dink bluegills for pike

[DR.SPECKLER]

you guys ever use them ?real cheap alternative for buyin suckers or shiners

[Hard_H2O]

Not legal in my neck of the woods.

[DR.SPECKLER]

i think its legal here but you have to catch the gill and use it at that same lake you caught it outta.

[jjmoser]

Definatly legal in MI.  I use them all the time, never buy bait unless I am jigging for walleye and then get the walleye jiggers.  I use perch, crapies and gills.  One tip with the gills is to take some sissors and cut the fins down on them, this makes them swim and bleed in a panic motion. 

[scavengerj]

Dinks gills and perch make great pike bait. The walleye luv the perch 

[iluvcrappie]

VERY ILLEGAL IN MINNESOTA

[RLWagner]

Definatly legal in MI.  I use them all the time, never buy bait unless I am jigging for walleye and then get the walleye jiggers.  I use perch, crapies and gills.  One tip with the gills is to take some sissors and cut the fins down on them, this makes them swim and bleed in a panic motion. 

Like JJ says, very legal and effective around here! At times the little gills can out produce all other live bait for pike!! I snip the dorsal fin. Then slash a few lashes down the sides to send out oils/fluids and distress calls and to facilitate some eradic swimming motion. Cannot beat the price either.

[matt_aid]

not legal here, though i wish it were

[fish_finder]

Illegal here to , can't use live perch, gills, catfish yadee yadde yada for bait...makes no sense to me as long as u catch them in the lake u are fishin....the big fish are eating them already anyways whats the difference

[slabseaker]

i use them too, i've found it works pretty good to take the scales off from 1 side of the fish. that causes it to swim in circles and more erratic

[pirkaus]

That's a NO-NO in New Hampshire

[RLWagner]

Pirkaus,

Kinda off the subject but.... Noticed the Yukon bottle in your siggy.... icefishinlady and I picked up a bottle of that recently...100 proof, but darn is it sweet!!! Leaves a sticky film on the glass even. The sweetest whiskey we have ever had!! But it would be good on the ice... will have to try that!!!

[Ice_Stalker]

My buddy used a dead 'Gill laying on the bottom to ice a 49"  Muskie last year.

[brokenline]

VERY ILLEGAL IN MINNESOTA

what isnt illegal for bait in mn???

[iluvcrappie]

what isnt illegal for bait in mn???

In Minnesota you CAN NOT use any type of fish for bait........minnows are not considered fish...........Shiners, Fatheads, Crappie Minnows, Sucker Minnows......those are LEGAL to fish with.............I am sure there are a few others that I am not listing but your local bait shop can get you more info. as well as the MN DNR

[Bearsfan]

Do you guys use a plain hook when rigging up a gill?

[coldfisher]

In Minnesota it's illegal to use gamefish as bait.  Basically the only fish we CAN use as bait are small bullheads, shiners, suckers, minnows, etc.  It sucks, but atleast the baitshops get good business. 

[Buck762]

My best pike have been caught using dink bluegill. I cut their sides a bit.  It sound cruel I know

[burndoubt]

Not legal in Maine either

[Lobes]

I have used them for years. They are the best natural bait to use when done legally. They are a pike's main natural forage. I prefer the bigest gills available for bait. They work equally well as a dead bait. The best thing about using large gills for bait is if the pike aren't biting you can eat the rest of your bait!
Anyone out there that use cameras with their flasher have seen pike  when the gills clear out.

                                           
NBG

[Rip N Lips]

Work good here Gills - Speck - Perch are all food on

[killitandgrillit]

I use them all the time for Pike and Musky. Legal in both Michigan and Wisconsin, cheaper than buying suckers, and seem to work just as good (if not better). I use them when open water fishing as well- usually just throw out a baseball bobber with a gill on it.

[crappiekid24]

Legal here in Illinois and I use them. I have used all different sizes and have done better with some around 4-5". The tiny ones work too and are great for bass. I use them on my tip up rigs.

[jig-jig THUMP]

We used to catch them in a seine from a open part of a creek then fish them on the frozen over part for pickerel in MD.  I recall one time we caught the same 22" pickerel (scar on belly) 3 times in the same day on bluegill minnows (about 3").  That was one fat dumb fish.

jjT