pike fishing question #2?

Question

i recently posted a pike fishing question and got some good answers but i feel i wasn't specific enough with the question.

I have never pike fished before but have targeted smaller species and am planning on going on a fishing trip on a large lake using lures , for two reasons 1, lures are recommended for this water 2, i don't have knowledge of dead bait rigs.

i have researched pike fishing quite a lot but can only find good info on unhooking so i have bought the necessary tools (unhooking mat, forceps etc.) but i just want to have some advice on the basics
dead bait rigs
safely unhooking and returning
working lures
and any other info will be very much appreciated (oh and what are crimps?)

andy help would be very much apreciated =)

Answer 1

OK. First question. You have the implements, but do you know how to handle a pike? Here is how to do it. Lie it on its back and kneel over it straddling it it. If you are right handed, insert your left hand under its right gill plate (as viewed from your position) and slide your fingers forward as far as they will go. Let the ends of your fingers slip into the inside of its mouth, but keep them well away from the bright red gill rakers as these will slice your fingers to bits. Your fingers will not touch its teeth in this position as you are too far back in its throat. Lift the left hand up gently and this will force its mouth open. You can then insert your forceps or pliers to remove the hook. Lean over the fish as you do this. To then pick up the fish keep your fingers in the same place, stand up and lift. Pike tend to stay fairly still in this position, but they will sometimes gape their mouths and then shake their heads. This is when you are prone to dropping them, so use your right hand placed under the fish to keep the fish steady, You really do need to be firm and confident when handling these fish and it's a good thing to keep them close to the ground when holding them. The other important thing to remember when unhooking is that your hooks are capable of doing you as much damage as the fish can. Be very wary of them when the fish starts thrashing around.



Dead bait rigs. There are two basic ways of fishing with dead baits - with a float or with a leger. Here is a link to a page showing you some simple rigs. They really are simple. I personally prefer legering with a paternoster rig. http://www.pacgb.co.uk/tips/simplerigs.html The other thing to bear in mind is that when legering you need a set up that will present as little resistance to a taking fish as possible.



Returning a fish. I told you above how to pick a pike up. When returning it the only real tip you need is to support it while it recovers. Pike often go belly up if they have been out of the water for a few minutes, but if you support them and swoosh them backwards and forwards to get water moving through their gills they usually recover very well. Don't let go until they tell you they are ready. There is no mistaking the message!



Working lures. There are many types of lures. These include spoons and Tobys. I probably catch more on Tobys than anything else. I fish on big rivers and they are relatively easy to cast long distances. There are shads - little rubber imitation fish, there are plugs and Rapala lures that imitate real fish, there are jerkbaits that require a very heavy rod. When buying a lure, look at the vanes on the front if it has them. A big vane will cause it to dive deep as it is retrieved, a small one will allow it to stay near the surface. And you can also fly fish for pike, which is huge fun. Some lures impart their own fishy swimming action. Rapala lures are good at this and Tobys move with an undulating motion. Jerkbaits have no natural movement of their own and have to be worked by the angler as they are retrieved. The best thing when trying out a new lure is to cast it once or twice and see what it does as you retrieve it. In hot weather fast moving lures often work very well, in colder weather it is often better to use a slower moving lure.



As to where to cast a lure, pike are hunters and rely heavily on camouflage.. They often lurk in or near the bank and along parallel to a bed of reeds is a classic place to chuck your lure.



And finally, crimps are little metal tubes used when making up your own rigs with trace wire. Line is looped through them and they are then crushed with crimping pliers to keep the loop secure. Making up your own traces and snap tackle is an art worth learning. It saves you a fortune.

Answer 2

First of all, if you're planning on eating the pike it is very boney. Make sure you fillet it right. You can watch how to do that on youtube just type in " how to fillet pike boneless". It will teach you how to get nice pike fillet without any bones. It is possible. For bait it depends on the natural habitat on the fish. I've alway's had great luck with swimming minnows (rubber lure) or you can catch fresh small fish and snip off the end of the tail. I prefer swimming minnow. Cutting the tail is bloody and messy and I find it to be cruel. When I fillet my fish I always run my knife though the gill to top of head and insert my knife in the air pocket and press down. That severs the brain so that your fish is dead and doesn't flop while your filleting. It's also more humane so you're not butchering the fish alive. you need a fillet knife (I prefer rapala), cutting board ( make sure you have a flat surface), bucket comes in handy for fish remains, lures, tackle box, Fish basket to put your fish in or liner, you want a good not and fairly strong line. You don't have to use dead bait rigs just get some strong line and a good hook and put the dead bait on it. To safely unhook and return look on YouTube.

