Pike

A Primer on Pike—Lures and Tactics for Catching Northern Pike

Gerald Almy — Wed, 20 Feb 2019 19:33:43 +0000

A Primer on Pike—Lures and Tactics for Catching Northern Pike

Gerald Almy Wed, 02/20/2019 - 13:33

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No fish in freshwater can match the ferocity and gluttonous feeding habits of the great northern pike. There is plenty of good pike fishing in the U.S., but often the most spectacular fishing comes on Canada's remote lakes. If you’re planning a fishing trip to a northern U.S. or Canadian fishing lodge, or want to take advantage of local waters you’ve neglected that hold pike populations, here’s how to get started on catching this voracious wolf in a fish’s clothing.

Northern Pike have wide jaw and backward-angling teeth give them a hostile look.

Pike fish are savage predators. Every year they eat untold numbers of baitfish, plus walleyes, bass, panfish, other pike, voles, muskrats, frogs, snakes, squirrels, and thousands of ducklings. Their baleful eyes, wide jaws, and backward-angling teeth give them a malevolent look that well suits their rapacious appetites.

Be Ready for the Northern Pike's Mood - Carry an Assortment of Lures

At times pike roam in loose packs, tracking schools of baitfish and crashing into them. In other situations they become loners, hiding out by themselves against a weed bed or log, using the cover to hide behind and attack unwary smaller fish or large aggressive lures that swim by. This forceful strike occurs with a stabbing motion so quick it’s hard for the naked eye to follow.

That’s the aggressive pike. At other times, though, pike can display a more laid-back, lazy side. They will resolutely ignore loud, garish lures when they are in this frame of mind, quietly inhaling more subdued offerings presented carefully and slowly by anglers.

Extra Tip: Seldom is there an in-between with pike. They seem to be in either their aggressive mind-set or their shy reclusive one. To be ready for both sides of this split personality, carry an assortment of fishing lures that can be worked fast, bold, and loud. But also stock baits that will slip and slither through weeds or above bottom rubble in a lake or river with less accentuated movements. In a few cases, the same lure can be fished in either manner to fit the northern pike’s “mood of the day.”

Lures that Appeal to Northern Pike in Any Mood

Eppinger Original Dardevle Fishing Spoon

A metal fishing spoon is an excellent example of a lure that can appeal to both of these moods of the northern pike. Cast out a large, heavy wobbler such as the ones made by Eppinger, like the angler favorite Eppinger Original Daredevle Spoon or Luhr-Jensen, Johnson, Blue Fox, Bass Pro, and Acme. Then reel it back with a fast, steady retrieve or violent three-foot rips of the rod.

This is a great presentation for the biggest, most aggressive pike, often found in remote lakes in Canada or large impoundments in the U.S.

The same fishing spoon in smaller scaled-down sizes can be worked slower and deeper with a gentle, low-key, seductive wobble. This will fool skittish or indifferent fish.

Bomber Slab Fishing Spoon

Extra Tip: A small plastic twister tail often helps with this slower approach, allowing the spoon to drop more slowly.

A third approach for fishing spoons is to drift over points, dropoffs, submerged trees, humps and vegetation while vertically jigging. Work the lure with sharp 18-36 inch lifts of the rod, then lower it down just fast enough that it falls freely but no slack forms in the line.

Extra Tip: Slab type fishing spoons like the Bomber Slab Spoon work best for this approach, rather than the curved-body type of spoons used for casting and retrieving. Good weights are usually ¾-1 ½ ounces, with silver and gold top colors.

Spinnerbaits Adapt to a Northern Pikes Moods

BOOYAH Pikee Spinnerbait designed for targeting northern pike and muskies.

These versatile lures can also be fished with either aggressive or low-key deliveries. The first method involves ripping these lures back so, they break the surface and sputter on top. This often draws savage, jarring strikes.

Extra Tip: Sometimes it pays to keep the retrieve fast, but slow down just a bit so the lure V-wakes just under the surface. That can drive pike crazy. You may not see the strike with this retrieve. Instead, you’ll just feel a sudden heavy weight and a lunging fish throbbing on the line.

