running or stopped?

[Fish Slayer_15]

Hey guys i am fairly new to pike fishing and any tips would be great! I was wondering if you guys set the hook when fish was spooling line or if you wait till it stops? Thanks 

[SpartySturg]

I tend to wait unless he has had the bait for awhile and has made a run and pause already.
Good luck -  Sturg

[Kobey]

Depends on what type of rig I'm using.  If it's a quick strike I set it right away but if I'm using one single or treble hook I wait for the second run.  If I have my tipups spread way out, I'll usually set the hook right away.  I figure the time it takes me to walk all the way to it gives him time to turn it if he's going to.  (My days of running to flags are over)

No matter which method you use, you're going to second guess yourself after every missed fish.  Either "I should have waited longer" or "I shouldn't have waited so long".

[deadsmelthead]

I get on them as fast as i can, it the spool is turning i give it some slack wait for a little tauntness and set the hook, it its stopped when i approach the trap i look to see if the line is going away from the hole, and again give it some slack and set the hook.. Guys that ive fished with that wait out the fish seem to spend alot of time putting new hooks on and losing fish.. If its moving, its in their mouth, so set the hook.. No different when your're using a rod, bend in the rod, set the hook, fish running on a tip up, set the hook..JMHO

[derek_buck]

If the fish is running I set the hook as soon as I get there.  If the spool isn't turning but the line is at and angle in the hole, I slowly apply pressure until I feel the fish and the I set the hook.

[thomasthepikehunter]

Never set the hook on slack line. You want the fish facing away from you. If the fish has stopped, I feel for the fish, and as soon as it turns to swim away I hit it. If the fish is facing you, or under you, you will miss them more times than not.

[deadsmelthead]

Never set the hook on slack line. You want the fish facing away from you. If the fish has stopped, I feel for the fish, and as soon as it turns to swim away I hit it. If the fish is facing you, or under you, you will miss them more times than not.

I actually prefer to have the fish/line running underneath me so to speak, for me it seems easier working a fish with your hand away from your body rather than into it.. Also makes it easier to lay line on the ice for those runs the big girls like to make

[thomasthepikehunter]

What I meant doesn't pertain to pike as much. Its when you see your line straight down, and the fish has not swam off yet. It happens more with walleye where they will just sit under a hole for a long time before moving.

[Martian]

Depends on what type of rig I'm using.  If it's a quick strike I set it right away but if I'm using one single or treble hook I wait for the second run.  If I have my tipups spread way out, I'll usually set the hook right away.  I figure the time it takes me to walk all the way to it gives him time to turn it if he's going to.  (My days of running to flags are over)

No matter which method you use, you're going to second guess yourself after every missed fish.  Either "I should have waited longer" or "I shouldn't have waited so long".

 
I do this almost exactly opposite, I wait on second run w/ quickstrikes, and STOP, ( not set) at any time w/ circle. I use circles always now,

[saxmatt]

Never set the hook on slack line. You want the fish facing away from you. If the fish has stopped, I feel for the fish, and as soon as it turns to swim away I hit it. If the fish is facing you, or under you, you will miss them more times than not.

This guys knows what he's talking about. If it's running I set the hook. You may lose some small fish that grabbed the bait and don't have the hook in their mouth, but the big ones will have the whole bait in their mouth most of the time. If they're swimming away you'll get a good hook set most of the time as long as you set the hook hard enough to come out of the bait and set into the pike's jaw. If they're facing you sometimes you'll hook them, but you have a greater chance of pulling the hook out of the pike's mouth.

[harrops26]

I switched to 1/0 circles last year. If the fish is running I just slowly start to retrieve with out a noticeable hook set. I rarely lose a fish that is running and the hook is almost always in the front lip or corner of the mouth.

[mr tip up]

I get on them as fast as i can, it the spool is turning i give it some slack wait for a little tauntness and set the hook, it its stopped when i approach the trap i look to see if the line is going away from the hole, and again give it some slack and set the hook.. Guys that ive fished with that wait out the fish seem to spend alot of time putting new hooks on and losing fish.. If its moving, its in their mouth, so set the hook.. No different when your're using a rod, bend in the rod, set the hook, fish running on a tip up, set the hook..JMHO

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