Dead Bait Fishing?

A pike is a pike is a pike. Whether from the U.K., Russia, Canada, or the U.S. Deadbait is more productive than livebait well into the spring. Pike are notorious scavengers. Forage that dies just before and during iceup freezes in the ice and is focused on by pike when the ice thaws. Free and easy meal. Check my previous posts on presentations. Musky will also scavenge. Actually, virtually all predator fish are scavengers to varying degrees just as predators on land.

 

Yes, a pike is a pike is a pike, but they don't get near the pressure around here as they do across the pond. That's mainly because most of our lakes around here aren't geared toward pike, or managed like they are across the Atlantic.

Deadbait fishing accounts for 95% of the pike catch in the Maumee River each spring. Definately not a bad way to land a fish or two, especially in colder water when they are least active. Once the waters start to warm, most guys up there will use crankbaits and stickbaits to land these fish, before they seem to "dissapear" for the season.

 

I have never really heard of people using dead bait for muskies. I don't doubt that under the right circumstances, it might work. About the only live bait used with any regularity are large suckers. Pike are much more often caught with live & dead bait.

If you do try for muskie with bait, live or dead, please use a quick strike rig. If the fish swallows the bait and is gut hooked, the chance of mortality approaches 100%

 

Here are a few good reads on the subject:

http://www.fishontario.com/articles/autumns-awesome-pike/

http://www.fishontario.com/articles/muskie-rigs/

http://www.muskies101.com/fishingwithlivebait.htm

http://www.sportsmansguide.com/tip/tip_read.asp?tid=101162

http://www.esoxhunter.com/

 

Good points Worm. Although I've never used them for muskies I would assume that a circle hook may reduce fatalities to almost nothing when using bait. I understand that Minnesota ice fishers are using them more and more for pike via tip-ups with very good success.
Another interesting pike/bait rig that should work for muskies is a presentation called wobbling that was developed by euro pike fishers. This entails using a quick strike rig. The bait is hooked in the head and alongside the dorsal after the bait is slightly bent. The bait is then very slowly trolled causing it to 'wobble'. That is , it will rotate in a wide circle imitating a nearly dead and convulsing fish. We've all probably seen fish in this state, as they try to maintain equilibrium they 'spin out' or flip over as they try to swim upright. The trick to wobbling is to make sure the bait wobbles in a wide circle as opposed to spinning in a tight circle. I've never tried it but I don't see why it would't work.