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There is no real reason why so little is mentioned about leger fishing live baits. The method has to some degree been ignored in favour of the more technical and fashionable methods that you see publicised in the magazines and other such publications. Legered live baits were a very definite part of pike fishing history on venues that needed an active bait put out at greater distances to where the pike would be during the daylight hours. Normal livebaiting methods would not allow the distances to be reached that could be by using such a rig as shown below.
Typical examples of such venues are reservoirs such as Abberton near Colchester. The method there involved using bait that was available on site from the culvert between the upper and lower sections of the reservoir, casting them long distance into a channel running out from that culvert. Shown below is a legered livebait rig that will allow you to use this method on both stillwaters of any size and likewise any river or drain.
The rig to use today is a little more pike friendly than those that may have been used in the past and as illustrated in the diagram here, utilizes an uptrace for safety, in conjunction with a large eyed run ring, or Big Eye swivel (2), that will easily pass over the uptrace swivel if the tackle should be lost for any reason. This will allow the lead to be shed, preventing the pike being tethered to some form of snag.
 A rig using the reel line through to the hook trace and no uptrace can be used, but given the risk of the bait tangling on the cast as it trails the weight through the air, you will certainly risk getting a 'bite off' if the bait should tangle with the reel line and is taken by any pike. The recommendation is to eliminate such risks and to use an 'uptrace' for all your pike fishing rigs. This won't hinder your pike fishing, only make it more risk free and you will be able to fish more confidently.
The uptrace and its components, shown in 1, should be at least double the hook trace length at 36 inches and made up of 30lb BS multistrand wire, the top swivel being a strong design size 10 and the bottom a quick link swivel, ensure that whichever sliding link arrangement you choose, that you fit on to the trace a sturdy buffer bead, these come in sets with the run ring or are available separately if you choose to use a 'Big Eye' swivel on the lead link/rotten bottom'.
Item 4, the leger link or 'rotten bottom' as it is often referred, should be a monofilament link that is slightly longer in its shortest form, than the hook trace and can be longer to provide better clearance over weed. This might be up to a maximum of say 36 inches. The line used should be approximately half the breaking strain than the reel line, and ideally a couple of overhand knots, tied in it to weaken and ensure it breaks more easily than the reel line, when it is put under pressure to release the weight should it become snagged for any reason. The weight should be dictated only by the distance you need to cast and the direction and strength of the wind, 1.5 ounces to start and the upper limit being dictated by the rod and reel line you will be using.
*Remember that you will be casting the weight plus the bait which may exceed the safe casting weight for both rod and line!
The hook trace (3), is made up of 2 semi-barbless trebles hooks of sizes to suit the bait and pike expected, sizes 4,6, 8 and 10 covering the range. The trace should be of lower breaking strain than the uptrace and be of at least 20lb BS multistrand wire and between 15 and 18 inches long. The trace if home made should include a strong swivel and be crimped or spun as shown in 'making traces' section of the site.
The use of one or more 'bait poppers' helps to keep the bait up off the bottom and makes it keep on the move, generating attractive vibrations to draw in the pike. The bait popper stem is attached to the eye of the upper trace hook with a short length of 'riggin' wire or similar. The tackle you can use is described in the diagram pop up 3.
The one problem with using live baits can come from long hard casts which may render the bait inactive due to it being 'stunned' on impact with the water, it may even kill the bait removing the attractive actions of a live bait. This impact can be reduced, to some degree, by feathering the cast just as the baits is at the end of the cast, so that it hits with a little less impact. However there is consolation in the fact that should the bait be rendered lifeless, you will be fishing a fresh dead bait!
Hook mounting shown in 3, shows a two hook trace with the bait mounted 'head up' on the two hooks with the upper treble through the snout/top lip and the end treble placed just in front of the dorsal, it could be, belly hooked with the end treble just in front of the pelvic fin. The bait can be made more attractive and secure by adding red bait flags on the barbed hook used to hook up the bait. These will prevent the hooks being shed on the cast or by movement of the bait.
Baits hooked up in this way will cast better and survive the cast/impact a little better than being hooked up dorsal to pectoral fin mounting.
It would be our hope that when using legered live baits that we have actually caught as a result of directly using a livebait, but we may never know if the bait was alive or dead when it was actually taken. It works for pike, zander, cats, perch and eels too!
One final point, one that is a recurring message to you if you use livebaits, ensure that you use them in consideration for other around you, that you use them only when the fishery allows this, do not use baits that are larger than the recommended maximum size of 4 ounces and finally do not transfer live fish from one venue to another, it is both illegal under current EA byelaws and may risk the tranfer of infection from one venue to another..  
If the method interests you then give it a try, don't use too large a bait though! It works for pike, zander, cats, perch and eels too!
NB: it is illegal under Environment Agency By-laws to move fish from one water to another with out consent and Pike Online supports this restriction on the translocation of fish wholeheartedly and recommends each angler observes this ruling and any that may apply on the individual fisheries you may visit.
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