The alternative, laid-back approach for a spinnerbait is often best after a cold front or in late fall or winter. Cast to a point, deep dropoff, or hump and let the lure free fall. Watch your fishing line carefully and be ready to strike fast before the fish drops the bait.

Extra Tip: If no strike comes on the drop, crank it back slowly and quietly just above bottom structure.

Thin-Minnow Lures Are a Favorite of Picky Pike

Bass Pro Shops XTS Minnow

Jerkbaits, minnow plugs, call them what you will, these thin, long imitations of baitfish are deadly on northern pike. Work lures such as the Rapala Floating Minnow, Rebel Minnow, Bass Pro Shops XTS Minnow, Bomber Long A, Storm Thunderstick, and Smithwick Rogue on top with sharp 1-2 foot jerks of the rod tip. If that doesn’t produce, try twitching more softly, so the fishing lure stays around structure or over weedy shallow areas for a more extended period.

Extra Tip: Floating models work best in the shallows. For fish hanging out deeper and sulking, choose suspending models of these lures. That way, you can keep them in the strike zone longer and tease lethargic fish into action with subtle twitches.

When Northern Pike Are Aggressive - Reach for a Buzzbait

BOOYAH Buzz Blade Buzzbaits

It would be hard to picture a more exciting strike than a northern pike slamming a buzzbait. Use these for fish when they’re in an forceful frame of mind. Rip them through weeds and over logjams in shallow areas and near cover.

Extra Tip: If you plan to release most of your northern pike, consider bending down the barb on the hook for less stress unhooking the quarry.

Best Baits for Northern Pike - Blade Lures

Bass Pro Shops XPS Lazer Blade Lures

If you find pike in a really persnickety mood, consider fishing baits that are subtle stamped-out pieces of metal in the shape of a shad like the SteelShad Elite Series Tin Blade Bait. Cast out and watch the line for strikes as the offering descends. Once it hits bottom, reel back with a slow pump-and-drop retrieve.

Extra Tip: Expect most strikes on the initial descent of the lure. If none comes then, the next likely time is as the lure flutters down after you pump it and let it freefall.

No one would want to devote all their angling efforts to the unpredictable northern pike. But for a change of pace, or when you visit the northern U.S. or Canadian lakes where they abound, this lanky green aquatic predator can offer many exciting hours on the water.

Give northern pike fishing a try with these lures, and tactics and I think you’ll agree.

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United States

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How To Guide

Pike fishing

A Case for Fishing Big Pike

Pros4- 1Source — Fri, 01 Apr 2016 17:55:23 +0000

A Case for Fishing Big Pike

Pros4- 1Source Fri, 04/01/2016 - 12:55

Category

Pike

Northern pike are such an incredible predator. Smooth and sleek with the curves of the most expensive sport car. Rows of teeth that resemble tooth picks. Amazing acceleration. Pike are cool and really big pike are simply awesome to catch.

Consider this little tidbit of information. Northern pike are found throughout the northern hemisphere across the upper third of North America from New York to Alaska. These fish are also found across northern Europe and Asia. A northern pike caught in the Balkens is almost identical to the same fish caught on Lake of the Woods.

The North American Continent spreads further apart from the European Continent at a rate of three inches per year. Now imagine how many years it took for the North American continent to separate from Europe. In all of those millions of years, the pike never changed. No room to change perfection.

Right now in the fishing world, particularly in Minnesota where musky stocking has become controversial on some bodies of water, there has been a stigma associated with esox fish because they are such perfect predators. While big northern pike and musky capture the imagination of anglers, they obviously eat other fish. My own perspective on these big predators is that big predators whether they be big largemouth bass, musky or big pike almost always point to a good fishing lake. The best panfish lakes, many of the best walleye lakes… good healthy fisheries almost always see predators that get to a top end size.

I think the argument that isn’t getting discussed nearly enough is that you are probably going to have northern pike or musky of some capacity on just about any lake in Minnesota or Wisconsin. Would you rather have one forty inch pike patrolling a weed bed of fifty 12-inch hammer handle pike in the same vicinity? I can tell you which option is worst for a fishery.

