In this blog, we dive into pike fishing with dead bait. We cover the four techniques that really matter, the equipment you need for them, and the spots where they work best, both from the bank and from a boat.
As soon as the water drops below ten degrees, pike behaviour changes. It hunts less, moves around less, and becomes distinctly opportunistic. A dead fish on the bottom or just above it is then not a second choice alongside lures, but often simply the better choice. Dead bait requires patience, but produces larger fish on average.
Why dead bait works
A pike is not purely a sight hunter. It takes what it can get, and a fatty dead fish lying on the bottom costs it zero energy. In cold, murky, or heavily fished water, that is precisely what makes the difference. Where a shad swims past and is ignored, dead bait stays there for as long as you want, leaving a scent trail that keeps working the whole time. Important in the Netherlands: fishing with live bait is prohibited. Dead bait is therefore not only effective, but also the only natural bait option you may legally use. Also always check the minimum size and closed season for pike in the Joint List of Dutch Fishing Waters and the conditions of your VISpas.
Bait selection
Two camps: freshwater fish and sea fish.
Sea fish (herring, mackerel, sardine, smelt) are oily and have a strong smell. They give you the greatest range in murky, still water. Mackerel is the classic choice for bottom fishing, while smelt is better for a smaller presentation.
Freshwater fish (roach, bream) are what pike see every day. In clear, heavily fished water, they often perform better. If you catch your own bait, take the rules on moving fish between waters into account.
A few practical points. Cut into the bait a few times or cut off the tail before use: more scent, greater range. A piece of floating foam in the belly cavity makes your bait semi-buoyant, so it stays above soft silt or dead aquatic plants instead of disappearing into them. And if you freeze your bait flat rather than in a lump, it is ready to use as soon as you reach the water.
Technique 1: fishing with a float
The most visual method and, for many anglers, the most enjoyable. Hang the bait beneath a pike float weighing 15 to 30 grams, just above the bottom or halfway up the water column. In deeper water, use a sliding float with a stop knot so you can still cast normally. Add just enough weight to set the float correctly: it should not sit on the water like a buoy, because the pike feels any unnecessary resistance. In windy conditions, let the float drift calmly over a weed edge or along a quay; this is an active way to search for fish without having to animate the bait. If you see the float being pulled away or moving sideways, take up the slack line and strike immediately. Waiting until the pike has "taken it properly" is a habit from another era.
Technique 2: static fishing on the bottom
Simple, effective, and particularly suitable for canals, harbours, and deeper lakes. You fish a sliding lead weighing 20 to 60 grams above a swivel, with your wire trace and bait below it.
It may seem obvious to simply leave the bait on the bottom, but on a silty bottom or among dead plants, a lightly buoyant bait almost always works better. Place the rod in a rest, fish with a tight line, and use a bite alarm or a simple bite indicator. Two rods at different depths and distances will give you more information in an hour than half a day of blind casting.
The same applies here: strike immediately. Letting a pike run with deadbait leads to deeply hooked fish. So keep an eye on the line and react within a few seconds, even if that means occasionally missing a strike.
Technique 3: the fireball
The fireball is a lead head with a large, extra-strong single hook and a second eye for a stinger. Slide the dead fish over the hook through its mouth, so the point comes out again on top and the head sits firmly on the lead, then insert the stinger into the flank. This transforms a limp deadbait fish into something you can cast, present while sinking, and guide precisely.
Vertically beneath the boat, this is a deadly system. Let the fireball sink to the bottom, lift it twenty to fifty centimetres, and let it fall back. Tapping the bottom stirs up silt and attracts fish from a distance. Always maintain contact with the bottom.
Because the hook is positioned at the front of the bait, you do not need to wait with the fireball: respond to a bite immediately with a firm strike. That is also the major advantage for the fish itself.
Technique 4: trolling with the fireball under a float
You can also use the fireball very effectively while trolling from the boat in combination with a float. Let the float present your bait at the desired depth, then move slowly with the boat over a sharp edge, slope, or depth transition. The gentle speed causes the fireball to move a little at a time over the bottom, while the float allows you to keep a close eye on the presentation.
Above all, do not move too quickly. Slowly moving the fireball, with an occasional short pause, can produce surprisingly many bites. During such a stop, the bait gets a chance to hang still for a moment, after which you gently move it on again. Keep a close eye on the float. A bite may be clearly indicated by the float going under, but sometimes it only moves slightly to the side or actually stands a little more upright in the water. Especially when trolling slowly, it is important to remain alert to every deviation.
This technique is particularly interesting when you are actively searching for fish and want to fish different depths and spots. By slowly steering the boat along drop-offs and transitions, you can effectively cover a large area with the fireball.
The right equipment
Rod: for float and bottom fishing, a rod from 2.70 to 3.00 metres with a casting weight of around 40 to 100 grams. You cast heavy bait and need to drive the hook through a bony mouth. For the fireball, a shorter, more sensitive rod from 2.10 to 2.70 metres rated for 30 to 80 grams is sufficient.
Reel: a robust Reel in size 4000 or 5000 with a smooth, reliable drag.
Line: braided line from 0.17 to 0.22 mm provides direct contact and a powerful hook set at distance.
Leader: always steel or fluorocarbon. When fishing with deadbait, you can use ready-made systems, or tie them yourself.
Jig heads: fireball heads from 20 to 40 grams, depending on depth and current.
Small tackle: sliding floats, float stops, beads, running sinkers, and sturdy swivels. The Westin Rigging Box Deadbait combines most of these in one box, saving you a lot of searching at the water's edge.
Fishcare: a spacious landing net, an unhooking mat, long unhooking pliers and a good pair of cutters. Those cutters are not a luxury: cutting through a treble hook is sometimes the quickest and most fish-friendly solution for unhooking.
Westin is a logical choice for this type of fishing, because the brand covers the entire range from rods and reels to stingers, pliers and landing nets. You can therefore build a complete, well-matched setup with it.
Spots: from the bank
Deadbait fishing is particularly suited to fishing from the bank, because you do not need to search but can wait. Look for places where fish naturally pass through or gather:
Harbours, marinas and lock chambers, especially in winter
Bridges, culverts, inlets and pumping stations: every narrowing or current attracts prey fish
Canals with a clear depth transition from the bank to the shipping channel
Urban waters, quays and jetties, often heavily underestimated
River groyne fields and training walls, preferably when the water is low and clear
Spots: from the boat
From the boat, it is all about range and being able to move your offering quickly. This is where the fireball and trolling really come into their own:
Sharp edges and drop-offs in lakes, border lakes and sand pits
Old summer spots where the aquatic plants have died back: pike often hold just outside that edge
Deep holes and transitions that you can systematically work through using your fish finder markings
Sheltered banks on the side away from the wind on rough days
Drifting works better than anchoring while you are still searching. Once you have found fish, drop the anchor or secure the electric motor and fish the spot thoroughly.
Practical tips for winter
This type of fishing largely takes place in the dark, in the cold and on wet quays. Make sure you have a headlamp, clothing that keeps you genuinely dry and warm, and shoes or boots with good grip. Keep the fish out of the water only briefly and always support it with both hands. A fish you return within thirty seconds swims away as it should.
Finally
Deadbait fishing is slow fishing, but it is not passive fishing. You choose your spot, spread out your offerings and move if nothing happens. If you do this consistently, this is the technique with which you catch the biggest pike of the year during the colder months.
Would you like advice on the right rig for your water, or would you like to hold the rods, leaders and fireball heads first? Then drop by our Experience Center in Apeldoorn. Good luck by the water!
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