[WayneChristie]

Originally Posted by fish gunner

I hit the trout pond at dickson get a few 10" odd suckers kill them,small owner trebles,I use a bait needle run through just behind the head,pop out at the dorsal fin try to get center of balance.it takes a little practice be careful it is easy to get your hand.pull the wire leader back thru clip on hook bury one point in the skull of the sucker good to go pike eat fish head first

Ive watched them eat bait head first, tail first, and sideways, sometimes they are really picky and grab where they dont see a hook, sometimes they dont care if they see it. when they get really hook shy I downsize my bait and use a single treble pushed up through the middle of the small bait. some pike come in at 100 miles an hour and smash the bait, some sneak in and sit there and push it around with their nose then either eat it or leave. helps to give it a bit of a jig if they are just staring at it, or it will scare them off, depends on the fish and the day I guess. learn a lot watching them on a camera or down the hole in shallow water.