The smaller inland lakes of Minnesota used to have a lot of big pike and on so many of these lakes, the big pike were simply caught and kept by anglers. On much of this water, musky have replaced pike as that large alpha predator and now serve that role to balance that particular ecosystem.

In some ways, musky are better suited to serve that role because by nature, musky are much more temperamental with short intense feeding windows and now with the protected slot limits, these fish can grow to a size to be useful for a fishery.

Pike are programmed much differently in that they are much easier to trigger and have much larger feeding windows. Big pike are going to get caught fairly quickly so the only way you will see big pike is either on large water where the size of the lake can diffuse fishing pressure or if a lake is remote or has little fishing pressure. When the big predators are gone, the pike population in particular seems to explode with extremely high populations of hammer handle pike. The high densities of hammer handle pike that never seem to get past 24 inches are what you have to worry about and recent studies from the Minnesota DNR confirm that.

Over the past twenty years, opportunities across the board to catch really big musky have gotten much better while the opportunity to catch really big pike is becoming tougher. In the lower 48, a northern pike over forty three inches is a rarer trophy than a forty eight inch musky, a twenty inch largemouth bass, a nineteen inch smallmouth bass, a twenty seven inch walleye or a ten inch bluegill. Good catch and release practices are crucial for conserving big pike populations on most water because of the fishing pressure we see today… just as those same practices are crucial for conserving big musky. If you think these big predators are the devil and want to kill them, fine have your hammer handles. Low population densities of esox are good, high population densities are bad.

There are still opportunities however to target big pike and these predators provide an incredible angling experience. Obviously, Canada reigns king for numbers of massive pike. Northern Manitoba and Saskatchewan have so much big pike water. If you draw a line from the Pas to Thompson Manitoba, the region to the north is staggering for big pike water. We traveled to Wolverine Lodge near Lynn Lake, Manitoba last summer to film and the quality of pike was top notch. There are also pockets of big pike scattered throughout northwest Ontario. In the states, I don’t know if you can beat the Missouri River Reservoirs right now for numbers of quality pike. Fort Peck in Montana is incredible. Lake Sakakawea in North Dakota and Lake Oahe are both really good right now with good opportunities for fish over forty inches. My home water of North Dakota’s Devils Lake produces some really nice pike. Minnesota’s Red Lake, Lake of the Woods and Mille Lacs all have quality pike fishing opportunities for big fish. There are more under the radar lakes and flowages across Minnesota and Wisconsin that still hold big pike.

Big pike are such an amazing fish in my mind. Funny how when I take my eight-year old daughter and seven-year old son out fishing, their favorite fish are pike. I was somewhat surprised as to why they liked pike so much… after all the rest of the world seems to be consumed with walleye. The answers were pretty straightforward. Pike are longer, splash more and they have cool teeth. I couldn’t help but smile at these matter of fact answers that are coated with such simple honesty all young children seem to possess. I can’t disagree.

by Jason Mitchell

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International

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Pike fishing

Fishing Tip

Read the Weeds for Unbelievable Fall Pike Fishing

Jason Akl — Wed, 08 Oct 2014 14:38:13 +0000

Read the Weeds for Unbelievable Fall Pike Fishing

Jason Akl Wed, 10/08/2014 - 09:38

Category

Pike

In some respects the fall fishing season can be difficult for anglers because of cold weather, rough water and the weed beds dying off. However, for the dedicated pike fisherman, these conditions can equal success. In northern Wisconsin, the cooler fall water temperatures activate the bite for big northern pike as they try and pack on weight for the upcoming winter. This can move these toothy predators into predictable locations that anglers can target.

Autumn is one of the best opportunities for anglers to target large pike. Dress warm, find the green weed

The Best Fall Pike Fishing Pattern

The best pattern I can give fall anglers when targeting large pike is to keep an eye on the water temperature of their favorite water bodies. As it starts to cool, consistently check weed beds for color, and density of cover. As weeds start to die off in the cooler water temperatures, they will deteriorate and turn brown. These dead weeds will no longer produce oxygen, hold aquatic insects or be good cover for bait fish and thus are less attractive to big pike. The key here is that not all weed beds die off at the same time. Whether it is water depth or sun exposure, some weed patches stay green and healthy well into the winter months.

