Popping up a deadbait for pike

[mikench]

Planning ahead I thought I would raise a question about ledgering for Pike. I have only used a deadbait when float fishing. Is a pop up bait a good tactic or only necessary for a weedy bottom?

Which method do you recommend ie a kebab and popper kit like Fox offer, pop up sticks or air. ?

 

[terry m]

Popped up DB will work, especially fond of using large Mackerel or Herring with the heads removed and replaced by the red Fox pop up balls. Get it right and you have the bait standing on it’s tail - as opposed to drifting around mid water.

 

[john step]

Its very good regardless of bottom. (Lake, not yours)
It makes the bait much more visible and less resistance for pressured pike.
Its good for ledgered bait. This time of the winter when in some venues the pike have been pressured its better to have the line out of the way hidden on the bottom as I am convinced they are wary of line descending from a float. I dont think pike are as daft as some like to think.
A bit like carp really, they wise up.

 

[Mark_Leathwood]

I would concur with the above. If you want to pop up a deadbait off the bottom ideally you want it just sitting up off the bottom, not floating up in mid water. That isn't to say that deadbaits presented in mid water won't catch. I've always thought they look rather unnatural but they do still catch pike. In the past I've had days when deadbaits fished on the bottom have been ignored but one fished way up off the bottom - usually on a sunken float paternoster - has produced.

One other thing; and I think this is really important. If you're using foam balls, balsa sticks, polystyrene or whatever, to make your bait buoyant, you need to consider preventing a pike from ingesting any of these materials; for example, if a bait came off on the cast. I would suggest attaching your pop-up material securely to your trace so that you always get it back again - even if you lose your bait.

 

[dave m]

I like to have the bait fish (small whole herring) just sat up on its tail.
I have saved a load of wine corks, cut them in half, and use florists wire to secure the cork to my end treble nearest the head end.
Because the end hook is midway along the bait fish i have come up with the idea of using a long baiting needle and threading the wire through the fishes mouth and then out of the gill, then pull the cork tight against the fishes mouth and twist the tag end of the florist wire to the bend of one of the hooks on the treble.
The cork can be trimmed to ensure the buoyancy is right and the bait just sits up on its tail, but the rest of the trace is sitting flat.
You can add a swan shot if you need to add a bit more weight.

 

[john step]

I like to have the bait fish (small whole herring) just sat up on its tail.
I have saved a load of wine corks, cut them in half, and use florists wire to secure the cork to my end treble nearest the head end.
Because the end hook is midway along the bait fish i have come up with the idea of using a long baiting needle and threading the wire through the fishes mouth and then out of the gill, then pull the cork tight against the fishes mouth and twist the tag end of the florist wire to the bend of one of the hooks on the treble.
The cork can be trimmed to ensure the buoyancy is right and the bait just sits up on its tail, but the rest of the trace is sitting flat.
You can add a swan shot if you need to add a bit more weight.

I do a similar thing but use that green gardening twine that is in the end biodegradable.. I also use the said twine as a hair rig when using large single hooks early in the pike "season" when they have a tendency to gulp bait down.
Its not so effective this later stages of winter when the awkward sods tend to nudge and fanny about with the deadbait before choosing to be condescending and take it.

 

[mikench]

I've ordered some ready made pop up rigs which clip on to either the eye of the hook/treble or the trace. I'll give it a go next week weather permitting.

 

[john step]

I've ordered some ready made pop up rigs which clip on to either the eye of the hook/treble or the trace. I'll give it a go next week weather permitting.

Hardy I presume?

 

[mikench]

Me Pete I’m very Hardy. More Thomas than Tom.

 

[mikench]

If you are using a drop off bite indicator like the Fox rage AND baitrunner réel why would you set it up with the bail arm open? I could understand this if the reel wasn’t a baitrunner but not if it is.

 

[terry m]

No need to engage the bait runner. Open bail arm is fine.

Bait runner in these circumstances presents 2 risks.
1. freespool too tight and runs may be dropped.
2. freespool too loose and a fast run (believe me they do happen occasionally) and you risk spool over run, tangle and lost rod.

 

[Keep]

look up amateurangling's float paternoster rig, pretty much all I have used all winter and caught me plenty of pike and the way the rig works the deadbait is popped up off the floor

 

[mikench]

I plan to respool my reel with braid. I have a shortlist of 3 all in 45 to 60lb bs. They are Drennan piker braid, Power Pro and Fox Submerge camo. Is a particular colour preferable?

What do folks Prefer and are there others to consider.

 

[Pete Shears]

I use Whiplash @ 50lb bs on the deadbait gear and have found it OK, it can be used with Kryston Greased Lightning line lubricant to reduce the noise through the rod rings but I find it is better as a mono line floatant when trotting on a river.

 

[terry m]

I have tried several different braids and have settled on the Drennan Piker Braid.
Still good after 3 years hard use, but perhaps some of the colour has faded.

 

[mikench]

If bail arms are left open I assume baitrunners are not the reels of choice. If so what are for deadbaiting on the deck or popped up and if different for float fished deadbait.?

 

[peter crabtree]

You can use a bait runner reel with the freespool function disengaged. It’s dead simple to float fish a dead bait with any reel, no need generally to cast very far and you can alter the depth of the dead bait by moving the float up or down.

 

[mikench]

Does anyone use a centerpin for their Pike ? fishing.? If so do you use braid or mono and do you set the ratchet?

 

[john step]

Does anyone use a centerpin for their Pike ? fishing.? If so do you use braid or mono and do you set the ratchet?

I have used a pin but not often. If you fish not too far out why not. Personally I always use mono. The only braid I bought tangled in the wind so much I lost my rag with it.

I used the large pin I have loaded with 15lb bs that I use for carp.

There must be some sort of resistance but it must be light. This is because a run can set the reel spinning and the resulting cats cradle with a pike performing on the sharp end would be bundles of fun.

Knowing your love affair with Hardy I guess you have pins with adjustable drag though. I expect the ratchet on said Hardy is quiet and soft like a melody. That would please Skippy, should you see him anytime as he has dislike of electronics I remember.

You have ben around the fringes of temptation about piking for a while. Go on give it a whirl.

 

[mikench]

Cheers Pete. I'm tempted to try my Youngs BJ pin. The drag isn't adjustable as far as I know but I can try it. I have other reels. I have all the gear for legering a deadbait( I've float fished before) so will give it a go next time out.