# big bait=big fish(monster pike)



## FishMichv2 (Oct 18, 2004)

my girlfriends dad kept getting flags this morning but no fish to show until this one came through the ice not even hooked but just holding the bait. i know the bait isnt very big but it seemed a bit large for this guy.








got this pig one the day before on a spoon and minnow.


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## hunter62 (Oct 20, 2006)

A book that I read stated they will eat things up to 2/3 their body size so it's not that unusual.


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## gooseboy (Jul 11, 2008)

sweet, but I would get rid of the heavy leader and go to a braid or a mono leader....have not yet lost a fish...just a thought


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## CaptainNorthwood (Jan 3, 2006)

I speared a pike one year that had about a 12" pike in its stomach and it was probably only around 26"


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## UPHAWKEYE (Apr 15, 2009)

Landed a 10 in. pike......3 times. Yup, it was the same one. Would drop it back in the hole, watch it swim down about 5 feet, drop the lure back down and it would hit it again.


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## FishMichv2 (Oct 18, 2004)

gooseboy said:


> sweet, but I would get rid of the heavy leader and go to a braid or a mono leader....have not yet lost a fish...just a thought


yeah thats my girlfriends dads rig, old habits die hard i guess. i run heavy mono or flouro(20lb usually) with a circle or octopus hook. thanks for the advice though.


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## Fowl Minded (Apr 9, 2008)

Gotta love the little hammer handles trying to prove just how tough they are:lol:

least you're runnin' down flags:chillin:


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## Ieatantlers (Oct 7, 2008)

gooseboy said:


> sweet, but I would get rid of the heavy leader and go to a braid or a mono leader....have not yet lost a fish...just a thought


Yep, prolly why he is gettin dinks. Of my pike catching experiences, hammer handles only generally eat the obvious rigs. I like running 25# maxima leaders now. They seem to pull more and bigger fish. Then again, maybe its just in my head.


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## Lindenhardliner (Jan 9, 2009)

Sorry to jump in this thread, but I always only knew the 'old' way with the leaders. Can someone give more knowledge of not using a leader? I think I can type on some stronger line to the end of my tip-up line, but can anyone provide insight into the type and lb? Do you buy these non-steel leaders?


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## Ieatantlers (Oct 7, 2008)

Lindenhardliner said:


> Sorry to jump in this thread, but I always only knew the 'old' way with the leaders. Can someone give more knowledge of not using a leader? I think I can type on some stronger line to the end of my tip-up line, but can anyone provide insight into the type and lb? Do you buy these non-steel leaders?


Generally I run braided line because I use the same tip-ups to laker fish in 120ft of water, so I want the most possible line on my tip-ups. But Dacron works just as well. Run your main line to a swivel, or just tie directly to 18"-28" of Maxima 20 lb monofilament. Maxima is a good stiff line that is plenty strong. Its a good pike leader for the same reason many people steelhead fish with 4#-6# maxima. It doesn't break easy. We also run red hooks and they seem to pick up more fish. Again, that might just be in my head.:chillin:

An alternative is to run braided line right to the hook. It is much smaller in diamater and visibility than a steel leader, yet just as strong. I've never seen a pike bite braided line in half. Watch your knots though, they will slip easier than dacron or traditional mono.


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## Bagman (Apr 1, 2006)

Don't be afraid to use the steel leaders. We still use them and do alright. Tie your own with the spools of seven strand to save money.


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## sslopok (Aug 24, 2009)

I always use braided 10 lb line on all my reels/tip-ups and have had a few pike bite through. I normally use black wire leaders but I think I will just tie my 10 lb braid to the hook. I am sick of catching the little guys. If one breaks me off once in a while I can handle that. I second what IEATANTLERS said about the red hooks. The last time out we ran 7 tip ups. 5 had red hooks and all of the 7 hits came on the red. I switched the non reds over last night.
sslopok


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## FishMichv2 (Oct 18, 2004)

Lindenhardliner said:


> Sorry to jump in this thread, but I always only knew the 'old' way with the leaders. Can someone give more knowledge of not using a leader? I think I can type on some stronger line to the end of my tip-up line, but can anyone provide insight into the type and lb? Do you buy these non-steel leaders?


as previously stated, about 2 feet of 20lb maxima works just fine tied directly to the hook at one end and the mainline at the other. just remember to check the line after you fight a fish, sometimes it will get frayed near the hook and you'll have to re-tie. im also one of the only people i know that uses single hooks instead of trebles. a bass or an undersized pike is easier to to successfully release when a treble hasnt torn it all up. ive seen large bass killed out of season due to swallowed trebles and it just burns my behind.


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## sigman (Nov 2, 2006)

Is it just me or does that fish have strange markings ?


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## chuckinduck (May 28, 2003)

Sometimes I swear you could use bailing twine for pike and they'd hit it. I've dropped my aqua vu down holes on more occassions then I can remember only to have a pike come in and slam the bluegill fishcam. That cord is solid black, and thicker then any dacron line out there by 50 times at least. Having speared for many years, I've had the chance to see some truly amazing acts by pike, they're one of the most aggressive fish I've personally ever seen, and if they're intent on hitting something, they will, until they get it, or they get a spear through their head. :lol:


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## fightem (Sep 21, 2008)

Hey bud I think that is a chain pickerel not a pike. I`m pretty sure about it.It isn`t a musky . Pretty cool picture


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## Trophyhunter (Feb 28, 2006)

I had a pike in my aquarium for over a year, and he consistently ate fish half his body length, if it didn't fit down all the way, he would just rest on the bottom for a day with the fishes tail sticking out of his mouth and swallow it as it is digested, they are PIGS, pure eating machines.


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## Ralph Smith (Apr 1, 2003)

sigman said:


> Is it just me or does that fish have strange markings ?


It looks like a small tiger musky. There are 3 kinds of musky, great lakes,northern, and tiger.

http://www.fishingfury.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/record-tiger-musky.jpg


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## Lerxst (Feb 2, 2008)

grass pickerel 

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl...mage_result&resnum=1&ct=image&ved=0CAcQ9QEwAA


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## FishMichv2 (Oct 18, 2004)

Lerxst said:


> grass pickerel
> 
> http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl...mage_result&resnum=1&ct=image&ved=0CAcQ9QEwAA


wow did not know that. all these years i thought i was catching baby pike. i was always under the impression pike had different markings when they were younger and i assumed thats what they were. these little fish are quite common in the two lakes i fish near my house. i see them by the dozens right near the shore in the springtime. cant remember seeing them anywhere else.


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