Making A Dead Smelt stay Level:

[ADCO]

If any of you Pike Fishermen use Dead Smelt for Pike Fishing, you'll get MORE strikes when using Swedish Hooks, by keeping the Smelt Level. This is what I do..

Take a couple of Coat Hangers, and cut them up using a Wire Snippers, in different lenghts. If the TAIL end drops, Take it out of the hole, and place a couple of pieces of Coat Hanger you cut up and place them in the MOUTH of the Smelt, It'll set at LEVEL and look more REAL for Mr. PIKE.

Try this trick, I feel you'll like it, and Catch MORE Fish.

Stan

[grumpymoe]

adco--not a good idea to be feeding them bits of coathanger--i dont use swedish hooks anymore but when i hooked my smelts i would simply push the end of the hook down the mouth and out the back-the smelt always stays level

[DipLip]

A killer on pike up here.

I insert a small finishing nail into the smelt's vent.

[grumpymoe]

diplip  i knew we'd get some carpenters on here sooner or later

[shwung79]

How do you guys usually set the tip up when fishing with dead bait??  Depth?  Do you drop it down all the way to the bottom ?

Thanks
Kevin

[grumpymoe]

not on bottom-few northerns will actively feed this way-generally 1-2 and sometimes 3 feet off but no more. they wont suspend unless they are LARGE and waiting for an easy meal--chances of hitting one like this on hardwater is slim unless theres enough anglers covering the area.the only exception i can think of is when they feed right in heavy weed covered bottom for crayfish, freshwater shrimp and larvae. lol grumpy

[ADCO]

GRUMPY MOE:
Heck..I guess, your Gods Gift when you USED to use the Swedish Hooks. Geez.......All I said was to USE Coathanger bits IF the bait tend to droop, or have it's head higher than normal.....BUT...I GUESS that if your Grumpy Moe, you don't need to do THAT..        

ME

[grumpymoe]

easy adco--i aint gods gift when it comes to fishing and i merely said i use to use them. i'm not perfect either but i'm merely passing my views on which is what iceshanty is all about. i also dont believe in placing foreign objects in bait which may or may not be retreived each and every time. theres enough junk in our lakes, streams and evironment without adding more.merry christmas grumpy--oops  did i forget a period after christmas??

[Trevor]

Actually it's a common misconception that your bait needs to hang perfectly horizontal.  I rarely fish pike but when I do I target the huge ones.  Can't stand catching hammerhandles.  Think I would prefer a good book.  I rig my deadbait(usually 8" or better) with the head hanging slightly lower than the tail, especially if I plan to jig it.  This way it looks very much alive and natural on the fall portion of the jigging action.  Drives em nuts.  They can never resist.

[Oagie]

I agree with Trevor about the baits head slightly lower than the tail.  Looks like it is foraging for food, more natural looking.  As for the rigging I make my own quick strike rigs.  

I use a standard steel pike leader, 12 inches.  Put one treble on the snap on the end and then put another on the line with a snap ring, so it can slide up and down the leader.  When I bait my quick strike, the stationary treble goes in the head of the smelt while the other goes through the middle of the back.

As for depth, I generally put the bait a foot off the bottom, but when fishing in less than 10 feet, you can place it anywhere in the water column.  In 15 feet or deeper, it has to be just off the bottom.

[FullTmeDad]

Grumpymoe
We're finding that ADCO feels that he has to insult anyone that doesn't agree with him. However, he is good for a laugh. Maybe we should give him his own string so he insult everyone on the team in turn.
LOL

[grumpymoe]

fulltmedad--may your christmas be merry and your new year prosperous. i think we should take him fishing when the ice starts breaking up

[FullTmeDad]

Grumpymoe,
Merry Christmas to you too, my friend. Here's hoping that this is the year you catch the fish of your life!
FTD

[ADCO]

GRUMPYMOE and FULL  TIME DADDY:

YOU guys made my day..

Grumpymoe, said.." maybe we should take ADCO out fishing w/ us when the ice starts breaking up"..

LMAO..

It was a Knee Slappin one here..

GOOD ONE.

I'll TRY and lay low for awhile.

LOL

[grumpymoe]

glad we could make somebodys day adco    as long as you can give it and take it, you dont have to lay low---merry christmas  p.s. if you want to post your address, i'll see if ftd and myself can get a group organized to send you our surplus coat hangers  

[FullTmeDad]

Merry Christmas ADCO!
FTD

[TIPUPMILITIA]

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
you are guys are really tense about smelt! oh well. Its funny that adco cant't spell LAMO either! HAHAHAHAHA.
Chill dude.

[TIPUPMILITIA]

(those mistakes were dilibrate by the way!)

[TIPUPMILITIA]

I know it means laugh my #% off. I'm just seeing if you will go ape crazy mad again! LOL

(I know a great psychiatrist by the way )