Tip: Large pike are attracted to green weed areas in the Fall

Where to Search for the Large Pike

Spend time searching the edges of the weed flats to see if they are green or not. If the weeds are in water too deep for you to see them, use your electronics and look for weed beds with tall, vertical weeds. Large pike will be attracted to these green weed areas. And with only certain weed patches staying alive, this will concentrate the amount of fish holding or working a patch of weeds so anglers should work the beds thoroughly. I like to work the beds by fishing the outer edges first then moving into the thickest part of the weeds. This approach allows me to pick up several fish as I move through the patch without scaring others.

As far as baits are concerned, for fall pike fishing I like to use large shiny or action heavy fishing baits. If the weeds are dense and tall, then a tandem spinner bait or weedless spoon should be your go to tackle. In sparse weeds, try hot colored jerk baits or swim baits.

For more information about what lures to use for pike fishing, visit Sorting Through the Pike Lures at Bass Pro Shops 1Source.

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United States

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How to Cut 5 Boneless Fillets: Northern Pike & Chain Pickerel (infographic)

Bill Miller — Tue, 01 Jul 2014 22:57:43 +0000

How to Cut 5 Boneless Fillets: Northern Pike & Chain Pickerel (infographic)

Bill Miller Tue, 07/01/2014 - 17:57

Category

Pike

Caught from cold water, the firm, white flesh of northern pike or chain pickerel will rival fillets from any freshwater fish. Some think pike is the best eating of all! However, the pike’s bones layout differently than any other fish, so a special method of filleting is required. The result will be five boneless fillets from each pike.

FISH FILLET EQUIPMENT:

Bass Pro Shops XPS Professional-Grade Fillet Kit

1.Fillet Knife – must have a flexible blade that will hold its edge. Grip of hard material such as wood, plastic, etc. is desirable as it provides the best feel. Some filleting techniques especially require “feel” which soft grips inhibit. Shorter blades are also more sensitive, but for filleting fish it’s better to have a blade that’s too long rather than too short; 8- to 10-inch blades are most common.

2. Filleting Glove - the same kind of fillet glove used in commercial meat processing prevents nicks and cuts to the off hand and enhances grip on slippery fish and fillets.

3. Cutting Board – the bigger the fillet board the better. Surface should be smooth to allow for easiest skinning and cleaning.

4. Vacuum Sealer - for any fillets you’re not going to cook and eat immediately, vacuum sealing is by far the best way to preserve quality in the freezer for the longest time.

5. Trash Receptacle – for entrails.

Check out the fishing tips and find more information about pike and pickerel fishing at Bass Pro Shops 1Source.

WATCH VIDEO: YouTube video showing how to do a Northern Pike 5 cut boneless fillet.

Click here to see a larger view or print out the how to fillet northern pike and chain pickerel graphic.

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United States

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Turn to Dead Bait for Hardwater Pike

Justin Hoffman — Fri, 15 Nov 2013 21:00:00 +0000

Turn to Dead Bait for Hardwater Pike

Justin Hoffman Fri, 11/15/2013 - 15:00

Category

Pike

Snow-covered landscapes and frozen bodies of water have a deliberate way of changing a pike angler's methods and routines. Gone are the oversized spinnerbaits, cranks and spoons — the familiar tools of warm weather fishing — and out come the dead baits, tip ups and quick strike rigs.

Got Bait?

Dead bait is the preferred tool when chasing winter pike. They represent a large, stationary profile to a hungry fish, triggering instinctive strikes from these freshwater predators. They also provides the perfect scent and taste attributes to attract fish, leaving a magnetic trail washing in the water and arousing their senses. Add to that how easy they are to handle, store and rig, and you’ve got yourself a definite winner.

