Unconventional Bait

[B_Type13X2]

Today I was at my fishing spot shooting the breeze with some of the locals and we started talking about bait and what everyone was using, the most common (and successful) being minnows, and one guy started talking about how he had luck with bacon for pike/ walleye, to me this seemed a bit weird, like the only way this would make sense is if the walleye/pike really wanted salt and were scent tracking it down... then someone else threw out the idea of peanut butter...

I think bacon might be plausible but come on peanut butter? Anyway for the sake of discussion what is the weirdest bait you have used and how successful was it for you?

[RavYak]

Never had a whole lot of luck on anything strange in particular. Something that I used to use a lot of down in Kentucky but no one uses up here are crickets. Little bluegill just loved those crickets, they stay on the hook and kicking for a while too. For some reason I haven't bothered to pick up a few and try them for perch, probably would work.

Lots of people use bacon, deer/beef heart/liver etc for pike. They say it is best if you set it out for a few days to give it some extra kick... I tried and believe I caught a couple trout on pieces of pepperoni stick lol.

[cranky]

Trout like bacon.

[B_Type13X2]

Doing abit of reading it turns out most "power baits" are just salted so bacon makes alot of sense but given the potential world wide bacon shortage, I don't think I want to waste any on fish.

[uplander]

I have a buddy who owns a lake lot on sylvan and he swears by using hotdogs for pike and I never believed him until a few weeks ago I went out with him and caught 5 pike and 3 walleye all on hotdogs under a bobber!

[Gust]

When I was a little kid I strung the entire innards of a pike that was just cleaned nehind a big salmon spinner and caught an eight pound pike on my second cast. It was a messy affair but worth it.

[WayneChristie]

I have a buddy who owns a lake lot on sylvan and he swears by using hotdogs for pike and I never believed him until a few weeks ago I went out with him and caught 5 pike and 3 walleye all on hotdogs under a bobber!

true, pike like weiners. camped on Medicine Lake last year and was cutting them into eighths and caught dozens of them using a bobber

[drifter]

true, pike like weiners. camped on Medicine Lake last year and was cutting them into eighths and caught dozens of them using a bobber

You mean BOBBITT fishing.:sHa_sarcasticlol:

[pike_king780]

Never tried but I've been told those yellow and pink foam earplugs they make are great for catching grayling

[Fishnafterwork]

I have caught literally hundreds of fish with wiener as a kid.... From perch and trout to bass and alligator far..... I believe it has something to do with the grease..... A grease ring forms as it touches the water quite similar to the grease rings you c when using scents like power bait ..... Just my opinion :)

[tight line]

pulled 4 pieces of bacon out of a lake trouts stomach from abraham...which is no bait allowed...fish cop stopped and talked to us, we told him about it, he siad a few years ago some one caught one with a whole bag of smelts in its stomach...

[Guitarplayingfish]

I've heard of people using bacon for walleye and pike.

Also, fish are naturally attracted to salt.

[Herefishyfishy]

I have tried dozens of unconventional baits, with the strangest being the skin off uncooked chicken, and had some minor success, stays on the hook well though. Cooked shrimp from a shrimp ring also works not bad. Believe it or not, bubblegum, ran outta bait one day, took it from my mouth to the hook, mashed it on, dropped it through the ice, caught 3 jack on the same piece, Mmm double bubble.

[Don Andersen]

Jigged green balloons for ling cod, friend has used rose hips and rabbit turds. Mind you, that was for Bull Trout.


Don

[Kim473]

I've heard of people using bacon for walleye and pike.

Also, fish are naturally attracted to salt.

Lets throw salt in all the lakes.

Would only have to use suger and spice when smoking then.

[pickrel pat]

ive had good success using water for bait.

[cranky]

ive had good success using water for bait.

Great! Now i have to mop up my keyboard. Lol.

[kingshow]

I remember as a kid running out of worms and using a chunk of ham for walleye and pike witch did work, I do recall watching a vid on youtube where a few musky anglers put last nights chicken carcas on a hook as a joke when a musky hit it hard right beside the boat, As well i have heard of old timers using large rats,cats and such for musky way back in the day, They would send the bait out alive on a board with a rope attached then when it would drift far enough out they would pull the board from underneath the bait and end of story.

[Redneck Renagade]

Never tried but I've been told those yellow and pink foam earplugs they make are great for catching grayling

Take the earplugs and dump into a container of power bait gel. Then squish them into it. They work awesome and they don't fall off like regular power bait. I have also put them into a jar of minced garlic.

[RavYak]

I remember as a kid running out of worms and using a chunk of ham for walleye and pike witch did work, I do recall watching a vid on youtube where a few musky anglers put last nights chicken carcas on a hook as a joke when a musky hit it hard right beside the boat, As well i have heard of old timers using large rats,cats and such for musky way back in the day, They would send the bait out alive on a board with a rope attached then when it would drift far enough out they would pull the board from underneath the bait and end of story.

I wonder if some of those big old pike in Wabamun would be interested in gophers. :thinking-006:

As much as I hate the little buggers I think I would feel bad putting one on a hook trying for a pike or musky lol.

[Wild&Free]

mineral oil on worms. works great.

[omega50]

I have a buddy who owns a lake lot on sylvan and he swears by using hotdogs for pike and I never believed him until a few weeks ago I went out with him and caught 5 pike and 3 walleye all on hotdogs under a bobber!

To a pike maybe it looks like a jumbo worm!!

[RavYak]

To a pike maybe it looks like a jumbo worm!!

Pretty sure they just put a chunk of hotdog on lol.

[Gust]

I wonder if some of those big old pike in Wabamun would be interested in gophers. :thinking-006:

As much as I hate the little buggers I think I would feel bad putting one on a hook trying for a pike or musky lol.

