live bait minnow rig help?

[blagoobs]

Hi guys,

Interestedinusing some minnows for pike and perch as something different for myself.

Ive got a good idea about how tohook and present the fish, I am more interested in the restof the set up.

Do I just run a line with a ledger, spinner and trace? I am not sure?

Any advice would be great.

Thanks

Matt

 

[cal_sutt]

I don't know if this will help very much but a very effective method I've used for big perch was to catch small livebait (chub, roach, perch etc) and then attaching a large hook (size 6 or larger) to a trace - which we made ourselves - then hooking the livebait firmly straight through the skull. Male sure you use a barbed hook too just to make sure the livebait doesn't slip off. Another good idea is to cut/wound the fish so it becomes its own attractant.

As for how to fish it, cast it out and let off a lot of line but try not too let too much off or else the livebait may run into a snag and you could be at risk of losing your rig. Every now and then I tend to reel in until its just in front of my rod tip and then pull some line off again to allow it to run again. There's a lot of other ways to work the bait too but its completely up to your own judgement, I personally prefer to let it run around but every so often work it like a lure to try and attract fish as it causes the bait to look like easy prey to the predator.

This method has worked for me time and time again both for perch and pike on canals and lakes so I would definitely recommend trying this. Best of luck to you and I hope this helps!

 

[terry m]

Lip hook then use a bait flag or a piece of rubber band to retain on the hook.

Personally a size 12 or perhaps 10 hook, fished uner a traditional grayling/perch bobber type float is great fun for perch and chub. If pike are about then a wire trace is needed.

 

[hunters moon]

same as terry m, small piece of rubber band to help retain the hook, home
made perch bobber great fun with perch, chub, and barbell.


....I have fished through fishless days that I remember happily without regret.
....Roderick haig-brown.

 

[blagoobs]

Could you use a size 8 treble hook?

 

[hunters moon]

Could you use a size 8 treble hook?

you could but why would you want-to unless your after pike but for chub,
perch, barbell etc I don't see the need to and also a single hook does less
damage.

 

[Phil Heaton]

To be honest with small single hooks fishing with minnows I would not use a wire trace at all, there's more chance of catching perch and chub than pike. Either use a fluorocarbon trace of around 6lb or tie the hook direct to the mainline. Over the past few rears I've used circle hooks with live baits simply lip hooked, with good success but you must remember not to strike into a fish simply lift into it and it will self hook.
Let's be honest here would you use a wire trace using the same size hook using a lobworm as bait?

 

[hunters moon]

To be honest with small single hooks fishing with minnows I would not use a wire trace at all, there's more chance of catching perch and chub than pike. Either use a fluorocarbon trace of around 6lb or tie the hook direct to the mainline. Over the past few rears I've used circle hooks with live baits simply lip hooked, with good success but you must remember not to strike into a fish simply lift into it and it will self hook.
Let's be honest here would you use a wire trace using the same size hook using a lobworm as bait?

PHIL, I have also been experimenting with circle hooks namely for chub using
lamprey section and also for pike, have had some good results with the chub
just need to work on the rigs a bit more.

 

[Phil Heaton]

I've caught perch pike and zander on circles, I've not particularly targeted chub but I'm sure they will work as the mechanics of them is superb.
Keeping the rigs simple seems to work well, with lamprey I'd just nick the skin on a slice and slide it so it hangs directly below or even hair rig it into a similar position.
Phil

 

[hunters moon]

I've caught perch pike and zander on circles, I've not particularly targeted chub but I'm sure they will work as the mechanics of them is superb.
Keeping the rigs simple seems to work well, with lamprey I'd just nick the skin on a slice and slide it so it hangs directly below or even hair rig it into a similar position.
Phil

PHIL we seem to be thinking along the same lines.