Smelt, herring, sardine and sucker all make excellent choices (please check local regulations before using), and can be purchased either fresh or frozen from most grocery stores. Suckers can also be caught from local streams or rivers, and put directly in the freezer until needed.

Choose bait between 6 and 10 inches in length, as this seems to be the preferred size for pike, especially during the winter months.

Dead-Bait Tactics for Hardwater Pike

Rigging Dead Fishing Bait

A quick-strike rig provides the perfect presentation when using dead bait. It allows for a single hook to be placed through the lips, while a treble hook is lightly skewered on the upper backside, toward the tail end.

When a pike swims with a bait, turning it around to swallow after a short run, the hooks will usually find a secure place at the front of the mouth on the ensuing hook set. A No. 1 single hook coupled with a No. 4 treble works well in most situations.

Tip Up Choice

In order to present dead bait, a high quality tip up is needed. Regardless of the style you choose, reliance on Dacron or tip up line in 30 to 50-pound test strength is your best bet. I prefer a black colored line as it is easier to see against the snow and ice, especially when handlining fish in.

Smooth drags are also imperative when chasing pike, due to the length of runs and the speed that they can achieve. Make sure that it can run freely, with no hesitation at all.

The trip mechanisms are smooth on these units and can be adjusted for varying degrees of release, making them ideal choices when dealing with weighty dead bait.

Setting Up to Catch Pike

High percentage spots often depend on the body of water, but include shallow and deep weedlines, rivermouths, breaklines and flats. Pike will target these areas in one of two ways — in a patrolling, active feeding mode, or sulking near bottom while waiting for prey to stumble by.

Pike are typically more aggressive when the sun is shining, and mid-morning to late afternoon will usually see them in their hungriest disposition.

Cover a variety of areas with your tip ups when beginning the day from shallow to deep. First and last ice will find fish taking up shop in the shallow stuff, especially adjacent to any green weeds that are still kicking about. Mid-winter will see a shift to deeper water and it may be necessary to punch numerous holes at varying depths in order to connect.

I prefer to suspend dead bait just off bottom, perhaps one to two feet at most. I find the majority of fish (especially when dealing with skinny water) cruise “belly to the bottom,” giving bait presented in this manner the best chance for being seen.

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International

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Pike Swimbait Rigging Tips

Tim Allard — Mon, 15 Jul 2013 17:00:00 +0000

Pike Swimbait Rigging Tips

Tim Allard Mon, 07/15/2013 - 12:00

Category

Pike

If you're not casting swimbaits for northern pike you're missing out. Swimbaits are one of the hottest lures on the market right now, and for good reason — they catch a ton of different species. The focus of this blog is rigging tips for 5- and 6-inch swimbaits and shad baits, like Mister Twister Sassy Shad, Berkley PowerBait Flatback Shad or YUM Money Minnow. (Read Sorting Out Swimbaits: A Buyer's Guide for more on swimbaits.) The baitfish profile, natural swimming action and boot-tail driven vibrations of these plastics makes them phenomenal pike presentations. Success is never guaranteed however, so here are a few tips and tricks to help you catch more fish.

Phil Stinson with a northern that ate a swimbait.

When using baits that include rigging hooks in their package be sure to audit the size and strength of this hardware. Pike are sprinters and can rapidly peel off line. Thin wire hooks aren't recommended for northerns as they can bend open if the drag isn't set perfect. Use heavy gauge wire swimbait hooks with a wide gap for superior hook-ups. Another good option is to rig baits on jigheads, such as Kalin's Ultimate Series "S" heads or their Ultimate Saltwater jigheads.

Always ensure the plastic is rigged completely straight. This is critical for the bait to attain its best action; complacency with this detail will cost you fish.

A quality leader is also a must and many options exist. One is a 24- to 30-inch 80- to 100-pound test fluorocarbon leader, bookended with a heavy duty ball bearing swivel and quality snap. Wire or titanium leaders also work well. Immediately replace kinked wire leaders, otherwise they'll compromise the swimbait's action. You can also tie 7-strand wire or a product like Knot 2 Kinky Nickel-Titanium Wire direct to the swimbait's hook eye for an ultra-streamlined presentation. Thin wire slices through weeds better than fluorocarbon, but is more visible in clear water. There are always tradeoffs, so I carry a good variety of leader materials.

