Burtess Posted January 16, 2009 Report Share Posted January 16, 2009 Going fishing for pike this weekend. Tied up some quick strike rigs, just need some bait. I checked the local (West Hamilton and Dundas) Fortinos and Metro for sardines etc. but all I find are smaller smelts or silversides with the heads off. Fortinos did have whiting but they were really large (12"). Is the head needed with a dead bait or is it OK to use headless and gutted fish? Burt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pike slayer Posted January 16, 2009 Report Share Posted January 16, 2009 if its meat and it smells a pike will want it. also try the 12" ones, its shocking what even a small pike will go after. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waterwolf Posted January 17, 2009 Report Share Posted January 17, 2009 (edited) sorry slayer ,, can't agree . i only wish it was that easy. my favourite lake for pike is pretty clear and shallow so you can watch pike come in to hit the bait when sitting silent in the hut. i've watched large pike come in to strike,, stop suddenly dance around it within inches and slowly slip from view . even a perfect presentation sometimes isn't good enough ,, anything less is a waste of time to me ,, i even put my nose to the water , look down the hole and make sure it's done right when outside the hut . a piece of meat may work,, but a good presentation of whole , horizontally- sitting bait works best i find. Edited January 17, 2009 by waterwolf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burtess Posted January 17, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 17, 2009 Waterwolf, thanks for the PM The quick strike rigs I made up form SS braid, the hooks are in line. This will cause the bait to be vertical. How should I make a rig so the bait hangs horizontal? Thanks, Burt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uglyfish Posted January 17, 2009 Report Share Posted January 17, 2009 check the regs for the area u wanna fish, and try some frozen smelts. u can usually get a big bag for less then 10 bucks at sobeys. also fishing world sells large suckers for bait as well, u can buy them live and use them or kill them before u use them. i might head to the hamilton harbour tomororw and try my luck out. if ur around there keep ur eyes open, ill have a black float suit on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waterwolf Posted January 17, 2009 Report Share Posted January 17, 2009 burtess ,,pm me if you're a steel towner, i've some info for you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waterwolf Posted January 17, 2009 Report Share Posted January 17, 2009 (edited) if you can't get out with ugly on sat. ,i'm on the ice on sun. on lake x Edited January 17, 2009 by waterwolf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishing Posted January 17, 2009 Report Share Posted January 17, 2009 (edited) This Store has frozen smelts for about $3.00/lb, around 4 to 6''. Good luck. Food Basics 135 Barton St E Hamilton, ON L8L 8A8 Edited January 17, 2009 by fishing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rockfish Posted January 17, 2009 Report Share Posted January 17, 2009 Going fishing for pike this weekend. Tied up some quick strike rigs, just need some bait. I checked the local (West Hamilton and Dundas) Fortinos and Metro for sardines etc. but all I find are smaller smelts or silversides with the heads off. Fortinos did have whiting but they were really large (12"). Is the head needed with a dead bait or is it OK to use headless and gutted fish? Burt Sobey's on Nash rd has huuuuuge sardines !!!!! Was checking them out for pike bait myself and they go for about $6.99 a bag I think. I still got a bag of tailless smelt $5.99 from there in the Spring so going to use them up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uglyfish Posted January 17, 2009 Report Share Posted January 17, 2009 dave prolly gonna head to bayfront tomorrow, u wanna come down Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rockfish Posted January 17, 2009 Report Share Posted January 17, 2009 dave prolly gonna head to bayfront tomorrow, u wanna come down Sure Darrell, it's only 10 mins away I'll just talk to ya on MSN like I'm doin right now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trophypikehunter Posted January 17, 2009 Report Share Posted January 17, 2009 I use hole portugese sardins from Zehrs there around 8-12 inch and I also picked up some sea herring around 20 inch, heads and tails on both I never had luck with just the body and I let it sit about 2 feet from bottom under a tip-up vertical it works for me.. The biggest taker so far was 35 inch pike... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CLofchik Posted January 17, 2009 Report Share Posted January 17, 2009 I might walk the dogs down there tomorrow just to see if you guys bag anything or not. About the frozen smelts, I find them a little mushy when they thaw out. I like to spread them out on newspaper and let them sit over night covered in coarse salt. Toughens them up pretty good, decent channel cat & pike bait. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rockfish Posted January 17, 2009 Report Share Posted January 17, 2009 I might walk the dogs down there tomorrow just to see if you guys bag anything or not. About the frozen smelts, I find them a little mushy when they thaw out. I like to spread them out on newspaper and let them sit over night covered in coarse salt. Toughens them up pretty good, decent channel cat & pike bait. Exactly Chris, I had the smelts from the freezer in a container out fishin' and within a while the container was full of water. Had to keep draining the same container about 3 different nights out. Caught a couple snot rockets with them and Darrell caught a big Bullhead. I still got a couple spoons for ya to pay u back for the homemade glowies u gave one night at the Bronte pier. Didn't land anything on them but was a slow year at the Hammy pier last Fall anyway. D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rbaquial Posted January 17, 2009 Report Share Posted January 17, 2009 Exactly Chris, I had the smelts from the freezer in a container out fishin' and within a while the container was full of water. Had to keep draining the same container about 3 different nights out. Caught a couple snot rockets with them and Darrell caught a big Bullhead. I still got a couple spoons for ya to pay u back for the homemade glowies u gave one night at the Bronte pier. Didn't land anything on them but was a slow year at the Hammy pier last Fall anyway. D 2 Parter here... 1) Quickfish - Where's Bronte Pier? Whats the closest Major Intersection? Cause I've heard of this place before?! ...Also... 2) Since we're on the topic....To all the PIKE/MUSKY FISHERMAN.....Do any of you use DEADBAITS (outside of WINTER SEASON) when fishing for these guys? And if so, What have you found to be the most productive? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rockfish Posted January 17, 2009 Report Share Posted January 17, 2009 The Bronte pier is at the end of Bronte rd off the QEW and I only go there in the Fall for the Chinook run. Dead bait (smelt) does work well after ice out but live large creek chubs or suckers work the best under a slip bobber. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ch312 Posted January 17, 2009 Report Share Posted January 17, 2009 if its meat and it smells a pike will want it. also try the 12" ones, its shocking what even a small pike will go after. what he said.... i usually use 7-8" suckers or chubs and often catch little 20" pike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CLofchik Posted January 18, 2009 Report Share Posted January 18, 2009 I still got a couple spoons for ya to pay u back for the homemade glowies u gave one night at the Bronte pier......... Lol don't worry about it, they weren't exactly my 1st string baits anywho. I've tried deadbaits around Hamilton bayfront, but get pestered by too many little guys and absolutely mauled by sheepshead when they moved in. Maybe in cold water they might work better. Now channel cats, they liked salted smelts on bottom just fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rbaquial Posted January 18, 2009 Report Share Posted January 18, 2009 The Bronte pier is at the end of Bronte rd off the QEW and I only go there in the Fall for the Chinook run. Dead bait (smelt) does work well after ice out but live large creek chubs or suckers work the best under a slip bobber. Awesome!! Thanks Rockfish!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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