A-Rig Vs. Pike ??

[eyedabassman]

My big concern would be fishing the A-rig and all the pike and musky we have up here in the midwest ( Wisconsin ). I would think bass fishing with this rig and paying $ 15 to $25 and then a pike comes along and tares this to bits?? The rig looks very cool and I would like to try one! I gude up here in Wisconsin and I don't think I can aford this on guide trips. What do you guys think?

[webertime]

If you check around this and other sites with lurecraft sections they show how to make them for ~$6-8 each, so that would soften the blow, but I am positive a northern/muskie would destroy one.

Big? YEP Obnoxious? YEP, sounds like a pike magnet to me!

[JIGFISHERMAN.]

Well on the FLW event airing on VS's, a guy had one get bent up because it snagged. That thing fell apart on him.

It really would probably depend on who's A-rig you buy, and what wire they use. There are a bunch out there now.

I'll say this, either will demolish the thing so it never looks the same. It might be better for the wire to not try and straiten it perfectly. As long as you have the schooling effect that is all that matters.

I've had 1 northern pike make a spinnerbait trash.

[J Francho]

The wire used to make these things is heavier than any wire I've used as a leader for pike.

[JIGFISHERMAN.]

The wire used to make these things is heavier than any wire I've used as a leader for pike.

I think that it's going to be more a case of what wire material, not what size, or LB test wire is used. A spinnerbait usually has much heavier wire than leaders too, but they can be ruined my northern pike.

(of course some of that has to do with the short length wire arms, and the head/wire joint)

[J Francho]

It's pretty much a straight pull on an A-rig, where an offset, "R" bend spinnerbait it's, well....offset. I can see it being an issue if it gets two of the baits, or does the barrel roll, but hopefully with heavy enough line, you get them in green before that happens. Besides, if you're catching pike, you're in the wrong spot.

Last thing, I know these are being used for walleyes, and holding up, and they were originally used for stripers - stripers! man! - so a 10 lb. pike should be child's play.

[eyedabassman]

It's pretty much a straight pull on an A-rig, where an offset, "R" bend spinnerbait it's, well....offset. I can see it being an issue if it gets two of the baits, or does the barrel roll, but hopefully with heavy enough line, you get them in green before that happens. Besides, if you're catching pike, you're in the wrong spot.

Last thing, I know these are being used for walleyes, and holding up, and they were originally used for stripers - stripers! man! - so a 10 lb. pike should be child's play.

I agree about fishing the the wrong spot. But them pike seem to show up when you don't want them too! Pike will chase bass off of a spot that you were catching the bass on.

[J Francho]

They always do, especially in tournaments, LMAO.

[bigbassctchr101]

My buddy caught a 45lb striper on a 3 arm A-rig this past weekend. Like its been said...I think it will depend a lot upon the maker and components used and how they are put together.

[ww2farmer]

Besides, if you're catching pike, you're in the wrong spot.

Yeah....if all you want to catch is small bass. I have found, where I fish, that when pike are around, the bass that do stay are the big ones. You have to sort through a lot of the pike, and bass action is not fast by any means, but when you do catch one, it's a good one.

As for the A-rig vs pike, IDK how it will hold up. I am sure, well some what sure , that they can't bite it off. But catch enough of them on it and sure they will wreck it, but so will bass. Watching the FLW footage of the tournament where the A-rig was highlighted, one of the guys catching them good had his rig fall apart just from catching bass. Pike will probably accelerate the falling apart process.

[J Francho]

That is true on some lakes, but not all places. Cayuga is one where I distinctly recall fishing through pike, BIG pike for our 2nd place bag in the dead of summer.

However, go with that mentality on the lake, like Sodus or Fairhaven, and you'll be just catching pike. About the only time they intersect is post pike spawn, which is just about when the bass seem to really wake up. Luckily, you don't need an A-rig to catch bass that time of year. Some days an unbaited gold hook is all it takes, LOL.

In fact, most of the byproduct catches I've seen reported this fall were walleye. Now that isn't too bad.

[eyedabassman]

I do understand what farmer is saying,because that has happened to me on a few lakes that I fish. But I do think if a BIG pike comes into a bass feeding area that the bass will leave that area or hunker into the weeds. I guide on Delavan and lake Geneva alot and Delavan has big bass and trophy pike.But I guide at night most of the time and I don.t run into many pike at night! Maybe because I fish deep water but, I do run across some good walleye.

We get pike on Delavan that are pushing the high 40 in.range and a few over 50 in. and I would hate to think what they would do to that A-rig no matter who made it.

[scrutch]

If I were out bass fishing and ran into a bunch of aggressive pike or musky, I would switch and start catching them. Pike and musky are fun to catch. Tournament setting is a diff story tho.

[eyedabassman]

I see that Bass Pro is selling the 5 bait rig. I did get there flyer today and it was in there. Not sure who the makes it or is it the BP verison.

[eyedabassman]

In Wisconsin we can have any combo of 3 hooks. So if I do get the 5 way rig, I think I could use 2 baits on there without hooks or just use a willow leaf blade. Any idea's?