Answer 3

Pike will hit just about anything that is in front of their face. They are one angry fish. The most common lures are:

red/white or black/white daredevil spoon

bucktail spinners

large crankbaits and spinner baits. (remember to use a wire leader with all baits, Pike will snap mono with their teeth.)

As far as live/dead bait fishing, the only way I have done it is with 4-8 inch suckers placed under a large slip bobber with a large octopus hook on a wire leader(they sell minnow rigs at cabelas/bass pro). I would fish this in 15-20 ft of water with the bobber 6-8 ft down. The trick with this type of fishing is to let the fish take the bait and run with it. They will take the bobber down, then the fish will stop and reposition the bait, once it goes down for the 2nd time set the hook and hold on.

Good Fishing!!

Answer 4

Here's a start for you , if you gonna go fishing with Lures travel light ( rod,landing net , lures , unhooking kit , scales , camera )

If you want to concentrate on dead baits , be comfortable ( chair , brolly , flask , sandwiches and so on )

This is worth a look http://www.uncutfishing.co.uk/pike_predator_information.html

Also worth a look http://www.pacgb.co.uk/tips/traces.html

Check the water you're going to fish as many waters only allow Pike fishing between October 1st and March 15th.

Answer 5

Basically the same as using chum when fishing for shark. Think about this if you were at a fair ground and smelt onions frying you would be able to find the hot dog van, same with the fish once they get the scent they can home in on the bait. Best way to use the stuff is to put some in a shallow tray and dip your bait in it just before you cast out , also try Salmon oil available from health food shops.

Answer 6

Pike have a fierce look to them, rows of razor sharp teeth which shred what they bite by a simple turning head side to side.

If a pike bites you, hold still and hold pike head still. Grasp pike behind gills and apply pressure to neck. Pike will open mouth, then and only then do you remove whatever part of you pike has bitten! Very slowly, very carefully, right down the middle. Pike is a hunter/killer and even then at that moment is working to get at you! If it moves its head, stop, make sure it is immobile, mouth open, part in mouth is middle of space in mouth, then slowly back out.

This also makes a pretty good way to open a pikes mouth to view and remove hook. Hold pike there while removing hook, stop work when pike struggles as you are setting yourself up for getting skin shred ed.



Pike will live for hours with even just a little bit of water on the bottom of your boat. Be very careful when reaching for one as it may see you as a threat and turn to you with open mouth.



Floating lures work well. Weedless lures work well. Fly fishing lures ditto. Lures that look like field mice work well too also for larger trout even!

Casting/spinning weedless lures work well too.



I have used the red and white spoon, medium and large sizes, green camouflaged daredevil lure, again medium to large sizes, mouse floating fly, wood floating lures.



Pike can be found in waters with clean bottom or weedy bottoms, so plan lure use, casting, retrieving with care. Saves on getting snagged up or bringing in lots of veggies.



Once you get the hang of catching pike with spinning or casting rod and reel setup, switch over to the fly casting rigs! You will be hooked! and that is a fact!



In northern climes strips of fish belly meat, skin , scales, meat and all are used with plain hooks and weight as bait and lure for catching pike. As are floating lures made of bird feathers. Animal hides with fur shaped like something small and good for pike to eat.



If you have a sandy beach across from you, try launching your lure onto the beach then bringing it on to the water! Or even dead dropping your lure right on top of fish to try for s surprise strike!



You dan return a pike into water in any accepted way...just keep your soft parts away from mouth!

Answer 7

Grab them behind the gills with a firm grip. Pike are not real user friendly. Use forceps or long handled needle nose pliers, until you get more experienced. Also use a steel leader. I use the dark colored ones.

Answer 8

http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/CFPage?storeId=10151&catalogId=10001&langId=-1&&mode=category&cat=Fishing&subcatID=25&cmid=OLSUBCATEGORY_25_25_FISHING



oh and here are the definitons for crimp



http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&rls=com.microsoft:en-us:IE-SearchBox&rlz=1I7ADSA_en&defl=en&q=define:crimp&ei=OX3kS_quDsP38Aau8PibDw&sa=X&oi=glossary_definition&ct=title&ved=0CBIQkAE