tip ups live or dead bait?

[hardwaterwalker814]

anyone have better luck on live or dead bait 

[subtlehustle76]

Live fresh energetic bait, hooked anywhere between the dorsal fin and tail, preferably through the spine to semi-paralyse it and make it give off those vibratory movements that's transmitted through the water that fish are genetically programmed to attack. It's a natural distress frequency that provokes predation.

[Kinkyline]

   Go live!

[jbuss79]

There are only a handful of lakes here in the Black Hills of So. Dakota that allow live bait while the majority don't allow live minnows. In my two favorite lakes to fish that have Northern I use dead shiners and they work pretty decent. I freeze some of the leftover live ones and keep them for fishing those lakes specifically. Live ones are generally better but any port in a storm works.

[rutjustrut]

I've found there to be a transition period where dead bait will outfish live bait. Now I'm sure it may all depend on target species and the lake but, the lake that I fish has a definite transition in February that I've proved to a few guys that dead bait makes all the difference in the world. But early season first ice nothing beats fresh live bait, I use everything from shiners, suckers and panfish both live and dead throughout the year! Hopefully that helps

[hardwaterwalker814]

Thanks for the input guys I used smelt the whole time last year because the only bait shop was always sold out by the time I got to them and then they had troubles getting shipments In I have traps out this year already got a few dozen live creek chubs im gonna keep alive for this year because the smelt didn't do to great for me only a couple flags the whole season but the guys down the lake got quite a few but they weren't keen on sharing or selling me any shiners so im going to be a little more prepared this year

[HooKEDUP24]

Live for bass and pickerel.  I have heard dead bait is good for Northerns, unfornutely there is only one pike lake in eastern PA.

[ducksnbucks36]

Live for bass and pickerel.  I have heard dead bait is good for Northerns, unfornutely there is only one pike lake in eastern PA.

There's definitely more then one lake in eastern pa with good number of pike in it hookedup. 

I tested the live or dead theory last season using 8 tip-ups with 4 live and 4 dead minnows in a row with the tip ups going live, dead, live, dead etc The tip-ups with the live minnies pounded fish while the ones with the dead caught 2 fish.  after a few hours I switched the tip-ups around to make sure it just wasn't a lucky hole or something and the live still out fished the dead by a ton.  Therefore, I like live for everything unless your trying to catch catfish through the ice then a big stinky shiner will work.   

[BIGCREW]

I prefer to use half dead or half alive minnows,I step on them just enought to wound them,I like it when the scales slowly fall off and float aroung the bait,by busting the bait up a bit will put more scent into the water than a bait that is just hooked

[HooKEDUP24]

There's definitely more then one lake in eastern pa with good number of pike in it hookedup. 

I tested the live or dead theory last season using 8 tip-ups with 4 live and 4 dead minnows in a row with the tip ups going live, dead, live, dead etc The tip-ups with the live minnies pounded fish while the ones with the dead caught 2 fish.  after a few hours I switched the tip-ups around to make sure it just wasn't a lucky hole or something and the live still out fished the dead by a ton.  Therefore, I like live for everything unless your trying to catch catfish through the ice then a big stinky shiner will work.

Please enlighten me.  The pack is the only public lake in eastern PA I can think of.  Unless you are counting some central PA lakes. 

[Chris338378]

My best luck is with live bait.  I check my bait often and if it seems like it's dying off I change it.

[rutjustrut]

Another thing that plays a big role in using dead bait it presentation. When I'm using dead bait it's usually big bait (smelt, herring, crappie, perch, bluegill) and you have to make sure that you pop the air bladder so they actually sink, and a 2 hook quick strike rig not only helps with hookups while using bigger baits but it allows the dead bait to suspend in a horizontal (lifelike) position. If your just dropping a dead bait down a hole it's not gonna do any good. And this is mostly done for pike and musky once late winter hits and they start eating everything in sight dead bait works for sure just as good if not better then live bait and is way cheaper. I like to jig up some dink bluegill and perch and freeze what I don't use, just thaw then out the night before you go out and your in business with free bait

[chez]

I prefer to use half dead or half alive minnows,I step on them just enought to wound them,I like it when the scales slowly fall off and float aroung the bait,by busting the bait up a bit will put more scent into the water than a bait that is just hooked

Your idea makes good sense CREW.Will try it this year.I love the head of a shiner on the HALI jig hook for PERCH.Works well.

[H82LUZ]

I've never used dead bait, always shinners. What are you guys using for dead bait if you don't mind me asking. Crawlers? Dead shinners? I may have to try this one out. I have a local lake that is a 6 trap lake. Set 3 with live and 3 dead and see what happens. But that's a pickerel and bass lake and the bigger lakes are 2 trap and lakers, bows and browns.

Pat

[hardwaterwalker814]

Talking about smelt

[BIGCREW]

I use half dead bait for bigger fish like pickeral and muski,but I have caught bass and perch with smaller minnows,you know when you run out of bait and end up using the dead ones on the ice from around your holes.the half dead bait seems to work best when the fishin is slow,slow bite slow bait.

[keith hess]

I use live bait all the time 3 to 4 inch shinners are good for the big fish.Sometimes when you use wind tip-ups you can use dead shinners when the wind blows the pan on the tip-up jigs the line up and down and sometimes you get good results.

[delfisher]

 Ive never used dead bait but hear alot of good coming from it for pike and muski,Do you rig the dead bait the same as live and set the tip ups the same way as live

[slabhappy56]

I have a sweet hunny-hole for wintertime suckers,can't wait to try them under my tip up's .My plan is to try using them live at first ice,and any that die along the way will become fresh killed later in the season.  In my exp when we fished for pike in open water in the winter they will hit live bait much more so than even hit over the head dead fish.Never tried doa bait in late winter, early spring.Can't wait to try them....SLABHAPPY.

[clhuff]

When I was in Alaska your only allowed dead bait not to mention only 2 lines. I would have a tip up with a 6 inch or so herring and jigging another with either jigs or a herring.  I've caught them all ways nothin really seemed to do better maybe just that particular day not overall tho.  but I'm telling you if your talking about a predator fish when it's hungry dead or alive it  doesn't care it will eat!