NorCal Kayak Anglers

Kayak Fishing Zone => General Fishing Tips => Topic started by: PakehaChérie (Pikachu) on August 05, 2013, 09:05:03 PM

Title: "Fish Pills" - anyone ever use these?
Post by: PakehaChérie (Pikachu) on August 05, 2013, 09:05:03 PM
I found these at Cabela's....they looked interesting at $3 a bag. Has anyone had any luck with these?
Title: Re: "Fish Pills" - anyone ever use these?
Post by: polepole on August 05, 2013, 09:08:03 PM
Good for steelheading.  Adds a little floatation to a cluster of eggs.

-Allen
Title: Re: "Fish Pills" - anyone ever use these?
Post by: LoletaEric on August 05, 2013, 09:09:22 PM
When you 'lasso' some roe onto a bait-holder hook (loop in line comes through eye to literally wrap around your roe and be tightened down) you put the Fish Pill onto the (barbless usually) hook and around the shank a bit so it holds the roe in place along with the line loop.  It's a specific method and very effective.  Other than that, I could see using them just as a float to get your bait off the bottom, but their main use is what I have described, IMO. 

$3/bag is a good price.

 :smt001
Title: Re: "Fish Pills" - anyone ever use these?
Post by: PakehaChérie (Pikachu) on August 05, 2013, 09:49:13 PM
Thanks PolePole and Eric - I am glad to know I can put these to use. You know how it goes....you go up and down the isles with all of the wonderful lures, dodgers, worms, hooks.......and then you spot something you haven't noticed before!

You never know if it's worth it or not...but these looked cool. Great pictures Eric!

-Cherie
Title: Re: "Fish Pills" - anyone ever use these?
Post by: sonoramike on August 06, 2013, 06:33:49 AM
I watched a guy last year at melones out fish all the power bait bankies. Using only those with procure on them.


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Title: Re: "Fish Pills" - anyone ever use these?
Post by: Squidder K on August 06, 2013, 09:05:10 AM
May also be good for a strike indicator when fly fishing?
Title: Re: "Fish Pills" - anyone ever use these?
Post by: Clayman on August 06, 2013, 09:17:13 AM
Fish Pill + roe = salmonid candy  :smt003

Like Eric said, it's a great combo for drifting bait for steelhead and salmon in the rivers.  The Pill will help to make your bait a little buoyant so it's drifting right in the strike zone, just above the bottom.  Plus it adds a little extra color to the bait.

HOWEVER, there's a catch with these things: they come off a barbless hook quite easily.  You'll lose your Pill pretty much every time you set the hook, snag up, rebait multiple times, etc.  So then you have these colorful little styrofoam balls floating around (or whatever they're made of).  If you check out any little eddy on the lower Klamath River, you'll see dozens of them littering the surface.  As a result, if the bite is really "on," I'll switch to something that slides on the line like a Corkie.  I start feeling guilty when every time I set the hook I'm basically putting garbage into the river.

So in a nutshell, when the bite's tough and I'm not getting much action, I'll use Fish Pills.  But if I'm getting a lot of bites (say, from smolts and little fish every few casts) and I keep "donating" Fish Pills to the river, then I'll switch to a Corkie.
Title: Re: "Fish Pills" - anyone ever use these?
Post by: Bushy on August 06, 2013, 11:47:39 AM
I always use them with roe for steelhead.  Make a "taco" of roe around the fish pill and secure with your egg loop.

Bushy
Title: Re: "Fish Pills" - anyone ever use these?
Post by: PakehaChérie (Pikachu) on August 06, 2013, 10:03:32 PM
I'm going to ask a novice question - what is a "corkie"? Can you post a pic?
Title: Re: "Fish Pills" - anyone ever use these?
Post by: Abdiver on August 06, 2013, 11:01:52 PM
what is a "corkie"? Can you post a pic?

Basically the same concept except you slide it on your line.

(http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQFCv1GCTUYRqXAcY0Ann8wJe49QFlo3qsaOumOQb95_LDrFe9T)

(http://riptidefish.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/corkies-and-yarn-lures-600x343.jpg)
Title: Re: "Fish Pills" - anyone ever use these?
Post by: Abdiver on August 06, 2013, 11:08:53 PM
Or if you want to add a little flash you can use a Spin-n-Glow.

(http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTzhE81mfU5D-nqlhh9PKoC88sk2u6FV-toBKmFyB0vcvcn97yg)
Title: Re: "Fish Pills" - anyone ever use these?
Post by: jmox on August 07, 2013, 10:13:31 AM
The fish pills are made by mad river outfitters out of arcata Ca. Here on the coast we use them for everything. I will take the orange and red ones and soak them in liquid krill and the trout go crazy over them on lewiston. I scale my salmon set up down and drift for them in the current so i can have some practice for this fall!  :smt003
Title: Re: "Fish Pills" - anyone ever use these?
Post by: PakehaChérie (Pikachu) on August 07, 2013, 10:20:45 PM
Wow, very cool guys. Love the pics - I can't wait to try them!