Northern pike fishing

[rockinmichigan]

Was wondering if there was any pike fishermen or women on the site. If so, could you please share some of your secrets because I've tried some things here and there for northerns with little luck. I can get them to hit me up, but I can't get them to latch on and stay on. Any help would be appreciated.

[Rainman4u2]

My Girlfriend and I found that using 3-4 inch suckers on a Kahle hook under a slip bobber works wonderful around weed beds, and points when the wind is blowing into the point.

Ray

[rockinmichigan]

Rainman4u2, I'm sure you've been having the same weather we've had here, cold weather in the 20s and 30s and snow. Don't know if there's much ice on the water now. How deep, or shallow, do you think those pesky pike are at now? Do you fish for northerns much?

[Rainman4u2]

We honestly do it more in the Bemidji MN area when on vacation. This Time of the year Pike will still be agressive, but will be deeper. I'd try a 1/2-3/8 oz jig with a double twister tail and a minnow on the hook. Or, try the suckers, just try to find a depth that works around structure.

Ray

[rockinmichigan]

Thanks for the ideas, I'm gonna have to give them a go next time out. Hopefully it will be a little less cold soon so I can get back out there.

[Rainman4u2]

Just don't get mad at me if it doesn't work!!!! LMAO!!!

Ray

[rockinmichigan]

LOL Ray, no sweat. I won't hold it against you unless I hook into a big northern and can't get him to the boat because he fights himself off. When you go for them, what size line do you happen to use? The times I've tried its been 8-10 lb line.

[Rainman4u2]

My Girlfriend uses 12lb mono, and I'm a braided line person, so I use 20lb Power pro.

Ray

[rockinmichigan]

That's cool. I remember last year about this time I was using a minnow lure I had with a 3/8 ounce jighead, second or third cast out to this one spot at this state park produced a good hit, as soon as I set the hook the line had snapped about halfway up on the rod. I was using 8 lb. test, and I know I didn't get snagged on a log or rock or something. That's the reasoning why I asked.

[Rainman4u2]

Light action is fun, but only if they hit when fishing for something else(crappie, or perch). I want the fish in the boat, and do what it takes to get them there.

Ray

[rockinmichigan]

There's a couple people I know from another website that love using 4 lb. test for everything, including carp, northerns, muskie, etc. I'd rather use something a little bit heavier, like at least 8 lb. test.

[Jordan]

I agree with you about the size of line. I do use light line for panfish but go acordingly depending what I'm fishing for. Jordan

[rockinmichigan]

I try not to use line at some places even if I'm going for panfish. I only say that because of the probability of there being a good sized catfish/Mack truck or sheephead/freshwater drum, or even carp/big rig.

[capt.kirk]

TIP
there is a time when northerns shed there teeth,so if you happen to hit
them at that time they are sore mouthed,and not real mean like normal.
KIRK

[rockinmichigan]

Kirk, do you happen to know when they usually do that? How often do they go through that, is it every year?

[Rainman4u2]

Well????? Did you catch any yet??? Or did you get iced over already?

Ray

[rockinmichigan]

Haven't been able to get out there, been bitter cold and had some snow the last couple weeks. I'm sure there's some ice out there, haven't had time to go and check it out myself. Might have to make time to check out my fishing holes tomorrow since I've off work and don't have anything planned. Supposed to in the single digits for lows the next couple days and a high tomorrow of 25. BRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :x

[Schoe]

It's been in the single digits here i west central ILL the last couple days curbing any appetite I might have to go fishing. I don't think the ice is thick enough to get out on either, yet.

[rockinmichigan]

From what I gather from another fishing website, there's at least a couple inches on the small lakes in northern Wisconsin and Minnesota, so if it isn't that thick yet around here I'm sure its close to getting there. Only reason stopping me from ice fishing is the essential equipment like an auger and a shantie. I got the rods though.

[capt.kirk]

SHEDDING TEETH
the times that i have known about ,were in canada,and it be just before
labor day weekend,just getting over it before our yearly trips we used to
take up there.as far as how many times a year they do this,i cant really
say but it is probably 1 time a year,but dont quote me on that,as some one
up north would know more about it.
KIRK

[rockinmichigan]

Sounds like something I'm going to have to Google, Kirk, and whatever I find I'll post away on here for you to check out.

[capt.kirk]

ROCKINMICHIGAN
GOOD MORNING
you may find out thru goggle,if not e.mail one of the guides up there
and they will be happy to give you that information.What ever you find out
please let us know.we went up there for several years,and i never thought
to ask that question.
i do know this for a fact,they dont strike from hunger,they are just plain
mean,if you go after them and you were a ring,TAKE IT OFF,one of our
crew had his wedding ring on and went to wash his hand over the side of
the boat,and 1 came from under the boat and ripped his hand pretty good,
we were able to doctor him up,and continue to stay,and thinking back we
had bo choice,we had flown in about 250 miles,to a remote lake.I have also
wittnesed a pike come up 3 ft out of the water to take a red wing blackbird
off of a low hanging limb,talk about a fish that is just plain mean,
NORTHERN PIKE FITS THE BILL
KIRK

[rockinmichigan]

Damn, I knew they were an aggressive fish, but going after hands and birds on a branch is insane! Did your buddy need stitches? About how big was that pike?

