Reply by: Mark403      Posted: 11/3/2009 12:53:08 PM     Points: 3057    

I have only used water dogs when ice fishing but would imagine you could rig them the same...I use two treble hooks, one up through the top of the mouth and the other through the top of the back between the fin and tail. Similar to the photo below (could not find a better photo with a water dog) A quick stike rig helps. LINK

 Reply by: J-rock      Posted: 11/3/2009 2:07:33 PM     Points: 63    

Nice response Mark, But you want to rig water dogs a bit differently. Unlike your "dead" smelt or suckers the water dogs are alive and you want them to stay alive. One circle or kahle hook through the both lips of the water dog probably on a slip sinker rig, depending on where your fishing from, boat, shore, ice E.t.c. if from a boat they have enough weight to them that weight would probably not be neccesary.

Reason for this is because the water dogs will walk and swim freely with this rig, if you put a another hook somewhere they can bleed and die and or not swim or walk how they should. I could go into more detail but this should get you on the right path. Good luck.

 Reply by: Migboy78      Posted: 11/3/2009 2:54:40 PM     Points: 21    

Thanks Guys
Any help is appreciated. I think I'll give them a try...Someone said to hook them in the back and set them about 3 feet below a bobber. ???? don't know but will experiment
Dan

 Reply by: DonInDenver      Posted: 11/3/2009 3:26:14 PM     Points: 432    

Don't hook them through the back, hook them through the lips so they stay alive and swim.

 Reply by: Bullyhunter      Posted: 11/3/2009 4:32:46 PM     Points: 1449    

I also only fish them during ice season,but I always hook them thru the lips as noted above.

 Reply by: Walleyeone      Posted: 11/3/2009 5:31:09 PM     Points: 396    

When your icefishing you can use them on a bobber. I prefer tip ups but either will work.
As stated hook them through the lips. You want to keep them off the bottom usually or they will snag you up.
I put them down about halfway and set my tip up loose enough that if a fish takes it, the fish can run out line.
I haven't used them much in open water but when I did we trolled them real,real,real slow with just a splitshot to keep them down and again hooked through the lips.
JD

 Reply by: gatorjoe      Posted: 11/3/2009 6:02:38 PM     Points: 447    

I'm a little confused, maybe someone can clarify. I thought live bait was illegal above 7,000 feet. Is there something I'm missing? I'm curious cause I do wanna get up to eleven mile over the winter for some ice fishing and I guess I maybe need some clarification on the regs.

 Reply by: DonInDenver      Posted: 11/3/2009 6:12:42 PM     Points: 432    

gatorjoe--

Live fish are illegal as bait above 7000 feet. Waterdogs are legal.

The regulation reads:

"The use of, or possession of live fish for use as bait is prohibited in the following waters:
1 All waters east of the Continental Divide above 7,000 feet elevation
2. The Arkansas River above Parkdale – Fremont and Chaffee counties
3. Watson Lake - Larimer County
4. All waters west of the Continental Divide, except in Navajo Reservoir.

 Reply by: gatorjoe      Posted: 11/3/2009 7:39:50 PM     Points: 447    

Thanks Don. That makes sense. Guess I was having a little brain fart there.

 Reply by: Bullyhunter      Posted: 11/3/2009 8:06:49 PM     Points: 1449    

I also e-mailed the DOW last year about this same question.Bob Fisher responded that waterdogs are in the same catagory as night crawlers.Anywhere you can use a worm you can use a waterdog.Hope this helps out.

 Reply by: channelcat13      Posted: 11/4/2009 10:46:43 AM     Points: 251    

Yeah, this is an interesting topic. Frozen anchovies are by far my favorite pike bait. These are fully legal above or below 7,000 feet. Due to the difficult nature of finding these oily fish, I have defaulted to the frozen sucker that locals tend to use. These seem to work well as well but at 5-6 bucks for a pack of 3 (5"ers), this bait can get pricey.

The dogs at Elevenmile run 2 bucks a pop, I think. I would agree, that these should be fished by hooking them through the lips. I would use a 1/0-2/0 hook attached to a steel leader for them. In all honesty, I have never caught a pike on them but I hear they are great bait for all kinds of fish, especially large pike, cats, and bass. Keep them alive! I have caught pike with leaders in their mouths that do have half digested dogs on them, however, so I know they work. I am willing to bet that a dog attached to a spoon would be deadly as the dog would swim and the spoon would offer extra flash. There is a youtube video that shows ice fishermen with an underwater camera fishing for pike with live minnows attached to spoons and jig heads put to the tune of "hit me with your best shot." Funny stuff!

Good luck out there! If you can find chovies, fish em. I like to fish everything on the bottom because I have found that pike will rummage if left to their own devices. As was already mentioned, however, expect snags. Heavier line, 18" (30 lb leaders), stout rods, good drag, and being ok with missing/lost tackle.

