Well Kevin and I hit Pineview about 7:30 this morning. We launched just outside of the main gate on the North side in the middle finger and started fishing towards the back of the bay. After about an hour KEv scored the first fish with a nice little Smallie on a white and chartuse spinnerbait. I decided to put away the panfish jigs and try for some real fish. I switched to a suspending Frenzy in fire tiger and had about a 4lb smallie hit it on the second or third cast. Wooo Hooo my first Samllie and she was chunkey.
We had been seeing a few tigers so Kevin started thorung spinners to them and nothing. He Switched to a Senko in watermelon and WHAM tiger on …tiger off cut right through the line. So he re-riged and through it back after a couple more casts wham again. After a few minutes Kevin had his first Tiger. We fished for 20 more minutes and there was another Tiger on and off just like the first cut the line like knife through hot butter, and that was smoe 14# test they were cutting. In short he re-rigged and caught another nice little Tiger. Well I start to rig a Senko and the W%#* decided to start blowing, so we started the kick back. On the way in I hooked up with a 6" Perch. Well is was not red hot but we had one hell of a good time. I need to get out and get me a Tiger some time.
You got your hands on a very nice and rare Pineview Largemouth. I have seen a few come out of there but not too many. Very nice fish! What did he weigh? Looks about six or seven pounds, nice catch!
Hookjaw
I have no idea what it was exactly, I do not have a scale. And all fish actually swam away. The only thing I was going to keep would of been some Crappie. LH2 I do not know the lake well enough to say exactly where we were. But we launched of the NE side of the road just out side the Cemetery Point. Than we headed up toward the back of the bay fishing the trees.
Thanks for the info. I did not know there were largies in there. Kevin and I were saying it looks alot like a largie but could not see any of the distinct markings. She hit hard and pulled real hard.
Which arm is the Gertson Bay arm? May I ask what you were using to catch your tigers? The Senkos and Salt Sticks I was using were working great when pitched in and among the shadows in the brush. Next time I will rig them on a heavy mono leader. I think steel will negatively effect the action too much. Also might try a larger size too! Although these soft plastics can only last thru one, maybe two assaults, I think they spook the fish less than blades, etc, on these heavy weekends. They are also very weedless compared to hard baits.
I won’t pretend that I know beans about fishing for toothy critters, but it has been my understanding that using mono., no matter how heavy, is risky if you want to land them.
People on this site, who fish for them regularly, I’m sure will advise you that metal leaders are a must. It would be a shame to hook the fish of a lifetime, only to have it shaw you off, and wave it’s tail goodbye because it was “under tackled”.
I see them fish with metal leaders on TV, and it doesn’t seem to spook the fish.
I use a 49 strand 13 lb test and it is not very stiff. It is so supple that you can tie uni-knots with it to attach it to your swivel and lure. Keep it short, 6-9 inch should do it.
The other option is to do like the salts do and really mono up. I would think 30 to 40 lb test would slow them down.
The other thing, when your fighting a fish with really sharp teeth and gill plates, get the fish turned quickly. Get the line away from the fishes teeth by kicking to the side and reeling aggressively at the hookset. When the fish is going away from you, the line is being pulled right through all the teeth.
To be honest, I rarely use steel leader at all… Even on cranks. I have caught my fair share of nice muskies, and never had one break me off… well, except when I get them with a crappie jig or thru the ice with small stuff.
With that said, I know Brody (LH2) uses them, and he catches more muskies than anyone I know.
But when fishing with jigs, I don’t think steel is an option. You won’t get the finesse presentation you try to get fishing a jig.
I guess sometimes you gotta just set the hook, and prey it went in the corner of the mouth!
I have caught my fair share of Tigers and Pike up to 50+ inches. I have never used steal leader. Its very visable and if kinked ruins the lures presantation. I have always used a 6" leader of 25lb flourocarbine line tied to 10 or 12lb mono with a snap on the end. Even more scary is this time of year I go down to 8lb line to give my lure the right action I want and still dont have break offs!!! I can not ever recall having a tiger cut through that leader. Only time I have had it break is trying to get the fish in the boat. As long as you tie new leader on after every fish you should be good. Learn how to use your drag on the real and there is no need for heavy line and steel leaders and much better alternative.
I’ve had more break offs due to swivels on the steal liter breaking than anything else. I use 20 lb fireline and only can remember one break off due to teeth, in the last forteen years fishing for them.
Hey Guys, thanks for all of the advice! I do have some experience fishing for toothsome critters in the ocean, but have limited experience with the pike/muskies in freshwater. It was a blast for sure! I found it odd that these fish were sawing me off even before the hookset. A couple times I went to set the hook only to whiff and find a CLEAN cut right through the line…AMAZING! I think this is in part to the types of lure I was using (Salt Sticks/Senkos). There is just little for the fish to grab without getting the line too. I’ll try some other ways to rig em and give ya a progress report of my success!
I beg your pardon? I hardly ever use steele leaders. [;)] I almost exclusively use 50# Power Pro and no leader. I just spooled up 2 reels with 15# for plastics and that is why i got cut off. I have only had 2 tigers cut me off and that was yesterday when they appearantly swallowed the senko. The only time i use steele leaders is when i am throwing short cranks that are easy for a tiger to engulf. If you are using plastics just try and set the hook quickly to avoid them getting it too far in their mouth. Easier said than done but you gotta be quick in this game.
