Frozen Dead Bait or Salted for Pike...

[ICE DOG 69]

I have never done this so I am looking for information.

I am wondering about ordering minnows that are either frozen or Salted (pickled) or however they do it.

I have always just used live bait but with the prices getting stupid again do to the regs the dec put on them I am considering other alternatives.  Does anyone use dead bait for PIKE ?  If so what do you use and where do you get it and can it be ordered ?  Thanks in advance, I am just trying to figure other things out.  I and someone else here can always learn something new and in return become better fisherman.

[Trooper Bri]

Dead/frozen bait is very good for pike. My friend Chris won out pike outing last year with a frozen tinker mackerel laying on the bottom.

If i remember correctly, live bait works better in the early season, and dead baits work better later in the season. Kick me if i'm wrong.

[Drifter_016]

I use frozen herring and ciscoes.
I generally catch my own ciscoes in October just outside of town.
But if you need to purchase bait, try these guys out:
http://www.fishonbait.com/

[FidelCasserole]

Does anyone know where you can buy less than 20 packs of frozen herring or smelt?   I'm not really looking to buy a life time's supply   

[FishOnBait]

Does anyone know where you can buy less than 20 packs of frozen herring or smelt?   I'm not really looking to buy a life time's supply   

I don't post much, but thought I would chime in because our website has been posted a few times as producing frozen vacpacks of herring.  I see you're located in Michigan, there should be quite a few bait shops (mostly on Lake Michigan or Lake Huron) that still have vacpacks.

Shoot me a PM if you like and I can direct you to a local location to help you out!

-Keith

[FishOnBait]

Shoot me a PM if you like and I can direct you to a local location to help you out!

-Keith

Houston we have a problem,

Ok so the shooting me a PM part works, but it's my ability to respond that doesn't work so well.  I'm assuming it is because I am brand new and they put a hold on PM sending when you are a newbie on the forum.  Either way, if you have sent me a PM, please try to email me or call me, I have two solutions - one that is in Michigan and delivers locally, the other that ships out 8 trays a time via USPS.

My email is [email protected] and my phone number is (904) 241-6013.

I'll point you the right direction if I can!

Thanks,
Keith

[Spin]

  I've even used the cleaned for eating, buy in the seafood section of the grocery store smelt with good results, only drew a blank once using them out of about 1/2 dozen times but hell you get em cheap and there are supermarkets open 24 hrs a day so sometimes ya gotta do what ya gotta do, in any case they work and yes it is a much better late season bait. It's very common for pike and muskie scavenge on dead baitfish in late winter and very early spring when low oxygen and little food cause a die off. The predator that gets the most food with the least effort wins.

                                                                                                                  Spin

[kiltman]

Ditto Spin, ditto.

Sometimes you can get a hold of someone that is going on a smelting outing and offer some gas $$ for bringing you a bag or two.

my 2 cents

[Gob87]

All I use for Pike is frozen herring and it has always worked for me. I present it to them in a horizontal position on both tip ups and my rod. I fish it about 3 feet off the bottom in water 7 feet and up, and a foot off bottom in shallower water. I have had great success all through ice season with this set up.