Although they're great at catching pike, these toothy predators will quickly shred swimbaits. To get more mileage from these plastics consider the following:

Use superglue to seal and repair tears to extend a bait's lifespan.
When a torn bait won't stay on the keeper-barb of a swimbait hook, try rigging it on a jig head.
Re-rig a torn swimbait by rotating it on a jig so the hook comes out the bait's side (not it's back). This slows the sink rate but the action is just as good at catching pike.

Region

Canada

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Pike fishing

Fishing Tackle

Fishing Tip

Pike in Transition

Jim Crowley — Mon, 08 Jul 2013 17:57:48 +0000

Pike in Transition Jim Crowley Mon, 07/08/2013 - 12:57

Category

Pike

The wheels screeching on the runway woke me from my two hour nap. The plane, my third one for the day safely landed at Chicago’s O’Hara airport. I have been traveling to Canada for more than 30 years and still get excited to pack my bags and head out on another adventure. On this recent trip I was fishing the

Jim Crowley in Canada with Pike.

Little Churchill river system in northern Manitoba, Canada. This has been a favorite destination of mine for many years as the Northern Pike that roam these waters grow very large and are extremely abundant. How I was to fish for them this time was different than previous trips. Let’s look at how to find and fish for trophy pike during the post spawn period. It can be challenging as well as rewarding.

The Little Churchill River system is an expansive body of water that includes lakes Hail, Waskaiowaka, Pelletier and Campbell. Pike grow large in these water due to the topography as well as the forage base. Massive bays and main river weed growth hide these water wolves and thousands have been recorded in the Manitoba Master Angler records for anyone to see. A Master Angler pike has to be at least 41 inches to be included in these records. The forage bas includes, perch, walleye, suckers and bourbot. All these fish add weight and strength to these incredible fish. They grow large, aggressive and will give any angler a strong challenge if proper equipment is not utilized.

My most recent trip was the end of June and the Pike were moving out of the bays because they were done spawning and into the massive river system looking for main river weedy areas where they would hold up for the summer. The water is so clean and clear we saw numerous “trophy” pike swimming from the bays into the river throughout my 4 days of fishing. The problem we faced was every day the wind direction changed so it was hard to concentrate the big fish in any one area. They were constantly on the move following their food source. One day it might be small baitfish, the next day it could be walleyes so it was up to us to figure out a plan each day. Here is what we did.

My equipment for fishing pike consist of 7’ medium heavy to heavy Grandt pike rods. My reels are Bass Pro Shops Pro Qualifiers. The pro qualifiers are now made in 3 different gear ratios. A fantastic, durable and reliable reel I mostly use the 5:1:1 as it’s fast enough for casting spoons but will not wear you out fishing buck tails. I spool up 40 Sufix performance braid, tie on a Terminator Titanium leader and I’m set for my lures of choice. Pike love wind and our plan was to fish windy rocky areas especially where we found any weed growth. The weeds were just starting to come up so any green vegetation was a good sign and always worth a shot. Some areas of the river were not as clear as the others so here are a couple lure choices I used. For extremely clear water I relied on an old favorite: A ¾ ounce Northland forage minnow spoon. A deadly spoon on big pike I have had numerous master Angler fish fall for this lure. When we fished areas that had more of a stain to it, I fished the new Blue Fox Super Boo. A double bladed buck tail that put off massive amounts of flash and movement its designed with one large rear VMC treble hook. This is a HIGH PERCENTAGE lure. Almost every strike on this lure ended up with a fish in the boat, including my largest of the trip and largest at the lodge that week a 45” fish that totally inhaled the lure.

