Bass Fishing HomeBass Fishing Forums

Go Back   BassFishin.Com Forums > Serious Conversation Only > General Bass Fishing Topics

Reply
 
Thread Tools Rate Thread Display Modes
Old 08-30-12, 10:42 PM   #1
joedog
BassFishin.Com Super Veteran
 
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: JANESVILLE,WI. 53545
Posts: 3,415
Default Just curious

I was fishing the river today. Water down more so working the banks was challenging at best. Caught a couple of two foot Northerns though in about 10-12 inches on a self painted fluke. Ok I took a blue sharpie and put a line down a white fluke's back. To US artists though that's self painted. Anyways I decide to work one of the pilings cause there was maybe five foot depth around them. I'm tossing the fluke on a Mustad 1/8 oz wieghted hook. I'm working it 'kinda fast' so it's staying around 6 inches below surface with surface breaking if and when I want to. I let the current drift it at times after a few pops.
Now the fluke is right at surface right at the front of a piling and a MASSIVE swirl and the fluke gets popped air born by a good 7+ lb Northern. WOW I'm very impressed and alittle excited. The Northern literally came 3/4 of it's body above the water line.
Now the decision time.....
It's 7:45 getting dusk working on dark. I have no leaders tied on any of the half a dozen rods in the car or along and do I really have time to walk to shore and mess with tieable leader which I did have along. The big pike working the piling pretty much rules out any smallmouths hanging out and probably the walleye too. So what the heck $1 hook and a $.50 fluke...I'm into this game. Three casts later right at the piling again the Pike swirls and chomps and.....I'm out a $1.50. Not EVEN A TUG!
Now times a wasting so I hurriedly get out of the river to the car make the same fatal decision (no time to mess with wire) plus that pikes got a hook and plastic in it. It probably left. Take another hand painted fluke (this one I blued the tail instead of back) and 10-15 minutes I'm back at the piling. Believe it or not my very first cast, right in front of the piling and a big swirl and this time a massive drag pulling strike and run. Now all I'm thinking is that I need to make sure the pikes head is coming towards me before I do a hard set or else the line WILL cross teeth and who can afford to lose two flukes to one fish? Well it did turn and decided to spit at me at the same time....well I got my fluke back!
I didn't see this fish but I definitly felt it and my monies on it was the same pike.

Now for the question. Ya I know, finally!
Would you have done the same knowing that even if you get a BIG pike bite with no leader and 10lb. test line the chances of landing it are slim.

Would you have tied a leader or always have a leader with. I'm not in a boat so supplies aren't within arms reach. I'm wading in the river a good 30 yards from shore.

Would you have casted elsewhere avoiding a bite off.

And lastly, should I or would you have set the second bite sooner. Remember with the pull after the bite it should have at least slightly self set itself and I kept the line with NO slack at all, again if a pike turns it's head and slashes your probably going to get a bite off.

So anglers what do you think?
__________________
"Fishing isn't life or death... it's more important than that."
joedog is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-31-12, 11:28 PM   #2
Dogmatic
BassFishin.Com Veteran Member
 
Dogmatic's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Bucks County, PA
Posts: 714
Default

You bet! It was fun wasn't it, fish or no fish? I, however, usually have the needed supplies, and would have taken the time to tie on a leader. I was in the OBX fishing 3/4 oz. Jigs on 30# powerpro with 15# fluoro leader from a pier and a massive ray swam in range. You bet I went for it. Hook up, thirty second run snap...it was worth it!
Dogmatic is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-01-12, 05:24 AM   #3
kennethdaysale
BassFishin.Com Super Veteran
 
kennethdaysale's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: rock hill, sc
Posts: 2,315
Default

Joe Of course my plan on every cast is to be prepared and in position to LAND a fish that might bite on that cast. However I can't count the times that I have thrown on a breaking fish or to a very fishy lookin spot that I knew that short of some miracle I had little chance of landing the fish. Why? Cause I believe in miracles (I've seen um) and at the very least it's better to have loved and lost than to never have loved at all
__________________
Sometimes you gotta risk it to get the biscuit.
kennethdaysale is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-01-12, 07:38 AM   #4
lilmule
BassFishin.Com Super Veteran
 
lilmule's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Buchanan,Tn
Posts: 2,685
Default

Dont think they are miracles to intervene in normal life,as know what will happen,and still do it.
lilmule is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-01-12, 08:21 AM   #5
OkobojiEagle
BassFishin.Com Active Member
 
OkobojiEagle's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: NW Iowa
Posts: 270
Default

I'd have tied on a spinnerbait

oe
OkobojiEagle is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-01-12, 01:21 PM   #6
keithdog
BassFishin.Com Premier Elite
 
keithdog's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: IN
Posts: 8,308
Default

I may have done the same thing you did if caught without a leader on hand. If the trip to the truck was short, I'd go get me a leader. Better yet, stick one in your pocket and keep it with you. As far as setting the hook, I would have set that hook hard as soon as he hit. Pike have such a hard bony mouth and I doubt the pull of the pike would set a hook much if any at all. Plus pike will swallow a bait deeply if given time. Next time, I would take a couple rods, one having a line more suitable for pike. IMO 10 pound line in a river is risky when pike are present. Between the sharp teeth and rivere bottom debris such as logs, rocks, and human dbreis, light lines don't stand much of a chance. I also like Eagles suggestion for a spinnerbait. Spinnerbaits are like candy to a kid when it comes to pike, plus they won't swallow a spinnerbait like other lures. The line will remain outside the pikes mouth.
__________________
Just one more cast, and then some!
keithdog is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-01-12, 02:47 PM   #7
joedog
BassFishin.Com Super Veteran
 
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: JANESVILLE,WI. 53545
Posts: 3,415
Default

Thanks everyone!
The reasoning for not setting earlier was because it was kind a running away from me and I was afraid the set before I had him facing my direction would bring the line across the teeth.
Had plenty of spinners though and even had one tied on another pole. Never crossed my mind. The fact that they don't swallow a spinner is a REAL good point!
__________________
"Fishing isn't life or death... it's more important than that."
joedog is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-04-12, 08:56 PM   #8
Crankbait
BassFishin.Com Active Member
 
Crankbait's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Durham, NC
Posts: 406
Default

Sometimes it’s all about the chase……isn’t it?!?
Crankbait is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Disclosure / Disclaimer
Before acting on the content posted, you should know that BassFishin.Com may benefit financially and otherwise from content, advertising, links or otherwise from anything you click on, read, or look at on our website. Click here to read our Disclosure Policy and Disclaimer.


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools
Display Modes Rate This Thread
Rate This Thread:

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -4. The time now is 08:02 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
© 2013 BassFishin.Com LLC