Different Color Blades/Beads

[captstevepc]

This is really interesting. I have never used blades or beads but based on some of the comments it sounds like it is worth a try.. I usually just use hook and bait with now blade..  does this work best on live bait as apposed to dead or do people use blades on dead bait too? I dont see how this would help....if anything seems like it would make it look less natural...

[dkillay64]

This is really interesting. I have never used blades or beads but based on some of the comments it sounds like it is worth a try.. I usually just use hook and bait with now blade..  does this work best on live bait as apposed to dead or do people use blades on dead bait too? I dont see how this would help....if anything seems like it would make it look less natural...

I use beads and blades on live and dead bait.  I fish a setback off a river and it has a small current, but enough to move the blade with dead bait on the line... i just feel like any extra flash you can get is going to at least make pike interested

[captstevepc]

yeah that makes sense... thanks for your info.. I may have to try some blades this year. Planning a trip Jan 13th to VT. hopefully we will have ice!

[northernnyice]

To me, the only reason I'd even use blades is with live bait, the minnow makes the blade flutter and shine. Dead bait with blades, to me? Pointless.

Here's my take on beads and blades... Beads don't seem to change much, for me. It's just preference maybe use a hot pink or red one in dark stained water. I've tried blades and did truly seem to catch more pike. But smaller. Big mature females wouldn't eat. I talked to a few veterans on the st. Lawrence who have caught tanks, and the general consensus was that big huge pike have seen lots of flashy blade baits and flashy lures, the best presentation for big seasoned pike is a low visibility leader/swivel snap/hook with a big tasty offering on the end. Plain and boring.

[harrops26]

I use a red a and white willow blade with hot pink beads on a red treble. Works ok. I catch more on the trebles that i tie red and white bucktail to with no blades or beads.

[bushyjr]

My best luck I would say was red beads and chartruse blade or copper blade with a nice shined on hook 

[northernnyice]

Try crimping your own leaders if you want beads and blades closer to the hook. You can build them any way you choose.

[blackmer826]

does anyone attach blades and beads on their braided above their leader or do you want it closer to the hook?

thanks

[bushyjr]

this year I have my beads  and blades above my 12 inch  leader  this year my daughter has had the best luck with purple and pink  beads and a white small willow leaf we are also running a red braid line blackmer hope to see you on the 3rd

[blackmer826]

so you run your beads and your spoons on the braided line instead of on your leader? If so how the hell do you tie them on there, beads and spoons that is. I was going to do a drop loop in my line then just slipknot the spoon on but it puts it off to the side and idk if i like the way it rigs up. Also how much does it cost to make up your own leaders? Crimp gun? crimps? fluorocarbon? swivels? what else?

[harrops26]

so you run your beads and your spoons on the braided line instead of on your leader? If so how the hell do you tie them on there, beads and spoons that is. I was going to do a drop loop in my line then just slipknot the spoon on but it puts it off to the side and idk if i like the way it rigs up. Also how much does it cost to make up your own leaders? Crimp gun? crimps? fluorocarbon? swivels? what else?

I Paid 22 for 25 yards of seagard 50 lb leader material. $3 for for 20 nickel crimps and 2 for the large barrel swivels. You dont really need the crimpers. A pair of needle nose pliers work fine. You can use a pair crimps to keep the beads and blade where you want on the leader

[blackmer826]

alright, I guess i am not worried about the prices of everything but now I am just tryin to feel everyone out for what is best crimping or tying? it will be fluorocarbon

[iceninja]

Great info! Hey saxmatt are those size 2 hooks or 2/0? also did you consider running a small tracer hook on that rig?

[snotsickles08]

i tried a quick strike rig with just trebles and barely any luck. this year i made my own quick strike rigs and added some with green beads and green blades, and some with orange beads with orange blades. seems to be making a difference because i have gotten quite a few flags this year already as compared to last year.

[tt350z]

I'm the complete opposite.

My quick strike rigs with just red or black trebles have gotten 10:1 hit ratios as my rigs with blades and beads.

Gonna try swapping places with each rig and see if anything new happens.

[harrops26]

Here's some anecdotal  evidence that beads blades and bucktail  works. This weekend i set up on a small featureless lake. I had two groups  with 20 tip ups  each on both sides of  me. All my tip ups have either bucktail trebles, blades and red beads or all three.  I had 9 flags 3 pickerel and a jumbo perch on the ice on 5 .tipups.  One of the other groups  had 2 flags and no fish the other group had several  flags but no fish. I think the added flare on my rigs helped  me catch a few fish when everyone else was catching nothing.

[esox_xtm]

Nice to see this resurrected......... I missed it the first time around.

I'm a believer in attraction. Seems like hard water gets most folks into the "natural, finesse, gotta be stealthy and invisible" mode. I think pike are pretty shameless creatures and will eat most anything if you can get them to come check it out. Sure, there are slow days, but for the most part.

Many of my leaders have 3-4 colored beads on them; mostly 3 I guess. I like contrast so I usually place a glow or pearl one between pink, orange or chartreuse (in order of preference). Bead size is mostly 4mm but occasionally a larger bead set (5mm) does the trick.

I've also experimented with some "flashers" fashioned out of Flashabou. The red/silver holographic is far and away the best though I've caught fish on gold, silver, blue, green and rainbow. These babies can really turn the tide especially when there's lots of fishing pressure. Just one of those things to make my bait stand out in a virtual sea of others.

I would expect sound to play a part as well. I've had some good experiences jigging lipless cranks for pike and at times they are incredible. A couple smaller blades (say size 2 or less) clanking together on a bait rig is in my future. I knew a guy that hung some bass worm rattles on his minnow rigs, don't know how that turned out.........

It's like so many other things fishing, there are no magic lures. Sometimes it seems like it, but not day in and day out. Gotta roll with the fish, let 'em tell you what they want. Be versatile, be prepared........

Just my opinions based on my experiences........... .....user mileage may vary.

/m