drag and drop

[VT snotrocket]

I am a newbie to this forum, looks like some good information. I have a questionabout what has been happening to me lately. I fish for big pike with big dead bait. I use beaver dam tip ups,18" red leader and circle hook. I have never had a problem with this set up. The last few weekends I have been getting alot of fish grabbing the bait and running about 20 feet and dropping it. My question is what could I do to change this. I am going to try quick strike rigs this weekend. Is there anything else I should try? Any information would be helpful. Thank you and I am happy to be here.

[FISHFORPIKE]

I tried quick-strike rigs this past Sunday and didn't care for them.  I am going back to my original (for tip-ups) 12" steel leader (black coated) with a single red treble hook size 4 or 2.  Never tried the circle hooks - maybe that will precede my original.
I use "small" split rings tied to my line (35lb. dacron) and the hook to the leader also.  No "snap-swivels".

Good luck. 

[deadbait dave]

it's most likely small fish with stomachs bigger than their mouths! they grab the bait and swim off with it and then can't eat it.
very large pike have no problem eating and when they eat they eat they don't play around with bait!
the only time a big pike would run off with bait and spit it is if your line is creating to much drag and the fish can't take line freely.

[FISHFORPIKE]

it's most likely small fish with stomachs bigger than their mouths! they grab the bait and swim off with it and then can't eat it.
very large pike have no problem eating and when they eat they eat they don't play around with bait!
the only time a big pike would run off with bait and spit it is if your line is creating to much drag and the fish can't take line freely.

  Just reminded me, this past weekend I was fishing with a buddy, on Sunday, that had left his tipups in the back of his pickup after fishing on Saturday.  Sunday morning, when we got to the lake, it was -10 Deg. F.  He was setting his tipups and made a comment about the line being frozen - I inquired why and he told about leaving the gear in his truck all night.  I made a friendly wager, the day's bait and beer, that he would catch NO fish on those tipups.  My fishing for the day was "free".  Every time he checked his tipups (2 or 3 during the day) his minnows were gone, no flag.  Those tipup reels remained frozen!  This refers to your comment about a Pike dropping the bait if they feel "resistance" - well they just sat there and ate the bait off the hook(s).      I've seen this a few times in my long life of fishing.  Glad to have seen it done before I tried it.

[VT snotrocket]

Thank you for the input. I have checked the spool for smoothness and they are smooth no glitches. This piece of water I fish is also getting fished very heavily this year. It already has way more shacks on it than all of last year. It will be a long day but I am also going to fish well after dark. Maybe all this activity has gotten the big ones wary. Maybe they will feed more at dusk till midnight. Worth a try.

[keepah seekah]

pike are very pressure shy. sometimes just the smallest amount of pressure will make them drop the bait. if im fishin steel with trebles or a single hook, i will wait untill their initial run is over. when this happens , they are turning the bait in their mouths to swallow it. after the initial run, i will wait a few seconds, and then very gently pull little by little, apply a little pressure so that the pike will clamp down on it a bit harder (makes it think the bait is tryin to swim away). and when i get to the point where i can feel him enough on the other end, i drive the hook home. i don't have any info for circles, i have never used them. but i hope this info i have given ya helps ya out to get that wall hanger! good luck!

[VT snotrocket]

pike are very pressure shy. sometimes just the smallest amount of pressure will make them drop the bait. if I'm fishing steel with trebles or a single hook, i will wait until their initial run is over. when this happens , they are turning the bait in their mouths to swallow it. after the initial run, i will wait a few seconds, and then very gently pull little by little, apply a little pressure so that the pike will clamp down on it a bit harder (makes it think the bait is trying to swim away). and when i get to the point where i can feel him enough on the other end, i drive the hook home. i don't have any info for circles, i have never used them. but i hope this info i have given ya helps ya out to get that wall hanger! good luck!

Thanks for the info guys. I am going to try some quick strike rigs this weekend. I am going to fish hard this weekend. If I can land all the drag and drops I have been getting I will be in business.

[Smeltecca]

I agree with Deadbait - probably small fish with eyes bigger than there stomachs