Pike for bait?

[HeadBanger]

Just went out today and caught two pretty decent pike, going about 60cm and dropped 3 others of the same size. I've seen tonnes of them around at the moment too.

I'm just wondering, is there anything that they're good for? Both times I lost my hooks, because they swallowed them and I had to cut the line. Are they any good on the table? Can you use them as strip baits for other species?

I read the thread that was here a while ago about using them in crab pots, but I very rarely go crabbing.

Cheers,
Kaidon

[onerabbit]

Pike are also excellent live bait, even at 60cm.

If you dont catch a Jew, there are none there.

Muzz

[ifishcq1]

they also go well trolled with a pink squid on their head for big spanish mackerel
they are a fairly good strip bait for reefies
so keep a few, one to a freezer bag and you will probably save dollars and one decent fish caught will make the bait gathering exercise worthwhile

cheers

[Damned67]

I once had a few guys at work telling me that they were pretty good on the plate, apparently not too dissimilar to whiting. Next time I caught I decent one, I took it home and cooked it up. It actually wasn't too bad. Not great, but certainly edible. If I was really hanging out for some fresh fish, and all I caught was pike, I'd consider eating it again.

[trueblue]

they can be jigged on various beacons around the bay - next time I might collect a few as well.

One day when i couldn't get any yakkas or slimies, I took a few live pike out to hutchies and got a good amberjack with it

cheers

mick

[Horse]

Great live bait, OK as a dead bait. I like them as a table fish. I bet if I mixed crumbed Whiting and Pike most would not notice the change. They are a blittle softer but nice and sweet

[Sevric]

Cut a bait size length from the tail and put this on a 6/0 circle hook. Dice the remainder up and burly with it; the more pike the better. Throw the pike tail as far as you can in the direction of the burley and place the rod in the rod holder. Let it sink slowly in free spool; this is a favourite of mine for timid fish.

[joshcarty]

pike are awesome bait stripped up for reefies or fished live on a float line for big mackies. thats all i use when i head up to hervey bay. just fish for the pike on the northern side of big woody. HUNDREDS there.