[capt.kirk]

HEY ROCKINMICHIGAN
They are just plain mean,sharks attack normaly for food,the nothern pike
dont need a reason.And YES he could have used a few stiches,but all we
could do was disinfect,and use butter fly stiches to close the wounds,
i guess if it was needed,i could have used a small fish hook and some line
to sew him up,dont know if we had enough booze to knock him out or not,
i know we would have had to catch him and sit on him to get that job
done.just remember when you go after them remove any rings you may
be wearing,before you lean over the side to wash your hands.
KIRK:)

[gofish]

your right about the pike capt. kirk theyre one of the few fish (freshwater or saltwater) that kill just to kill. i used to guide years ago in northern wis. and the muskie would drive other predators out of theyre territory but the pike would kill them. i watched a northern about 25" long attack and kill a bass over 3 lbs on its nest. that northern in no way was able to eat that bass and the bass wasnt sick either. with this warm weather weve been having it should be a good time to go after them in the back of the bays or coves. thers only a couple lakes around here that have them but ive caught quite a few on flipin tubes with no wieght right after the ice comes off looking for my 10 lb bass.

[rockinmichigan]

Well Kirk, luckily I don't wear any rings, but after reading what you've posted its gonna make me think twice before I put my hands in the water irregardless.

[capt.kirk]

HEY ROCKINMICHIGAN
I was reading back thru the posts on northern pike,and read where you
had a line break in the middle,sounds like there may have been a defect
in the line.I use 12lb stren mono when fishing for them and it held up well.
As far as a great artifical bait,if you can lay your hands on any of those
old LAZY IKES,get all you can find,i dont think they make them anymore
but there are probably a few around some where,in fact i think they have
become a collectors item,if you find any orange ones with black spots,even
if they have the paint eat off of them,buy them and repaint them and add
new treble hooks,they are a KILLER BAIT for the northern pike.good luck
on your search for them,if you find any,it will be time well spent.Also
im glad to see the guide backed up my story about how mean they can be
KIRK:cool:

[rockinmichigan]

You are correct Kirk, I did have line snap on me. Could've been because of the line, but I haven't taken the line off that reel since then and have had it snap once. That was because I tried to dead lift a 3 lb. sheephead with some girth up a 15 foot tall pier one night. I was fishing alone, so I couldn't get anyone down there to net him up. The time you're refering to was on a hit that I set the hook to, and the line snapped about halfway up my rod. I know it wasn't a rock, branch, log, or anything like that. Had to be a fish. Thing is, I didn't even set the hook really hard. It very well be crappy line, it also could very well be a good sized fish.

[capt.kirk]

HEY ROCKINMICHIGAN
Once in a while a spool of line will have a defective place in it,that problem
is rare,but it can happen,when respooling line i let it pass thru between
my thum and fore finger,if there is a defect,and your fingers are sensitve
enough you will feel it,and it will save you a problem popping up while you
are fishing.If you happen to find it,return it to the place of purchase,and
get it replaced.I would rather let the store have the problem,than lose a
fish due to defective line.I purchase line on large bulk spools,if you find
a defective place,chances are that the hole spool will be bad.the quality
control of the lines on the market today is very good, and in my opinion
stren is the best you can buy.I have have spent a lot of money trying
out different lines on the market,and have always come back to stren,i dont
want to put down any of the other brands,but stren is the only line that
i will use.Strens braided line is in my opinion beats power pro and all the
rest that i have wasted money on.It is not cheap,but you get what you
pay for,and quality is what we all want,for our money.Before i forget,when
we were talking about baits for NORTHERN PIKE i intended to list one more
along with the LAZY IKE,That would be the DARE DEVIL SPOON,i have
caught pike on them till they wore the paint off,1 more thing i dont mean
to sound like a sales rep for STREN,but i did catch a 31 ib TARPON,on
6lb test line and the line held up better than the reel i was using:cool:
KIRK

[rockinmichigan]

If I'm not mistaken I have a couple spools of Stren. I can't look for it right now since my stuff is in the trunk of my car which is at my mom's house down the road. But I do believe I have some. I do the same thing when I'm putting line on reels, using my thumb and index finger to make sure the line is tight on the reel and also to feel for any kinks or problems with the line.

[gregrobinson]

What worked the best time for me last time I was fishing for pike was to take a buzzbait and bring it in as slow as you can whilst keeping it on top sputtering. Sometimes a topwater popper works for me too. I've latched into some pretty good sized pike this way. I wish I could say I was able to bring them in, but that is not the case. To tell you the truth, I've hooked into more pike when I was fishing for panfish and bass than when I was actually fishing for pike. I've lost them on sluggos, 1/16 oz. panfish jigs, little bitty spinners, etc. My stepdad was fishing for smallmouth bass this summer with a little panther martin spinner and brought in about a 30" pike. Suprised the heck out of all of us, that's for sure.

[rockinmichigan]

gregrobinson, on the story I was telling earlier with the line that had snapped halfway up my rod, the lure I was using was a minnow lure with a 3/8 ounce jighead. Had another one that was a 1/4 ounce jighead that got caught up in weeds, causing me to have to snap the line because there was no way I could get out there to get it out of there. Sucks, because before I could get those two lures much use they were gone :mad:

[Sal_jr]

Take a 3 inch rapala in colder colder conditions- a floating one with a 1/8 or 1/4 oz split shot set 18 inches in front of it and either troll SUPER SLOW or cast out, wait a few seconds, and reel in super slow. you want to feel that lure bouncing off the bottom, then slow it up a bit so you know its floating right above the bottom.

I nailed hundreds of pike that way... but also lost hundreds of lures too, cause that time of year they tend to get spooked by a metal leader.

[catfishsteve]

Here is link to a short video that I put together from a pike fishing trip we make to the Nebraska Sandhills earlier this year.

www.putfile.com/catfishsteve (http://www.putfile.com/catfishsteve)

and then just click on the icon for the video on that page.

We had a lot of fun and can't wait to get back there.

[Praire fishermen]

I find jack (pike) will bite almost anything. I just use a plain old green jig. As for keepin them on your hook we dont have problems because we dont have to have barbless or pinched hooks

[wewamohawk]

i got some pike when i lived up state new York i used a red devil spoon,, maurice