landed 4 out of 5 flags so far. I used 40# fluoro for the main leader. One hook through the upper lip and and one behind the dorsal fin. I use them on big bait like perch and such.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g8cBBafIX3A
i just bought some 40 lb fluoro for my tip ups for pike will stay with the 17 lb for eyes.  any problems with the 40 lb fluoro.

Offline Nthaburgh

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Re: Champ pike
« Reply #14 on: Jan 08, 2019, 08:17 PM »
Can be tough to tie knots with. Other than that no issues.  I used crimps instead of tying them on.
"I've come to know the cold...I think of it as home" -G&R

Offline dodgetech4

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Re: Champ pike
« Reply #15 on: Jan 09, 2019, 06:25 AM »
how is your setup? Barrel swivel on top and right down to a loop and hook or do you put a snap swivel on.

Offline EyERipLip

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Re: Champ pike
« Reply #16 on: Jan 09, 2019, 07:41 AM »
I tie barrel swivel from ice line to leader, and then the leaderdirectly to the hook for tip ups. On a rod i use another barrel swivel to a clasp for easy switching of flies. I solely fish  for pike and musky open water and have seen dink 16” pike bite clean through 30lb fluoro. Also if it gets a nick in it, its a must that you replace it wich  is also inconvenient imo. Its one thing to tie a bulky fluro knot in warm weather personally wouldnt wanna deal with it when it was 20 degrees out. Once again just my opinion but after 10 + years of chasing essox i only use steel. Good luck out there !!

Offline hogan

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Re: Champ pike
« Reply #17 on: Jan 09, 2019, 08:06 AM »
Never a shortage of opinions regarding pike fishing.  My advice is try out a few different things and you'll figure out what works for you.  I've tried most if not all of the methods mentioned in the post here.  Most work just fine.  What works best for me I keep to myself and maybe a few friends.  It's a very simple rig.
   

             Just wondering what your reason is for not revealing your"very simple rig".

Offline lowaccord66

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Re: Champ pike
« Reply #18 on: Jan 09, 2019, 09:31 AM »
   

             Just wondering what your reason is for not revealing your"very simple rig".

You misinterpreted my post. The rig is a single hook and wire.  I don't mind sharing that.

Offline Hottuna5150

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Re: Champ pike
« Reply #19 on: Jan 09, 2019, 02:21 PM »
Thanks again for all the help folks! Was wondering if perhaps I could ask one more favor/question, does anybody use planar clips to hold big baits? I have traps with drags but I really hate the idea of impeding the take for however long. I know some folks use jack traps which is where I got the idea, but planar clips are much cheaper. Thanks again
-Keith
Perhaps I should not have been a fisherman, he thought. But that was the thing that I was born for.
-Ernest Hemingway

Offline KillerFish

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Re: Champ pike
« Reply #20 on: Jan 09, 2019, 02:24 PM »
Thanks again for all the help folks! Was wondering if perhaps I could ask one more favor/question, does anybody use planar clips to hold big baits? I have traps with drags but I really hate the idea of impeding the take for however long. I know some folks use jack traps which is where I got the idea, but planar clips are much cheaper. Thanks again
-Keith

Depending on what type of trap ... I have standard t shape tip-ups - rubber bands work for me while pike fishing

Offline shiveringjoe

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Re: Champ pike
« Reply #21 on: Jan 09, 2019, 02:36 PM »
I never buy big baits but if I'm putting a perch or a bluegill on a tipup I will typically trim its tail fin and take off a pectoral fin. Still move around plenty but they look really wounded if you trim a pectoral fin.

Thanks again for all the help folks! Was wondering if perhaps I could ask one more favor/question, does anybody use planar clips to hold big baits? I have traps with drags but I really hate the idea of impeding the take for however long. I know some folks use jack traps which is where I got the idea, but planar clips are much cheaper. Thanks again
-Keith

Offline Hottuna5150

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Re: Champ pike
« Reply #22 on: Jan 09, 2019, 04:45 PM »
Depending on what type of trap ... I have standard t shape tip-ups - rubber bands work for me while pike fishing

I have heritage laker traps and I was going to mount the clip opposite the trip mechanism.

I never buy big baits but if I'm putting a perch or a bluegill on a tipup I will typically trim its tail fin and take off a pectoral fin. Still move around plenty but they look really wounded if you trim a pectoral fin.

I’ve done similar things with suckers for lake trout. I suppose there’s no reason it wouldn’t be equally effective for pike.


Perhaps I should not have been a fisherman, he thought. But that was the thing that I was born for.
-Ernest Hemingway

Offline lowaccord66

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Re: Champ pike
« Reply #23 on: Jan 09, 2019, 05:32 PM »
Thanks again for all the help folks! Was wondering if perhaps I could ask one more favor/question, does anybody use planar clips to hold big baits? I have traps with drags but I really hate the idea of impeding the take for however long. I know some folks use jack traps which is where I got the idea, but planar clips are much cheaper. Thanks again
-Keith

This time of year your bait should be freshly killed at the hole.  No clip needed then.  Interesting study you can Google up where scientists determined female pike will seek out decomposing fish prior to spawn because they can metabolize them faster.  With that in mind as the season progresses I usually would fish less and less live bait. 

Offline KillerFish

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Re: Champ pike
« Reply #24 on: Jan 10, 2019, 02:17 PM »
This time of year your bait should be freshly killed at the hole.  No clip needed then.  Interesting study you can Google up where scientists determined female pike will seek out decomposing fish prior to spawn because they can metabolize them faster.  With that in mind as the season progresses I usually would fish less and less live bait.

I always throw down at least two big dead baits and a couple lively shiners. Give them some variation. Biggest pike I ever caught was on a medium/heavy shiner.

That being said I've heard that same thing about spawning females looking for decomposing fish - because of which I try to use one freshly killed dead bait and one frozen sucker I'll use over and over - different paces of decomposition...

 



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