Pike through the Ice???

[jimk]

A question for the tip-up fisherman out there. What kinds and sized of leaders and treble hooks do you use? I have the tip ups and some of that tip up line (Is this the right stuff to use? Or is there something else you'd recommend.). I'll probably need barrell swivels too, I guess. Weights? Basically what all do I need to get rigged and ready to go? Thanks. As to the guess the date thread. I'm guessing the first full week in Dec. lets go with the 9th. Wifes B-day she'll love that. Thanks again

[MrPike]

Did someone say Ice and Pike!!!!!?

I set all my gear up with teflon coated braided dacron line at least 25 lb test.
The weight of the line isn't so much for the size of fish, but what won't cut through your hand while playing the fish.

As for leaders, I normally just run the 6" to 8" with a snap on one end and a swivel on the other.

I tie an overhand loop not in the tipup line, thread on a 1/4 oz slip sinker, push the loop through the eye of the swivel, then run the snap through the loop and poof you are ready to add a hook.

The loop setup allows you to swap out a leader without re-tying on the ice. If you leader is twisted or mangled it makes the bait hang funny.

I normally use the appropriate size treble hook to fit the bait.

[pontoonfisher]

I like the overhand loop knot. I will try that this year. We use smelt for bait and it is usually about 10" long. I put a 1/0 or 2/0 treble up through the body of the smelt and hook it onto the snap of the leader. I use an 8" leader. I use the black tip-up line that you can buy at any ice-fishing dept and it works well. If your smelt are thawed out, you won't need any weight to get it down under the ice. If it is frozen, it will float (learned the hard way) and you can use a couple of big split shot or a slip sinker.

[hankthecrank]

I use Pike Hooks, 40#-50# Catfish Line, and a 6" Black 30# leader, here is a pic of one of my Tip-Ups

[jimk]

The Master has spoken:

In Reply to your post Pike through the Ice???

I have old braided nylon line on my tip-ups. Yes, that is "old-school" but that old braided line stays limp in the cold, is easy to handle and works great on tip-ups.

I always use steel leader, this blog post mentions a couple of wire leader products that I really like, 5 Things you can live without Barbs and Backlashes
I really like the SevenStrand uncoated wire for making my tip-up leaders for pike. I use a barrel swivel on one end and then I tie up "Quick Strike" rigs by using two relatively small treble hooks (size 8's maybe 6's). I will stick one of those small trebles in the back of the bait so it hangs horizontally in the water and then stick the other treble in the nose of the bait. Whenever a flag pops I set the hook as soon as I get to the line and one of those small trebles will grab that fish. Almost all of the time those fish will not be deeply hooked and will be very releasable.

I will use some split shot or small rubber-core sinkers if I need some additional weight to keep a bait down.

That is my $0.02-worth,

Daryl Bauer
Fisheries Outreach Program Manager
Nebraska Game & Parks Commission
daryl.bauer@nebraska.gov
Barbs and Backlashes

P.S. Please feel free to share this message with others.

[cougarw]

I've ice fished pike quite a bit up in North Dakota and by far the quick strike rig is the easiest and best way to go. Now if I could only get the herring down here that I use up there I'd be set.

[Gander Lander]

The ice fishermen who got in before me are right on the mark. Those setups are surefire winners and I'm a full believer in lines that don't freeze up.

Here's a simple rig which hasn't failed me yet (of course I need to say yet, because I pay attention to how I run them)....I use oiled Polar tip-ups with 3/0 trebles. I use the left over braided line from my decoys and trot lines (I haven't had one tooth through them yet and they spool out cleanly).

Only fallback of the trot line/decoy line setup is it does freeze overnight and if you're doing a multiday trip, you gotta keep them inside.

I do have a different view on setting the hook...I learned that the pike grab their prey and run, then drop it when they feel they're alone. Subsequently, they eat it. That's when to hook em for sure. So I watch the first run then rip them after it stops and goes again.