Best,

CC13

 Reply by: Migboy78      Posted: 11/4/2009 12:27:17 PM     Points: 21    

Channelcat13
Great stuff thank you!! We used steel leaders last time the a couple guys there saed to get rid of them as you save a few lures but get 1/3 the hits.
I think I'll try both and see. I would think the big pike can bite though the 30 lbs test as well no?
We are planning on heading across to Wicters cove but the last time there were many boat heading west towards the inlet.
Suggestions on location or depth????? Pretty please?

Thanks a ton
Dan

 Reply by: channelcat13      Posted: 11/4/2009 1:03:35 PM     Points: 251    

Dan,

I meant 30 lb (rated) steel leaders (to be clear) and not mono. I use 10, 12, or 15 lb mono for casting and strike increase purposes. 10 is great for casting. Recently, I have found myself switching to some of my medium action rods w/10 or 12 lb test to get a little extra whip out there. Otherwise, I like 15 lb test on the end of long, old school, surf casting rigs 8-9 ft rods. When bait fishing, I like the 18" leaders because the bait often goes deep. Large bait, however, tends to render large fish and if you are going to eat them...(yes I know some may disagree here as large fish are fishery producing machines but...).

As far as lures go, I will drop way down in leader size or remove the leader entirely as the pike are usually lip hooked. This means I am usually using one pole to engage in "shark fishing tactics" (big, bloody, fishy bait on the bottom attached to a steel leader, circle hook, etc. with my drag set completely on freespool to allow a fish to run with little to any tension). On my other rig, (assuming I am willing to give up bait fishing on two rigs), I like to cast a LARGE crome spoon or in-line spinner that is connected to a snap swivel (to prevent line twisting) and no steel leader. Assuming the lure is beefy enough, the fish should only bite into metal.

Good luck!

CC13

 Reply by: channelcat13      Posted: 11/4/2009 1:09:25 PM     Points: 251    

Oh, yeah, one more thing. Find the trout and you will find the pike. I am willing to bet that if you cast a BIG sucker out there between all the trout enthusiasts (just to the left of the boat launch ramp) and let the sucker sit there for up to an hour or so per cast, you would find your line peeling out. I believe that the bows are still eating the brown's eggs there and thus, there should be a nice little food chain happening in that region. I have always preferred marinas for most types of fishing (next to dams and river inlets) due to all the structure and often, deeper adjacent water. I can't help but believe that all that casting, spashing, and swimming isn't drawing the attention of those fearless apex predators! Good luck!

CC13

 Reply by: Migboy78      Posted: 11/4/2009 1:53:02 PM     Points: 21    

CC13
WOW! thanks for the advice! On both posts! No one in my family really fishes anymore, and they don't think we have a chance at anything bigger that a 18 to 20 inch pike!
I feel good about heading down this weekend and will give a full update...and (with fingers crossed) nice photos!

Thanks again from me and Arron (my 12 year old fishing buddy)

Dan

 Reply by: droolr      Posted: 11/4/2009 8:42:17 PM     Points: 932    

I have used heavy mono leaders for pike and even sharks. heavy florocarbon should work really well. LINK this is the only lure i got hits and a follow from a pike at spinny today. I like this swim bait because it is inexpensive and has a good action.

 Reply by: kevtater      Posted: 11/4/2009 11:45:47 PM     Points: 162    

Sorry I didn't take the time to read this whole post so sorry if any of this is redundant.

I'm suprised as many people catch pike with waterdogs as they do, I've never had any luck with them. But for the guys that live in Springs, go to Outlaw for waterdogs, about half the price of Elevenmile Marina.

Also, heavy fluorocarbon leader works well for pike, the only time I use steel leader is when I've fished in Montana for pike with tip-ups and live minnows. We leave the tip ups out overnight and it's like those pike just sit and grind their teeth, I've pulled up frayed broken steel leaders before, I assume it was a pike!

 Reply by: Migboy78      Posted: 11/9/2009 5:33:18 PM     Points: 21    

CC13
Well we headed down on Saturday after my son's playoff game. After tons of traffic and stopping by Outlaw Bait and Tackle (Great place and very helpful), we got to 11 mile about 4:00pm Saturday. We fished from shore from the rocks at the boat ramp cove area. I through in a pole with Power bait and a pole with a waterdog. Got a 14 inch rainbow in about 15 minutes and let the dog float around for about an hour. After dinner the same thing (minus the Rainbow). The waterdog was out there for 2 hours...nothing.
The next morning we went across to Witchers cove. Spoons, Taz and power bait. The entire time I had a dog out under a bobber. About 4 feet deep. 3 hours nothing. Went up to the west side for a couple hours and nothing there as well. 2 dogs in the water this time. We then trolled back to the Boa tramp along the north shore with X-Raps. Nothing...
When we were pulling the boat out there were guys taking rainbows out like crazy. A guys got a nice 22 incher and in 5 minutes before I could get the boat out he had another about 18inches. So we parked the RV and fished from shore another couple hours before heading home and nothing. Not one strike or follow from a pike. I managed to loose several water dogs from shore when I cast them out, so maybe I fed them and they went home happy.
Anyhow a great time being in the mountains on the water one last time in 09.
Thanks for the help and we'll try again next summer.
Dan