hooking your bait with quick strikes?

[fishin buddy]

How is everyone seting up there quick strike rigs into there bait for  pike? Reason I ask is this year I find that I have been getting alot more misses when I go to set the hook.MY usual method is to put one treble threw the side of the cheek and the other around the dorsal to keep it horizontal. Any input ideas appreciaated

[lethalconnection]

What depth are you setting them at? Reason i ask is cause ive noticed if you set them more towards bottom they will take it head first, higher up they will come from the bottom and strike it in the mid-section, therefore at first there are no hooks in its mouth untill the pike has determined the fish is dead and starts swallowing it head first, so you have to let them eat it down a bit before setting the hook. I set my quickstrike the same way, but i find especially with the bigger pike you have to give them a bit of time before setting the hook.

[fishin buddy]

12-15 inches off bottom usually

[lethalconnection]

Yah then the only thing i can suggest is let them eat it down a bit longer, they will usually run at first with bait in mouth (they wont be cookin it they will b moving at a casual pace), then stop and eat, then start to go again, after they stop wait about 15-20secs then set the hook by then they have usually got the bait/hooks down far enough in the mouth that you will have a good hook set, thats usually what i do. Or you will get to your flag and your spool wont b moving at all thats cause they are eating it right below the hole so once again give it 15-20secs then set the hook. If they are really cookin it they probably hit the bait really hard with mouth open so bait is in mouth pretty good already so set the hook immediately. But thats not always the case thats just what I have noticed where i fish maybe different where you are but those tactics/guidelines have seem to b working for me.

Good Luck

Lethal