How to rig live gills under a float?

[Eye_guy]

So I fish in Nebraska with my four kids. I’m busy dealing with keeping four kids on panfish, but want to add to my setup a couple of rods to catch pike and bass to add in some trophy potential (all catch and release on the predator fish). Something I can put in a rod holder and keep an eye on a float seems like the best option. We fish in flooded timber, so lots of snags so the gills will not be down more than 5-10’.

looking for tips on everything from the best hook, best float, line (I’m thinking 30 lb flouro), weights, ect.

thanks in advance!

[DaveBrabec]

Slip bobber.

[Solitario Lupo]

5’ any kind of bobber 10’ a slip bobber. I would do braid then a leader of fluoro or wire. Maybe since you’re in high snags maybe a mono to leader. Could use a quick rig or a treble/big hook in its back. For weights do you want it to sit or let it swim around. Best is to let it swim around but you’ll have to watch it as it will swim for those snag areas.

[XingEyeballs]

I would do some YouTubing on tip up fishing through the ice if you’re too far south to have done it….
I would use a stout rod, good size float, and possibly braid/heavy leader to help with your odds if something gets you to the timber before you can catch up with it. We fish some pretty large (12”ish) sucker minnows through the winter and there’s plenty of good info on the terminal side. I’d be investing in a good rod holder because if a pike decides to play he’s going to hit it hard and run. In my opinion either a heavy spinning rod with the bail open or a bait caster with heavy spool tension and free spooling, you don’t want them to feel the pressure before you set the hook.
Good luck, you’d be surprised. May want to check local regulations that live gills are approved for bait, not certain either way.

[bassfisher444]

I cut the top dorsal fin off and hook them though the top. The blood and them struggling to swim attracts fish, I catch big catfish like that.

[Eye_guy]

Appreciate the responses!

we do run a lot of tip ups in the winter with smelt (if one can find big ones), hotdogs and live and/or frozen panfish. Panfish are legal for bait here in Nebraska, they just have to meet any size restrictions and they count against your daily bag limit.

I’ve got some very solid rod holders, so covered on that end.

Snags are definitely an issue. Running tip ups we use the smallest gills we can catch to keep from chasing false flags. In a boat the few times I’ve tried a gill under a float I have to keep constantly recasting to keep out of snags as the gills troll the rig towards nearby trees. I’d love to hear any suggestions to prevent this.

what kind of (brand and size) of float do you guys recommend?

[Solitario Lupo]

I use cheap floats just cause you can loose them in those snags. But a big thill bobber works good.

[DrewFlu33]

I've seen a lot of muskie anglers run big suckers under floats. Bluegills wouldn't be legal here, but I'd have to believe it'd work the same way. They usually just set the float like 3-4 feet above the sucker and let it swim around. Bobbers intended for live-bait rigging muskie and pike would have to be a good place to start. I think Joe Bucher is the popular brand folks around here use.

Since you mentioned you were going after pike (and especially if muskie are a possibility), stepping up the leader would probably be advised. Wire or 80-100lb fluoro is the choice for most. I usually just see them either using "quick strike" rigs like you'd use for a tip-up, or a single, fairly large treble hook in the back right under the dorsal fin.

Another trick you've probably used tip up fishing is to cut the "fin" part of the tail off. That prevents the baitfish from swimming with as much force.