Big pike on the move and in a post-spawn can at times be difficult to fish, however remember wind and weeds can put you in high percentage areas. Keep your lures wet and focus on every retrieve as big pike will follow lures and sometimes not strike. Remember that area and come back at them with either a different angle, lure or both. As with every time I fish the Little Churchill River system, I stay at DUNLOPS’S Lodge and Outpost. A fantastic place with professional guides, nice accommodations and incredible food. Oh yeah and the trophy fishing is off the hook! Check them out at www.dunlopfishing.com if you decide to go you can even e-mail me and I’ll give you my equipment list that you can fulfill at your nearest Bass Pro Shops.
God Bless and best Fishes……….

by Jim Crowley

Region

Canada

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The Ozark Pike

Bill Cooper — Thu, 27 Jun 2013 17:00:00 +0000

The Ozark Pike

Bill Cooper Thu, 06/27/2013 - 12:00

Category

Pike

Many of the free flowing streams of the southern Missouri Ozarks contain a small fish which resembles the northern pike. The chain pickerel is a diminutive cousin of the much larger northern species.

As a child I saw a few grass pickerel in the swamps of our southeast Missouri farm. However, I heard stories of hard fighting pickerel from the Current River, almost 100 miles away in the foothills of the Ozarks.

I became infatuated with these pike of the Ozarks. I tried to catch a grass pickerel in my area, but never succeeded. I forgot about the charming fish until after graduate school. Once I landed a job as a park superintendent in the Ozarks, I renewed my search for the pickerel.

I fished hard, in several locations, with no luck. Then Bob Todd, editor of the River Hills Traveler invited me on a canoeing and fishing trip into the vast Mingo National Wildlife Refuge. He assured me there was a good chance of catching a chain pickerel.

After catching numerous largemouth bass and making what seemed like 10,000 casts, I had about given up my mission. I cast my big spinnerbait next to a sunken log. The bait stopped abruptly. I thought I had snagged. But, with a little pressure, the fish moved and my line zipped through the murky water. Next a long, slender fish erupted from the water and tail walked across the surface. I suspected it was a gar.

“There is your first chain pickerel,” Todd said. “And it is a good one.”

The magnificent specimen had broken my curse. We snapped a few photos of what we thought to be a 3-pound fish and returned it to the swamp. My fascination with these rare fish had just been pushed into high gear.

I began fishing for chain pickerel at every opportunity. I caught them from the Current River, Jack’s Fork and Eleven Point rivers. Most came from side sloughs or bays. They hang out in the dense, weedy growth to await a chance to ambush their prey.

Most pickerel I caught measured from 8 inches up to 18 inches. I set out on a quest to catch much larger fish. It seemed the further south I went the bigger the fish. A corp of pickerel fishermen out of Van Buren often caught pickerel in February over 4 pounds.

I set up camp on the Eleven Point River, bordering the Irish Wilderness. My wife and I steadily caught rainbow trout on live minnows. Then my wife hooked a big fish. When it tail-walked, I realized she had a sizable chain pickerel. It measured 22 inches.

Having heard that big pickerel often travel in pairs, I cast the largest minnow we had in the bucket to the same spot. An immediate jolt vibrated up my rod. A big, powerful fish erupted from the water.

The pickerel measured a little over 28 inches and may have been a new state record fish. However, we were deep in the wilderness having fun. We were happy to photograph the fish and return it to the Eleven Point River. Chain pickerel, a cousin to Northern pike, grow large in southern Missouri, such as this 28 1/2-inch specimen from the Eleven Point River.

Region

Midwest

Tags

Pike fishing

Flies for Northern Pike

Gerald Almy — Sat, 01 Jun 2013 12:00:00 +0000

Flies for Northern Pike

Gerald Almy Sat, 06/01/2013 - 07:00

Category

Pike

Few thrills in fishing can come close to watching a northern pike's toothy mouth clamp down on a fly twitching across the surface of a shallow cove. With brooding, baleful eyes, a pike looks positively prehistoric when it smashes into a topwater bug.

Any large fly patterns work well for pike.

Because of the intensity of the strike when they nail a surface popper, I always carry a few cork or balsa poppers and deer hair bugs on northern expeditions, even though these lean green fish are more likely to hit subsurface offerings. When the mood strikes them, pike will literally rip poppers and deer hair bugs to shreds tearing into them.

