CG_Fishes Posted January 16, 2021 Report Share Posted January 16, 2021 After a shockingly bad season for pike in 2020, only catching 2 fish, 2021 is off to a great start. My goal since I started targetting these fish was a 30+" fish, today I beat that with a 31" WCZ travel board buster. Of course it came on the 8" magdraft, which is now my go-to pike bait. This fish ate 3 times before getting hooked, all on separate casts after I popped the bait. I believe this poor hookup ratio is because when I pop the bait it inverts and flashes, causing the hook to sit on the top of the bait. This is when the fish grab it and of course they don't get hooked! My solution to this is going to be adding a treble on the head, as the slices have been in the front 4" on all of my bites. If anyone has a suggestion on how to attach the hook, my ears are wide open. I'm thinking either 2 splits and a swivel or braid, but I want to hear what you guys have to say. Anyways catching this fish was a feeling I cannot put into words after all the grinding I have done with little to no success Jon P, Bass24hr, SacPig916 and 10 others 13 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThatKidInNY Posted January 16, 2021 Report Share Posted January 16, 2021 Awesome fish man! Glad you were able to find some open water! CG_Fishes 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim137a Posted January 16, 2021 Report Share Posted January 16, 2021 Nice catch and a thumbs up to u for braving the cold and damp weather in upstate NY today. as far as attaching a the hook goes I’d avoid braid - those razor sharp teeth would pop it in a second. CG_Fishes 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOZ Posted January 16, 2021 Report Share Posted January 16, 2021 Awesome! Congrats CG_Fishes and Jim137a 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CG_Fishes Posted January 16, 2021 Author Report Share Posted January 16, 2021 6 minutes ago, Jim137a said: Nice catch and a thumbs up to u for braving the cold and damp weather in upstate NY today. as far as attaching a the hook goes I’d avoid braid - those razor sharp teeth would pop it in a second. Thanks, it wasn't bad with temps in the high 30s, probably the best we will get until February. And I figured out a rigging method with 120lb wire, hopefully it works out. Just want to miss less bites Bmurr7, BOZ and Jim137a 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CG_Fishes Posted January 16, 2021 Author Report Share Posted January 16, 2021 20 minutes ago, ThatKidInNY said: Awesome fish man! Glad you were able to find some open water! Thanks man, my rivers never froze so when the temps are above freezing it means it's time to fish ThatKidInNY 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassbass Posted January 16, 2021 Report Share Posted January 16, 2021 Great fish CG_Fishes 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SacPig916 Posted January 16, 2021 Report Share Posted January 16, 2021 Nice fish!!! CG_Fishes 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WaterWolf44 Posted January 16, 2021 Report Share Posted January 16, 2021 14 hours ago, CG_Fishes said: After a shockingly bad season for pike in 2020, only catching 2 fish, 2021 is off to a great start. My goal since I started targetting these fish was a 30+" fish, today I beat that with a 31" WCZ travel board buster. Of course it came on the 8" magdraft, which is now my go-to pike bait. This fish ate 3 times before getting hooked, all on separate casts after I popped the bait. I believe this poor hookup ratio is because when I pop the bait it inverts and flashes, causing the hook to sit on the top of the bait. This is when the fish grab it and of course they don't get hooked! My solution to this is going to be adding a treble on the head, as the slices have been in the front 4" on all of my bites. If anyone has a suggestion on how to attach the hook, my ears are wide open. I'm thinking either 2 splits and a swivel or braid, but I want to hear what you guys have to say. Anyways catching this fish was a feeling I cannot put into words after all the grinding I have done with little to no success Nice pic great pike. Savage gear makes some killer pike baits give em a try CG_Fishes 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CG_Fishes Posted January 16, 2021 Author Report Share Posted January 16, 2021 Thanks man! It was hard to get a good pic in the deep mud that the last flood brought in but I made it work. Getting pics while fishing alone is never easy. And I have tried them a little bit and wasn't a huge fan personally, I actually have what's left of my savage stuff listed on the BM right now. Maybe I should try them again, but my confidence has been built with paddletails. Gotta start fishing glides more for them, I know they'll do well Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danthefisherman Posted January 16, 2021 Report Share Posted January 16, 2021 Nice one! CG_Fishes 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WaterWolf44 Posted January 16, 2021 Report Share Posted January 16, 2021 1 hour ago, CG_Fishes said: Thanks man! It was hard to get a good pic in the deep mud that the last flood brought in but I made it work. Getting pics while fishing alone is never easy. And I have tried them a little bit and wasn't a huge fan personally, I actually have what's left of my savage stuff listed on the BM right now. Maybe I should try them again, but my confidence has been built with paddletails. Gotta start fishing glides more for them, I know they'll do well The line thrus in particular. The trout and the 7 in shiner get smashed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CG_Fishes Posted January 16, 2021 Author Report Share Posted January 16, 2021 1 minute ago, WaterWolf44 said: The line thrus in particular. The trout and the 7 in shiner get smashed I have the 7" shiner and have done well on it with pickerel and bass but stopped using it since I just caught dinks. I have thought about trying it more for these river pike but just haven't Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim137a Posted January 17, 2021 Report Share Posted January 17, 2021 @CG_Fishes saw this video on rigging stringers on the Magdraft. CG_Fishes 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CG_Fishes Posted January 17, 2021 Author Report Share Posted January 17, 2021 Just now, Jim137a said: @CG_Fishes saw this video on rigging stringers on the Magdraft. Thanks, I've seen that video. That guy is cracked, he has more hooks on a 6" mag than most guys have on baitsmith mag X's. He does have good ideas but I just used some single strand Jim137a 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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