Long ago and far away in time, the story goes that two trollers cross lines at minewanka and one troller is adamant about fixing the tangle but other boat takes up the line first annd discovers adamant fisher is trolling a gopher behind a big truck/flasher.

National park myth? Who knows,,, I am sure crazier stuff is going on out there.

[fish gunner]

Aussie browns love chessies. euro chub like elder berries. many years ago we would shoot squirrels for dolly bait in winter. almost every thing that swims eats bacon. carp like french frys. browns at the glen eagles(the real one) like bread floating on the surface. carp at glen abby eat grass tied on a hook. dog food bits for carp and stocked trout in the UK. pork fat slays hali. any beef ofal works hot dam for eel. 1/2 chicken for sturgeon. barricuda in figi love gekos, again many years ago. marshmallows for salmon on the credit. that's the stuff that sticks out. ah being a kid in the days before the rule books. urban legend of an old man on lake ST Clair using a leather harness for rats to win muskie derbys quite regular back in the day.

[NEWB]

Lots of interesting ideas in this thread.

Next time I'm out (tomorrow and sat) I may have to try the hot dog idea.

I've always had good success with minnows
however that's pretty conventional.

[Guitarplayingfish]

I remember as a kid running out of worms and using a chunk of ham for walleye and pike witch did work, I do recall watching a vid on youtube where a few musky anglers put last nights chicken carcas on a hook as a joke when a musky hit it hard right beside the boat, As well i have heard of old timers using large rats,cats and such for musky way back in the day, They would send the bait out alive on a board with a rope attached then when it would drift far enough out they would pull the board from underneath the bait and end of story.

Old timer or not, if I EVER see anyone using a cat, dog, squirrel, etc as bait...They would be out of commission.. VERY fast. I Guarantee they would not be healthy enough to fish for a long time after I was through with them.

[Gust]

Old timer or not, if I EVER see anyone using a cat, dog, squirrel, etc as bait...They would be out of commission.. VERY fast. I Guarantee they would not be healthy enough to fish for a long time after I was through with them.

How about mice or frogs for pike? Would I get a beat down? And I am not talking a rhythm type beat a dj needs.

[fish gunner]

Old timer or not, if I EVER see anyone using a cat, dog, squirrel, etc as bait...They would be out of commission.. VERY fast. I Guarantee they would not be healthy enough to fish for a long time after I was through with them.

snap, over react, head fake, flurry to the mid section. lol. dollies like squirrel, we ensured they were dead first. not sure where the rules state use of live mammals is illegal. J/K
if you can find old old fishing books they recommend mouse and frogs as good live bait for pike. dag or cats hmm salt water maybe. lol. I for one was speaking of a bye gone age without RULE books.

[Guitarplayingfish]

snap, over react, head fake, flurry to the mid section. lol. dollies like squirrel, we ensured they were dead first. not sure where the rules state use of live mammals is illegal. J/K
if you can find old old fishing books they recommend mouse and frogs as good live bait for pike. dag or cats hmm salt water maybe. lol. I for one was speaking of a bye gone age without RULE books.

hahaha.

There is a difference between already dead and making a creature suffer and drown... even dead, its the lack of respect that gets me going.

Mouse and frogs work for pike, but honestly... If that's what they are biting, you should be able to do fine with an imitation. If not, you suck at pike fishing.

[Wild&Free]

Mouse and frogs work for pike, but honestly... If that's what they are biting, you should be able to do fine with an imitation. If not, you suck at pike fishing.

Likes it's hard to catch a pike.

[NEWB]

I picked up some wieners and minnows today.

I'm hitting up wabamun lake tomorrow. I'll see how fishing with my wiener goes! Hahaha.

[tight line]

I wonder if some of those big old pike in Wabamun would be interested in gophers. :thinking-006:

As much as I hate the little buggers I think I would feel bad putting one on a hook trying for a pike or musky lol.

Lol, ive seen em eat muskrats, gopher probably wouldnt last 5 minutes

[WayneChristie]

Lol, ive seen em eat muskrats, gopher probably wouldnt last 5 minutes

watched one swim from the dock to shore at PCR I was really hoping to see the dock monster take it, but no such luck :mad0100:

[Guitarplayingfish]

I picked up some wieners and minnows today.

I'm hitting up wabamun lake tomorrow. I'll see how fishing with my wiener goes! Hahaha.

hahahahaha

[Herefishyfishy]

I picked up some wieners and minnows today.

I'm hitting up wabamun lake tomorrow. I'll see how fishing with my wiener goes! Hahaha.

Well, I have heard you might have better luck down on White Ave using that kinda bait, depending on the size, plenty of fish in that sea... :sHa_sarcasticlol:

[NEWB]

Well, I have heard you might have better luck down on White Ave using that kinda bait, depending on the size, plenty of fish in that sea... :sHa_sarcasticlol:

I'm going for pike not crabs..... ;). Hahaha!!!

[ak-71]

I think everything is possible after some stinky perfume like mexican made soap bar (sold in bait shop) came out the best bait for catfish on our jug lines in one lake in Texas. That was the wierdest thing I used for bait.
Last year we had best luck with beacon for burbot, but almost everything worked for them including ham, turkey, sousage from our sandwiches and gummy worms (those were good only for smaller ones)

[slivers86]

CVR pike like pepperoni :)

[chriscosta]

gotta use hotrods tho lol

[NEWB]

I tried the hot dog at wabamun yesterday. No bites. They were going crazy for my jig and minnow combo!

[buckman]

Chunk of bear meat for Ling on the peace river in springtime during bear season.Caught as many as we wanted they loved it.