Dead or Alive?

[RDS-1025]

What is everyones opinion of dead vs. live bait for pike over 30" on a tip-up?

[wally-eye]

Back in the late 50s and early 60s I used to watch my dad freeze whole smelt for use on tip ups. He would arrange the smelt so that they had a very slight bend to them so when they thawed out in the water it gave them a little movement. I thought he was crazy about that part but I can tell you that the frozen smelt worked excellent. Back then we used to go to Pt. Peele smelt dipping and we always froze numerous bags with 6 smelt each bag each spring for use the next winter. Can't tell you how many monster pike I seen him haul up on tipups baited with the frozen smelt.

I usually do the live pike minnows or sucker minnows just because I can't find the smelt like we used to......

[GOTONE]

i have caught them on both dead and alive

[Cobra]

Think most big Pike in the winter are scavengers. Have caught the biggest ones (usually) on a big dead fish sitting vertically with its nose right on the bottom.

[FISH21]

Dead suckers have been working pretty good for me in the past couple of years.

[brigeton]

QUOTE=wally-eye;2436177]Back in the late 50s and early 60s I used to watch my dad freeze whole smelt for use on tip ups. He would arrange the smelt so that they had a very slight bend to them so when they thawed out in the water it gave them a little movement. I thought he was crazy about that part but I can tell you that the frozen smelt worked excellent. Back then we used to go to Pt. Peele smelt dipping and we always froze numerous bags with 6 smelt each bag each spring for use the next winter. Can't tell you how many monster pike I seen him haul up on tipups baited with the frozen smelt.

I usually do the live pike minnows or sucker minnows just because I can't find the smelt like we used to......[/QUOTE]

:yeahthat:
I used to do the same thing with smelt & a lot of times had better luck than with live minnows but I haven't been smelt dipping in years.

[jimbo]

don't forget to reuse that slimy, beat-up minnow that you just caught a pike on. if you have'nt already, try it sometime ;)

[IRon]

Same here. Used to go to Pt. Peele & fill up buckets (barrels?) with smelt & always saved some for pike. Caught lots of fish on them. Some days live minnows were best, other days the smelt were the ticket. And like mentioned, difficult to find anymore.
Have heard that the whole herring like used for salmon trolling work well, too. Plan on trying some this winter. Anybody got a good source to buy some frozen whole herring or whole smelt?

[wartfroggy]

Which ever is bigger. Big bait = big pike.....sometimes. If the live bait is all small, I'll go with some big smelt I have froze up, or even those frozen herring.

[WALLEYEvision]

Think most big Pike in the winter are scavengers. Have caught the biggest ones (usually) on a big dead fish sitting vertically with its nose right on the bottom.
While personally I haven't used a lot of dead bait on my tip-ups, but I do know a few guys who swear by it. They too mentioned their "scavenger" theories and often have great success using BIG dead bait either just below the ice or right on the bottom. One of the guys speared his largest pike only inches below the ice. He believes that big pike and muskie will cruise just below the ice searching for dead fish that are floating or trapped.

[swampbuck]

While personally I haven't used a lot of dead bait on my tip-ups, but I do know a few guys who swear by it. They too mentioned their "scavenger" theories and often have great success using BIG dead bait either just below the ice or right on the bottom. One of the guys speared his largest pike only inches below the ice. He believes that big pike and muskie will cruise just below the ice searching for dead fish that are floating or trapped.

Higgins lake, dead or live with tail clipped, I like to use the clipped live ones as trout like them better and you never know what will show up.

[ridgewalker]

I have used both and have seen no real difference, but I use an attractor spoon with it and a second tail rig.

[jacktownhooker]

`buy the biggest live ones you can get then reuse them after they die !

[swampbuck]

the bait shops cant sell smelt, or so I have heard.;)

[wartfroggy]

the bait shops cant sell smelt, or so I have heard.;)

Probably not live, but there are plenty that sell frozen.

[Cpt.Chaos]

I truely am a believer in re-using large minnows or suckers that have either survived a strike or are in good enough shape to at least stay on the hook.I have witnessed quite a few crazy strikes on nearly dead suckers in the spearing hole over the years, and in fact have seen pike more interested in the dead minnows on the bottom of our holes than the spearing decoys we used.(Live decoys)

Something I also do when I have a shanty set for a few days in one spot. Chum with left over bait, especially if I have smelt like on Higgins for example. Cut up at the end of the day and be there first thing in the am. We first did this on Lake of the Woods, MN. We had a shanty for 3 days, decent fishing on the first day, but right before the guide picked us up, I cut up at least 12 dozen minnows. The next morning we arrived and my wife and I drooped our lines and both had a sauger on before the line hit the bottom! We ran out of the shanty to show the guide and the rest of the people on board the bombadier, who went crazy! My wife and I limited out that day on perch, walleye and sauger. The rest of the camp caught a total of 4 walleye and a couple dozen perch. Needless to say, I chummed the hole before we left that night.

[here2]

http://www.knutsonlivebait.com/

they sell whole frozen herring you guys were asking about it earlier

[IRon]

Thanks here2. Not too far away, either. I'll have to give them a call.:)

[chuckwagon157]

I have had alot of luck on live, but I use 'em till there is almost nothing left. Last year on Houghton Lake, we pulled nearly 40 pike through the ice in 3 days.

[wally-eye]

Just go to Meijers or a Wally World Supercenter that has groceries and buy a package of frozen smelt as both sell them. Open the package and then put 4 to 6 in each zip lock bag and throw back in the freezer.......heck pike don't even care if they have freezer burn. Lasts for several years......

[ih772]

When smelt fishing on Higgins, I freeze a couple dozen smelt for bait every winter. Just freeze 6 or so at a time in a ziplock bag. I think smelt work really well becasue of that "smelt" smell that they give off.