There's nothing like watching for flags to trip so get into it.

[Fish Recycler]

Did someone just open the door for me to post this video again?

[holdemplyer]

By far, my favorite video ever posted on here.



"JIM JAM"!!!!!!!!!!

[Big Johnson]

That video is awesome!!! I would love to have something like that bite on my hook someday!!!

[MA Machine]

Originally Posted by hankthecrank

I use Pike Hooks, 40#-50# Catfish Line, and a 6" Black 30# leader, here is a pic of one of my Tip-Ups

I use the pre-made quick strike rigs. I noticed some of those big pike hooks at Wolf Tackle today. Are they better than trebles? I'd like to try them but they just look very strange. In fact they look like the fish could get off easily. How do you hook up the bait?

[MA Machine]

Quote:
Originally Posted by MA Machine



I use the pre-made quick strike rigs. I noticed some of those big pike hooks at Wolf Tackle today. Are they better than trebles? I'd like to try them but they just look very strange. In fact they look like the fish could get off easily. How do you hook up the bait?

Those are "Swedish" pike hooks. They are made specifically for hanging dead baits below tip-ups. When I have used them I have threaded a whole smelt onto the hook and then run the hook point out near the head. Hooking the bait that way it will hang horizontally in the water.

I know they look funny but they do an excellent job of hooking fish. You will find some anglers that swear by them. I still have some of those hooks, but I have phased them out of my pike fishing. I have a reference someplace here in my office that showed that pike caught on the "Swedish"-style hooks had relatively high hooking mortality. I have gone to Quick-Strike rigging for my pike tip-ups.

Daryl B.

[hankthecrank]

In reference to what Daryl has said, yes there was some testing done and a higher than normal mortality rate was experienced using the Pike Hooks, the real reason I use them is I have never had a gut hooked fish come through the hole, and with that I mean a fish that had not swallowed the hook and bait into it's stomach. The unhooking of the fish is very easy with most hooks almost falling out of the fish's mouth, most times they are hooked into the roof of the mouth on one side or the other. Yes they take a bit getting used too, but after that if people are willing to lose a few, they will become to appreciate the hook and it's advantages.

[epb35085]

yea buddy!

[Fish Recycler]

I was reluctant on Hank's kooky pike hook too, until I used it. Those things are like a bent piece of coat hanger wire, and it's hard to see how they'd hold fish. But they do - I don't think we lost but maybe a fish or two all day, with many hooked. One of those had run into the weeds, which just ain't playing fair.

What makes sense to me about it is that the bend in the hook is such that the fish really can't get the hook down deep into it's throat. That long upper shank section prevents more than the horizontal part from going into the fish's mouth.

They're way, way less apt to grab a glove or a finger or whatever than one of those heineous, evil treble hooks (I hate treble hooks).

I am one for making science-based decisions though, and I'm also the first to say that anecdotal experience is not the same as respecting what the science says.

I can see where these Swedish pike hooks could lead to damaged eyes or throat injuries in smaller fish.

Daryl knows what he's talking about, and I'm game for trying more with the treble quick-strike rigs. I'll probably pinch two barbs on each treble, except for the one that holds the bait.

My encouragement is that anyone who is fishing treble rigs strikes asap, which means keeping a close eye on flags and staying close to your tip-ups. Deeply swallowed trebles = dead fish.

[hankthecrank]

Please watch this video and notice the location of the hook on this fish, this is typical of most hook sets.

[hankthecrank]

This video even shows it better, here is the link, as for the validity of this video Fish Recycler and Sandbilly, both can attest to this video and it's contents.
Kinsey's 1st Pike (HTC Narration)

[MA Machine]

I think I'll give one a try. Thanks for the videos.

[haftahunt]

FUDGE ME UP THE JIM JAM that made me laugh for 5 minutes also the falling down while saying this is the worst thing that has ever happened to me

[fisher]

Hank you just had to post those videos. I just love watching those and now I am pumped to go ice fishing for pike