Fishing Float/Bobber Size

[LegitFish]

Sorry for all the questions!

 

Live bait fishing for pike/musky. If im using good sized live bait, then what size of float should i use to prevent the bait from going deeper. I picked up the biggest i could find which was 2 - 1/2".

 

Any ideas

 

Thanks!

[alexcba]

Sorry for all the questions!

 

Live bait fishing for pike/musky. If im using good sized live bait, then what size of float should i use to prevent the bait from going deeper. I picked up the biggest i could find which was 2 - 1/2".

 

Any ideas

 

Thanks!

 

anything from a 15-25 gram, long/tall slip float would be good for up to 6 maybe 7 inch minnows. just make sure you have a correct rig set up and location down.. ideally you want to fish either just above or beside a weed bed with a drop off from about 8-15 feet.

 

-rubber stopper above the float, figure out your depth.

-good sized split shot weight(s) to bring it down slightly above the swivel.

-swivel to leader to hook.

 

this is pretty much a standard set up and one i always use.. i'll even toss it on at night for walleye with a glow stick if i get tired of casting.

[muskymike]

Dont use live bait for musky. You are too new and will most likely end up killing the fish with your hookset. Stick to lures.

[fish_fishburn]

I use the smallest float I can get away with when using a live bait rig for pike. But you also have to remember to not set the hook just because your float has went down. Alot of times if you sucker gets skiddish he can pull your float down on his own. when my float goes down I usually click my reel to freespool and see if line is being pulled off my reel, if it is it's lock wait to feel the weight, load and set the hook with a long low sweep motion rather than a monster hookset you would use when flipping for bass.

[OhioFisherman]

I usually made my own slip floats, smooth foam eggs from a craft shop, some maybe 3 inches in diameter? Big chubs and suckers are pretty strong swimmers, suckers tend to dive and want to be near the bottom. To small a float and they can keep it under water. Chubs will dive, but more into cruising when hooked for bait. Both can take out a lot of line wandering when hooked, and coating your line with dry fly dressing will keep it on the surface and not down in the submerged weeds, which can make it difficult to be sure you have enough slack or for a proper hook set.

 

Never noticed a problem with bobber size for pike or skis, if they can take a 20 inch bass or walleye the weight of a bobber on the line doesn`t seem to bother them.

 

A way to relax while fishing for me, throw out a big chub or sucker and let it do the work. I got to sit back and enjoy the scenery.

[canadadude]

I use 28g-40g slip float,I weight the float down 3/8-3/4oz egg sinker,then I use a quick strike rig of 20lb-30lb flurocarbon leader material.The heavy weight keeps the 7"-9" sucker from swiming up to the surface and weighs the large float down so just the top is visible.Most of the pike grab the large sucker in the middle so the treble of the quick strike rig hooks most of the fish.

[bassjnkie]

I use a 25g Fox predator float with a 7" minnow for pike. I don't use live bait for musky, so I can't help you there.

[OhioFisherman]

Just my view, it can be mixed bag fishing, in the Georgian bay we caught Pike, Gar pike, cats, bowfin, walleye, bass and lost skis using 6-8 chubs and suckers. What you are fishing for doesn`t relate to what you will catch. You have to get into a really out sized bait fish to limit what will eat it.

[Syn]

Way back in the day when I use to fish for ski using suckers we ended up using dollar store small 6-10" yellow or orange balloons knotted to the line. We would blow them up to size based on the size of the bait.

[LegitFish]

Yeah thanks for all the ideas. I made a mistake with the post, im using the live bait to try to catch pike, I bought about 8 lures for the musky for deep water trolling

[bare foot wader]

pike or musky regardless use a quick strike rig and set the hook immediately...don't let them swim and swallow it