Question for the Pike Ice Guys?

Post by **JustinHoffman** » Thu Dec 29, 2005 4:10 pm

Hello All,

Prefering to spend most of my time on the ice chasing pannies or walleye, I was just wondering about the types of bait those that fish for pike use. A common occurence I see at Crappie Bay, is the use of quite small (2-3") live minnows on tip ups for pike. I watched them all day yesterday, running to their tip ups, only to bring up snot rockets, all one and two pound fish. Do any of you pike guys show up at the ice with big dead bait - be it smelt or suckers? I know Food Basics has packages of frozen smelt, about 8" long, for under $10 a bag. For those looking to tie into the big girls that swim in the depths, a big bait in the 6 to 10-inch range, on a windlass tipup and quick strike rig would be my first choice. I've used them in the past, and they can get the attention of the big fish for sure.
Just not my cup of tea to put tiny minnows on under tip ups, and deal with pike the size that I would try to shake off my spinnerbait during the open water season...
Just curious - does anyone fish with big bait under their tip ups? For those looking for big fish, in my opinion, it truly is the way to go...
Feel free to discuss.
Good Fishing,
Justin

Post by **Gord** » Thu Dec 29, 2005 4:28 pm

I use a 6"-8" sucker on a quickstrike rig on my tip-ups.

Its the best thing for a big pike in my opinion. I've heard about the smelt thing, but I thought that was more for late ice pike.

Post by **JustinHoffman** » Thu Dec 29, 2005 4:37 pm

Good stuff, Gord. Yeah, I was just curious. I see so many guys down on Crappie Bay, targeting pike, yet using minnows that are better suited for walleye. Just wondered if many new that a dead bait would be the way to get those big fish to bite..
Good Fishing,
Justin

Post by **Legend** » Thu Dec 29, 2005 4:57 pm

You're right Justin. Big Bait = Big Pike

Those little shiners might only ever entice a snot rocket, but put a decent sucker minnow on and "pa-zing" start considering the need for a 10" auger.

A classic case of go big or go home.

ps. I also lift the bait 4-6 feet off bottom. Pickerel rigs work great too!

Legend

Post by **Tip-up** » Thu Dec 29, 2005 5:20 pm

6-8 inch Golden Shiner on a quick strike rig.......Works every time!

Post by **bottom feeder** » Thu Dec 29, 2005 6:19 pm

I go for the biggest minnows available. On my first outing tthis winter Ipulled up a muskie and a pike (13 and

using the two biggest minnows I had.I use small ones for the eyes.
The way you feel about snot rockets is how I have always felt about crappie, but I guess I will have to give them a try.Do a lot of them get kept? and if so how does this affect the stocks?
The reason I ask this is crappie bay gets hit real hard each winter so was wondering on the effect.
Norm

Post by **nighttroller** » Thu Dec 29, 2005 6:41 pm

Many of us who fish Crappie Bay use dead sucker minnows on tipups and sometimes smelt or herring from the grocery store. My personal favorite though is the biggest golden shiner I can get tipped on a medium to large spoon. I don't always get the bigger pike but a 2 - 4 lb pike on a little ice rod can be a lot of fun!!!

Post by **JustinHoffman** » Thu Dec 29, 2005 7:04 pm

Good stuff, guys. I guess more use big baits than I thought. Most of the guys I stop and talk to seem to be using the small baits, but I guess they are in the minority. By the way - what is the biggest pike anyone has seen come out of Crappie Bay during the winter? I talked to a couple of guys yesterday, and the stated a fish around 18-pounds is caught there about once a season!! Nice fish for sure...
Bottom Feeder - Snot rockets for me don't hold a heck of a lot of fun, usually because they are caught on heavy equipment. The same could be said about crappies. But, if you go fishing for crappies with the right gear, namely 2-pound line, a very sensitive ultralight rod and micro lures, the pull and fight from a 10 or 12-inch fish is great fun. Crappie fishing for me is great as it can be pretty much constant action, and when you get into some 12-14" fish, quite the fight and thrill. Not many are into catching snots, but I guess there is always exceptions to the rule. Give crappies a try on the right equipment, and I think you'll be hooked!
Good Fishing,
Justin

Post by **Coyote** » Thu Dec 29, 2005 7:07 pm

I usually get the big shinners, i like 4-6inch if they have them, but have hooked in to some pretty half decent size pike on 3 inch minnows. i also like the bigger minnows as the perch and other pan fish can't eat them. I don't keep any but would rather catch a pile of snot rockets all day then waiting for one big fish to come along if it came along. I seen guys fish with smelts and their tip-ups didn't move all day.but mind you a nice size pike or muskie is worth waiting for.

Post by **earlscruggs** » Thu Dec 29, 2005 7:08 pm

hello justin,

I was on crappie bay with my son yesterday,he was jiggin worms for crappie,perch,etc.

I had minnows left over from the weekend with one larger dead one (4") so I put the deid one on a tip-up and the rest live small.

7 of the 8 pike I caught and released were from that single dead and very beat up minnow.

I'm sure there's some monster pike there so I might start using larger minnows!!

Post by **JustinHoffman** » Thu Dec 29, 2005 7:17 pm

Hey Coyote,
Yeah, I guess that's it. A lot of action from small fish, or one or two big fish each outing. Personal preference I guess. That's the good thing about ice fishing - two lines, at least here in Ontario. Put out a tip up with a big sucker on for that trophy fish, and sit back with a jigging rod for crappie or walleye for more constant action.
Forgot to answer your question, bottomfeeder. Yeah, the crappie get hit hard down at Petrie. Not sure what the effect is on the stocks. Myself, I might keep roughly 50-75 fish for a whole season. Now yesterday, three of us kept 24 fish between us. We probably released another 50 or so fish. Not sure how many other folks keep, but, year after year, the fishing seems to remain good. Compared to last year (and I've only been out twice this year), the catching rates and size seems to be pretty comparable. Be interesting to see as the year winds on.
I think quite a few pike get kept also. Don't really fish for them myself, but do you guys find that species stock levels stay consistent?
At least with crappies and panfish, they are at the bottom of the chain, meaning there are more numbers of them in a system than say bass or walleye. But, it is an interesting topic of discussion - will our favourtie spot for most Halk-Talkers, Crappie Bay, be able to withstand the tremendous pressure hundreds of anglers each week put on it??? We have the million dollar question there, and I guess only time will tell...
Good Fishing,
Justin

Post by **Tip-up** » Thu Dec 29, 2005 10:14 pm

Justin

Here is a nice one caught last year....

Post by **jig head** » Thu Dec 29, 2005 10:21 pm

That was a 7 pounder!

Post by **Mahumba** » Fri Dec 30, 2005 12:59 am

Lahh tee dee dah doo dee dah dee.

I'se bee's reel appologitic abouts the doubles posts 'cause I have been drinkibng these heere browns pops and they make me feel like my film's unwinding......

Somebody puhlease hold me?

Post by **Mahumba** » Fri Dec 30, 2005 1:01 am

Hi Justin,

I like using big bucktail jigs and jigging big spoons for large pike. About 10 feet away I'll set up my still line with a large sucker minnow set about 3 feet off of the bottom. I also trim the tail of the sucker so it doesn't have as much horse power. I set the sucker (5-10 inches long) that high as a sucker isn't comfortable until it's belly is on the bottom so it struggles lots to get to the bottom.

The spoon or bucktail adds lot's of flash to attract. If the pike doesn't hit the artificial you can bet it hits the sucker!

Roger Mayer