red fin pike

okay last year i seen where some one was catching red fin pike around dublin.Now ive allways heard how good they are.So im asking how and where can i catch some?No i dont want you to reveal your secret honey holes just a general area where i can go thats legal and what to use to catch them.Ive allways heard how good they are to eat and ive allways loved to walk river and creek banks so im ready are the fish?Thanks loose parts
 

funderburkjason

Senior Member
Most any creek of decent size will do if it hasnt been cleaned out already. You need a 1/8 or 1/16 ounce RED rooster tail. Red is the only color that will work.Try to find some holes that have been cut off by low water. Have fun take some skeeter spray and snake boots.
 

theronhearn

Senior Member
red rooster tails aint the only color i heave wore them out on yellow, white, and black rooster tails but i use 1/24 oz
 

bowboy1989

Senior Member
Most any creek of decent size will do if it hasnt been cleaned out already. You need a 1/8 or 1/16 ounce RED rooster tail. Red is the only color that will work.Try to find some holes that have been cut off by low water. Have fun take some skeeter spray and snake boots.

red is not the only color you can also use a lime grenn looking one too it works great
 

Nicodemus

The Recluse
Staff member
Here is how we used to catch em when I was a youngun. We would cut a strip of fatback a couple of inches long, and hook one end in a #6 hook tied to the line on a cane pole about 12 feet long. We`d get in the creek and toss this out and "work' it back and forth in pockets and deep holes. When the first one was caught, we would cut the belly strip off the pike, and make sure to include the red belly fins. This would replace the fatback, which was put in your pocket, in case you lost that belly strip. You could usually catch a mess of fish this way. Give this a try and let me know how you do.

The old folks told me that they didn`t even use a hook, just a strip of flannel tied to the line, and worked as we did the fatback and belly strip. When a fish hit, it was quickly flipped out on the bank of the narrow creek.
 
Okay i think i know what to use for bait.Now where do i go thats legal within a 100 miles of warner robins.Also what pound line do yall use.Thanks loose parts
 

kfoskey

Senior Member
Small line is fine. I use 6 lb. test. You need to find some small creeks. The creeks I fish are really just small holes that haven't dried up yet. Be ready for some fine eating.
 
what small creeks?

What part of ga has the small creeks.I want to go some where where i can park my truck and be legal not trespassing.Do you just find a bridge and start walking? Do i need to go south or any where in ga?I dont want to know your spots just where do i start.We have a lot of creeks around warner robins but there all big and mostly posted.Can any one name a spot or creek they have caught them in .Thanks looseparts
 

Beagler

Senior Member
Never heard of them or anyone catching them here in N.E. Georgia. Are they just in South Georgia waters??
 

kfoskey

Senior Member
I mostly fish around Johnson, Washington, and Emanuel counties. I think you'd probably need to go south and east of WR. I can't tell you any creeks to try, because most of the creeks I fish are on private property. I do stop at some bridges and fish the creeks as long as the property is not posted. You may be able to catch some on some WMA's like Riverbend or Beaverdam in Laurens county.
 

Scrapy

Banned
Here is how we used to catch em when I was a youngun. We would cut a strip of fatback a couple of inches long, and hook one end in a #6 hook tied to the line on a cane pole about 12 feet long. We`d get in the creek and toss this out and "work' it back and forth in pockets and deep holes. When the first one was caught, we would cut the belly strip off the pike, and make sure to include the red belly fins. This would replace the fatback, which was put in your pocket, in case you lost that belly strip. You could usually catch a mess of fish this way. Give this a try and let me know how you do.

The old folks told me that they didn`t even use a hook, just a strip of flannel tied to the line, and worked as we did the fatback and belly strip. When a fish hit, it was quickly flipped out on the bank of the narrow creek.

The pike are plentiful this year! Fairly wet last summer and so far this year. They are definitely my favorite fish to fish for and to eat. I start the season off with a piece of uncle Josh pork rind about a 1/2 wide and 2 inches long and like you I save it after I catch the first one and use the back belly fin from then on. My old jar of pork rind about has the top rusted off of it. I cut the strip right behind the two red fins. If I cut to include the two belly fins the bait is a little too big to these pikes liking.

The fun to me is trying to get set up to catch about 60 in an hour. That includes moving from hole to hole and picking them up. Each hole might have 5 to 15. If there is any slope toward the creek they will get back in and if you get too many out they will flip around and get covered in leaves so you loose some if you don't pick them up pretty regular. If you are going to catch them fast you don't want to hook them, they take time to unhook. The first day each year I miss more than half because my reflexes aren't right. The best pike fisherman I ever saw would scratch the leaves back like he was going to build a campfire. He could flick those fish so they would land on that bare ground from 20 feet away.

I am not a game hog and I don't know of a limit on them but if I get 50 or 60 I call a few of my friends that will come running for pike faster than a shrimp supper.

I use a 12 foot pole that shakes just right and I might try out the whole bundle before I get to the one that suits me. Then I use old time black braided line , probably about 50 lb test. That's because it is limp and gives me the right feel and a little gold wire hook that will bend easy in case I get hooked up,. which I do some. I only use about a foot to two feet of line between the pole and the hook because you got to work around and under bushes. Too much line and you snag for sure. I wrap some line about tree feet down the pole to keep from breaking the tip off (I probably already broke some of the tip off already to make it shake right). The last thing is I use a double ought buck down to a number one buckshot any where from 1 to 4 inches above the hook and adjust the size or distance to whatever makes the bait jig right. I always keep the bait jigging on the surface and moving right along unless the fish tell me otherwise.
 

The mtn man

Senior Member
Somebody show us a pic of one, I never seen a redfin pike, we don't have them here.
 

northgeorgiasportsman

Moderator
Staff member
We've got a real similar fish up here most folks call jacks, or chain pickeral.
 

Nicodemus

The Recluse
Staff member
We've got a real similar fish up here most folks call jacks, or chain pickeral.



They cousins, in the same family, but redfins are a lot smaller than a jack. Redfins like small, blackwater or clearwater creeks. At least that`s where I catch em. Or did. Been a while now since I fooled with any.

Limit on em is 15 a day.
 

Breamking

Member
On the back of our property there is a very small creek and years that are wet you can pretty much catch them as fast as you want. When dry there is no water in the ditch. lite action is what I always used. rooster tails are great but anything that is flashy and can move pretty good. They will hit like a truck. Not big fish but they are fast and fun to catch. They are good eating as people are saying. We slit the backs about 3 or 4 times and just fry them that and some cheese grits is good eating. These are caught in clinch county near okefenokee. I live in Marietta and have not seen or even think they are in the northern part of the state. By the way the I have caught small catfish also in that creek before. And even a couple of mudfish. Creek does not have to be big the creek we get them in is probably 5-6 yards wide. I know when dry we can drive a 4 wheeler down it but not much wider than that really. Enjoy.
 

Nicodemus

The Recluse
Staff member
The old daredevil red and white spoon was a real killer back when I was a youngun too. Redfins and jack love em.
 
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