Big bait

[FondoFishin]

So, you pike guys out there...where do you score big bait? I've pretty much had enough of buying a dozen "pike" shiners and ending up with maybe one or two decent sized ones (5 inches at best), and then a bunch of medium/larges. Its tough because I really like my local shops, but its just not cutting it anymore. I'm in the Poultney/Fair haven area, and am willing to drive up to 30, maybe 45 minutes one way to get bait that is at LEAST 6 inches and bigger. Any help is appreciated.

[DunmoreFAn]

Whipple Hollow Bait has some huge shiners.... i almost filleted them the other day cause i wasn't getting any fish, I always put out a couple jacks for Pike when im fishing Perch!!

[northernfisher]

  Good luck getting any big bait, and if anyone does know where i doubt they will tell,  Big bait is very rare to come buy in this state, your best bet is to try jigging up some goldens and freeze them.  I like to fish with big dead bait anyhow.

[FondoFishin]

So do I, but even catching and freezing them violates the bait regulations...not that its very enforceable.

[DunmoreFAn]

Whipple Hollow Bait in Florence........ coming from 4A (caselton side) take a left on the hollow and i think it is about 2.5 miles from there..... 802-345-7212 is the owners cell give him a call.... im telling you he has some big shiners.....so big people say there to big!!!!

[FondoFishin]

Thanks for the info...heard about the place but never stopped in, I'll have to drop by.

[whipplebuck]

The problem with PIKE BAIT is we can only get what we are sold and it changes, Yes I have  Good ones now but its really a crap shoot,  like this past week I turned away the pike bait I was to be delivered as you said it was the size of my Large shiners and I also do my best to sort out the little ones.. thanks Brian WHB&T

[northernfisher]

  That's the problem, most bait dealers in VT get there bait from the same place, I called one place in newport and they said they had "big bait"  well I drove the two hrs there only to find out he gets his bait from the same guy everyone else gets it from.  Sometimes they do get a good delivery and get some XL shiners in there but from what I understand there mostly medium and large.

[kencorey]

HARD TO GET BIG BAIT OR EMERALDS PRETTY MUCH EVERYTHING COMES FROM THE SAME WHOLESALER. I CAN ONLY GET FATHEADS, MED SHINERS AND LARGE . I DO HAVE ONE THAT MOST BE ABOUT 6 INCHES + ( Big One is gone just sold him )

[finlessbrown]

when i can't get big stuff for champlain i jig some perch and put them on

[cbice]

Yeah I'm afraid that using big bait is a thing of the past.  The pike bait we end up with now os about the size of the mediums I grew up using on the Connecticut river for walleye.  I saw they had a lot of big bait up at Martins in Highgate last year but it was $14.00 a dozen.  Needless to say I have only bothered to go fishing once so far this year.  It's just too damn expensive to fish for pike on a regular basis now.

[FondoFishin]

Right, the price for big bait when it is available is pretty harsh, and I wouldn't even mind it too much if we could actually SAVE the stuff for more than 4 days. Sad state of affairs...

[rawrightII]

I talked to a representative thats on the F&W board and supposedly there is a petition that will be hitting the bait shops soon to revoke this bait law.  There saying that just using these "Arkansas Shiners" is actually an invasive species compared to trapping our own bait from Vt waters and using them.  He also stated that the disease VT was so worried about has not shown up and that it was not the threat they actually believed it to be.

These bait laws are hurting the fishing in this state. It has made pike fishing very dificult. Lets hope something happens.
 

[northernfisher]

Gilbert has big bait but he wont sell it, he is saving it all for the islands derby, it sucks cause I fish 2 or 3 days a week and most of the time I have to use mediums.  I would gladly pay 15$ a dozen for good bait

[ssinvt]

Right, the price for big bait when it is available is pretty harsh, and I wouldn't even mind it too much if we could actually SAVE the stuff for more than 4 days. Sad state of affairs...

You can save your bait.  The law says once the bait is on the water it has to stay there.  The bait is good for 96 hours after you purchase it.  If you only bring out what you want to use for the day, you can save the rest of it for another day.  You can bring one bait fish out if you want.  As long as the bait does not come off the water once it goes on, and you have your slip you are legal.  

[FondoFishin]

You can save your bait.  The law says once the bait is on the water it has to stay there.  The bait is good for 96 hours after you purchase it.  If you only bring out what you want to use for the day, you can save the rest of it for another day.  You can bring one bait fish out if you want.  As long as the bait does not come off the water once it goes on, and you have your slip you are legal. 

right, but 4 days still does nothing for those of us who only fish once a week.

[taggin out]

Build a bait box and keep them on the lake.

[kencorey]

I talked to a representative thats on the F&W board and supposedly there is a petition that will be hitting the bait shops soon to revoke this bait law.  There saying that just using these "Arkansas Shiners" is actually an invasive species compared to trapping our own bait from Vt waters and using them.  He also stated that the disease VT was so worried about has not shown up and that it was not the threat they actually believed it to be.

These bait laws are hurting the fishing in this state. It has made pike fishing very dificult. Lets hope something happens.
 

I HOPE THEY SEND SOMETHING TO MY SHOP I'LL SIGN IT....

[taggin out]

It will be all over the bait shops in the nek!

[mempfree]

Gee, I hope they revoke this law, as this is getting to be a pretty expensive Sport.  With the Gas prices going up and the fwt on the auger.  Also, the Ethanol in the Small engines, that have caused alot of problems, if you don't put in the Additive.  I remember, the day, when I could buy my smelt, at the Baitshops.  More fun, less laws.

[finlessbrown]

if this is true i'll take a petition for the bait shop here on st. catherine

[vticeman]

i'll sign it !!!!

[VTPikeman]

Big Bait = Big Pike...

[northernfisher]

Big Bait = Big Pike...

Big bait= no little pike!!!

[tench]

Big bait= no little pike!!!

or perch trips

[tipuppppppppp]

Well i know big bait is awsome to use and all but i like to catch fish all day all i need is the mediums and larges, u catch more fish and i catch pike that are just as big on that stuff as big big ones,  plus u get perch bass and even trout on that stuff.  i remember lke two yrs back my bro caught a 9lb laker in 6ft of water with a med shiner fishng for pike, he caught perch and bass also so as much as people think size matters, i thinks its a matter of where u drill your holes and where the fish are holding yr to yr. 

[rawrightII]

I know I would rather have a big a**  eight ten inch shiner on than a medium any day of the week.  Only looking for one fish not perch, pickeral and bass.............

[northernfisher]

I know I would rather have a big a**  eight ten inch shiner on than a medium any day of the week.  Only looking for one fish not perch, pickeral and bass.............

+1

[mikefishon]

where are the petitions??? how can we get them?? there are 3 bait shops near me in east central vt and i would make sure they all get one!!! we have been putting 2 shiners nose to nose or tail to tail and the conn river pike seem to love it.

[fishnmachine]

Big bait= no little pike!!!

:nono:A 10" pike'll hit a 12" sucker! And if he hits it on the #3 hook, he hangs like a "T" when he comes through the hole!