Fall Pike Live Bait techneques

I wish I could get my hands on a northern that big, biggest I ever got was a 8 1/2 pounder at channal A, north of the dam. about time someone responded. acording to the game and fish, the state fish is the second most sought after fish in ND, after the holy walleye.

wish we could use suckers on dl.........ill stick with pounders until it happens.

40's-or-Bust Said:
wish we could use suckers on dl.........ill stick with pounders until it happens.

Creek chubs are your huckleberry. 

creek chubs are not a foot long.....although youre right that theyre are probably the largest legal bait allowed here.

I get 12" creek chubs all day long, and this is a great time of year to catch em.  just head for your nearest creek and find a larger deeper hole and fish an ice jig & a worm a couple feet under a bobber.

I had to custom make some big bobbers so the chubs don't pull them under while fishing for pike.

Interesting article I found while researching creek chubs.

www.walleyesforever.com/propage/propage.html

 

scary man Said:
I wish I could get my hands on a northern that big, biggest I ever got was a 8 1/2 pounder at channal A, north of the dam. about time someone responded. acording to the game and fish, the state fish is the second most sought after fish in ND, after the holy walleye.

Creek chubs all the way.  I jig them frozen or alive and they are amazing for pike.  Biggest ones i've caught in my trap are around that 10 inch plus range but on a hook and line - 12inchers can be caught in the right creek in late summer.  Also work great for Catfish and Bass.  Just make sure you keep those sand shiners out of that bait well.

mattcarufel Said:
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PIKE PREFER SNACK-SIZED SUCKERS

A client of mine got this big Pike yesterday on a large sucker minnow!

 

Jig-em-up-Josh Said:

mattcarufel Said:
 Read this story

PIKE PREFER SNACK-SIZED SUCKERS

A client of mine got this big Pike yesterday on a large sucker minnow!

Nice fish! 

These were all caught on chubs this spring during and after ice out (including lots of spawning male walleyes)










I took a guy out last week to show him how and where to catch chubs in the minot area and he was blown away as to how easy they are to get once you know where they are.

my soul wants to pry you for info on that...but then i will stink up my house with a containment system full of creek chubs!

Struck out three times so far trying to find them darn things, I know they are here somewhere.

when I say creek, I mean "creek"  as in, no wider than your coffee table, as in one you can jump across.  Especially any small dinky creek that runs into larger bodies of water, especially the mouse river or lake sakakawea.

I use google earth to trace the creeks from the lakes to the nearest access points by a road.  that little bridge in the coulee south of walmart and west of 83 holds lots of chubs.  as well as the whole creek system that runs west to east along the south side of minot right behind the truck stop.

40's-or-Bust Said:
my soul wants to pry you for info on that...but then i will stink up my house with a containment system full of creek chubs!

If kept right with the right (inexpensive) equipment, you can keep them all year long just like a fish tank.  all you need is...

-1 50-200 gallon tank (stock tank, aquarium, tub)  I like to get the aluminum stock tanks from TSC.

-1 or 2 (depending on how many chubs you plan to keep) large double power filters (sold at walmart for 39.99)

- some chlorine remover (also sold at walmart)

- a lid, I prefer a thick plexiglass top and cut it to fit semi-tight around the filter.  every creek chub in the tank will jump out within 10 minutes after you leave the room.

- learn how the nitrogen cycle works.  its the basic system of breaking down waste (ammonia & nitrites) by bacteria into harmless nitrate and nitrogen.  the tank basically needs to be converted into a "live in" septic tank.  the easiest and fastest way to achieve this is to take your new clean filter cartrige to any local pet store and trade it for a "dirty" one.  the dirty one will be loaded with good bacteria ready to munch on chub turds.  It still may take a couple weeks for the newly added bacteria to become completely established so don't over load the tank with 10 dozen chubs just yet, start out with a dozen small to med ones for a couple weeks til the water looks crystal clear or you do not measure any amonia or nitrite on a test kit (also can be bought at local pet shop)

- cleaning the tank, chubs are big and dirty, DO NOT KEEP MINNOWS WITH CHUBS they will eat half of them and kill the rest making a huge mess.  once a month drain out 30% to half the water and refill it with fresh from the tap is fine, add some chlorine remover and your good to go.  only replace one filter at a time so you do not remove too much good bateria all at once.  they're dirty fish, so keep plenty of spare cartriges around.  (they can be washed out a few times before throwing them away)

this is my (approx 100 gallon) chub tank.  bought at TSC and the filter from walmart.  I use a 4X2.5 foot sheet of 1/4" plexiglass for a lid


but remember, creek chubs and fathead minnows are the only legal live baitfish in most ND waters, so know the ID of your fish.  when fishing for chubs I catch alot of other similar species like dace and shiners so know the difference.  with all the ANS hype wardens will be on the lookout for suspicious bait more than usual.

happy chubbin!

What do you feed the chubs when keeping them for a while?

Multi-Species angler - i think we should nickname you Creek Chub.  You know alot about them and the preservation of them.  Pretty cool i have to say.  I just trap what i'm using that day but if i had this set up i'd be in business.  Nice pics on the thread by the way.

Lycanthrope Said:
What do you feed the chubs when keeping them for a while?

regular sinking fishfood pellets, unused leaches, worms, or a few of the tiny minnows left over from a fishing trip.  Just don't over feed em, as long as they get a little something to eat once or twice a week they'll do fine.

BOUTDOORS Said:
Multi-Species angler - i think we should nickname you Creek Chub.  You know alot about them and the preservation of them.  Pretty cool i have to say.  I just trap what i'm using that day but if i had this set up i'd be in business.  Nice pics on the thread by the way.

find a nice shady spot in a cool corner of the basement & set one up.  I got less than $100 into mine