Dead Smelt

[BEAVERTAIL]

What's your favorite way to rig dead smelt for pike?

[Pork Rind]

Get the pike spreaders 1 treble near the tail and one near the head, worked like a charm in ND on devils lake for us anyways.   

[pikie]

I poke a hole in them with the hook to pop the air bladder.  Then I put a #7 or 6 treble under the dorsal fin (with a steel leader).  I put them in the water to make sure they sink and sit relatively horizontal in the water.  If something isn't right, I fix it and try again.  I tried quick strike rigs but didn't like the way the baits sat in the water.

[Master Angler]

I poke a hole in them with the hook to pop the air bladder.  Then I put a #7 or 6 treble under the dorsal fin (with a steel leader).  I put them in the water to make sure they sink and sit relatively horizontal in the water.  If something isn't right, I fix it and try again.  I tried quick strike rigs but didn't like the way the baits sat in the water.

Its what I do too, for the same reasons.  Smelt just aren't big enough IMO for a quick strike rig, unless its a really big smelt and you use really small trebles.  I'll use quick strikes on the bigger stuff like suckers and tullibee.

[[email protected]]

Quick strike rig, the one I use is keeps it horizontal and hooks the fish almost every time.

[royjulius]

 The only tip I can offer for smelt is this: Make sure it's in the water. I can't stress that enough. Seriously though, kahle hooks rock. Lots of hook-ups.