muskie and pike bait for kinzua???????

[charger7022]

looking to try kinzua for the first time and wondering what would provide me with the best opportunity for catching big fish. I heard trout and suckers just looking for a few recommendations.  thanks

[fisher 74]

you got it, trout and suckers get them 8-15 inches long put them out dead or alive sometimes dead is better and be very patcient

[Outdoors365]

Use circle hooks.   

[esox_xtm]

you got it, trout and suckers get them 8-15 inches long put them out dead or alive sometimes dead is better and be very patcient

Sounds good to me! If you can catch 'em fresh and use 'em right away (alive or dead) that's even better. Skip the circles as they are inconsistent performers on toothy critters and roll with a quick strike. Don't wait, if the line is moving tighten up and pull the string.

FWIW I like to bob deads under a wind tipup (HT Windlass). Sometimes they like it just hanging there but it seems more often a little motion is more attractive.

[butcher]

My general rule for fishing in any body of water is to try to go native.  Basically, if you see something swimming in a body of water, something is probably eating it.  I've never fished Kinzua specifically but I've had a lot of success using perch for toothy critters and other large predatory fish as well.  I can just about assure you that if there are members of the esox family swimming in a body of water and it has perch, the pickerel, pike and even muskies are eating them.  Even during open water, perch-colored lures always perform well for me.  Jig up a few and put them out on a tip up.  Just remember to check the size and creel limits for the lake you are fishing. Any fish you keep, even for bait must meet minimum size requirements and counts toward your creel limit. 

[fisher 74]

use treble hook let them swallow it and have a tasty meal

[charger7022]

thanks for all the great info guys?  is there any crazy regulations I have to worry about with double treble hook rigs here In pa???
 

[Stickhick86]

Nope, just no more than 5 lines per person.

[1MOFISH]

thanks for all the great info guys?  is there any crazy regulations I have to worry about with double treble hook rigs here In pa???

in my machinations,i purposed to use a trot line effect on my tipups like a foot or too apart with multiple tipped with bait hooks  never got around toit
GOD BLESS
Mo

[butcher]

Quick strike rigs with two trebles are OK but I think there is a limit of two hooks per line in PA.  Treble hooks only count as 1 hook.  I think the intent of the regulation is to keep people from running trot lines. So... 1MOFISH, I would continue to procrastinate on that trot line initiative if I were you...

[Stickhick86]

This is copied right off of the website!!!

ICE FISHING EQUIPMENT – It is unlawful while ice fishing to use more than five fishing devices, which may consist of rods, hand lines, tip-ups or any combination. Each device shall contain a single fishing line with no restriction on the number of hooks used for fishing, except when fishing in the Pymatuning Reservoir where no more than three hooks shall be attached to each line. Holes cut in ice may not exceed 10 inches between the farthest points as measured in any direction. All lines, rods or tip-ups shall be under the immediate control of the person using them. On Fish & Boat Commission lakes, shelters or shanties must be removed when through fishing for the day.

[boatman]

I would not be using treble hooks for a fish species with a size limit it'll be too hard to release, and hard on a fish you need to release.

[butcher]

I stand corrected! Thanks for the clarification Stickhick86.

[charger7022]

I stand corrected! Thanks for the clarification Stickhick86.

    ive looked at many videos of quick strike rigs and they claim if rigged right its super easy to release the fish even with treble hooks.  the whole idea of the quick strike rig is to only hook them in the lip and to not let the fish swallow the hook. 

[Flatheadcat]

use treble hook let them swallow it and have a tasty meal

So you are ok with guy hooking undersized fish?

[butcher]

I am totally in agreement that we should do whatever we can to avoid gut-hooking fish.  When I am ice fishing, I watch my tip ups like a hawk so I think my response time is probably 30 seconds or so from when a flag trips.  I do use trebles and quick strikes for larger baits on my tip ups and can't remember the last time I gut-hooked a fish.  In fact, I find that the quick strike rigs help me to avoid gut hooking and land fish cleanly.  Of course, even if you use a single hook you can still gut hook a fish if you aren't paying attention.  I've seen flags pop on tip ups and nobody retrieves them for 5 minutes or more.  Those fish are almost certainly gut hooked.  I guess if you can't get to the fish quickly, the best option is to just use circle hooks.   

[Tom7541]

Give hot dogs a try check out the videos on youtube