In those situations you'll be glad you have these surface offerings. Stock a variety of poppers, mostly elongated in shape, and a few thickly-dressed hair bugs, in sizes 2/0-2 in red/white, chartreuse and natural deer hair. When the fish are in thin water, less than four feet deep, and the wind is calm or almost calm, pull these offerings out. Experiment with both subtle twitches and a faster, rhythmic retrieve. Pause briefly after the strike, then set up hard. Both large bass bugs and saltwater surface offerings work well.

Since smaller fish comprise the majority of a pike's diet, most of the time you'll want to cast a hefty streamer. Special pike streamers are made, but I've had excellent results just using flies designed for fishing in the brine. Any of the larger patterns designed for stripers, blues and other large saltwater gamefish work well. Tarpon flies are excellent, though they don't hold up for more than a few fish in most cases. The deep-water Whistler series with bead chain eyes is a good bet in both red and white and black and orange.

Use a 7- to 10-foot leader for topwater offerings; 5-to 6-foot for streamers. In both cases, add either light wire or a 40- t0 60-pound mono at the business end to avoid cutoffs with the pike's sharp teeth.

Cast close to weed edges, breaks in the vegetation, points and cover such as logjams or brush piles. Strip the flies back anywhere from a few inches to several feet deep. Make it lurch and undulate like a struggling baitfish.

Keep the rod tip low over the water or even in it so there's no slack in the line. Work the fly with sharp spurts of 6-18 inches with pauses in between. When a leg-long pike nails your fly in 2 feet of water, expect a raucous brawl, maybe even a drenching or two before you twist your hook free and watch him surge back into the depths.

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Sorting Through the Pike Lures

Justin Hoffman — Wed, 29 May 2013 12:00:00 +0000

Sorting Through the Pike Lures

Justin Hoffman Wed, 05/29/2013 - 07:00

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Pike

The northern pike seems to have it all. The ability to leap in the air with energetic somersaults that will amaze and excite you. A willingness to strike baits so aggressively that you'd swear your heart skipped a beat. Plus a biological make-up that allows them to attain extra heavy weights, backed by a muscular body and razor-sharp teeth. Put all of these traits together and you're up against one heck of a competitor! Fall is the time to catch the really fat 20 pound pike.

Fishing spoons like the Mepps Timber Doodle still rank high in terms of pike catch-rates.

A problem you can face when looking for sure-fire action from Mr. Pike is deciding what fishing lures to toss his way. It may seem easy when rooting through the tackle box, but northern pikes can be picky at times, so arming yourself with the right lures for the right conditions is paramount for uncovering success. Take a look at the following pike baits the next time you go tackle shopping — you've got my word that they will all work to your advantage when out in pike territory.

Fishing Spoons and Pike Just Work

Metal fishing spoons and pike have quite the history together. A look back through the annals of fishing will show you that spoons were an angler's favorite tool way back when. For present-day pike hunting, the lowly spoon still rates number one in terms of catch-rates and overall usage, making this a must-have fishing lure for the tackle box.

Eppinger Original Dardevle Fishing Spoons

Spoons come in all different shapes and sizes, causing some confusion when admiring the tackle store shelves. For the most part, a basic pike spoon should fall between 4 and 6 inches long. The heavier the spoon chosen, the deeper and quicker it will run. My preference is one to 1 1/2 ounce baits, as this will allow easy casting and proficient action on the retrieve. (Heavier spoons will also make for better trolling, as your lure will get down to the desired depth quickly and easily.)

Although size and weight are important considerations, the bend or curvature of the spoon itself is what truly reels the fish in. The bend of a spoon gives the bait its action, from a fine swaying motion to an over-exaggerated wobble, as well as everything in between. It is this action that produces vibrations through the water — one of the biggest attractants for northern pike. Bigger bends will produce greater action as well as more sound. Over the years, I've figured out that this set up seems to work best.

You can't go wrong with silver like the popular Johnson Lures Silver Minnow or gold spoons, baitfish-imitating shades are also productive. Lastly, don't overlook the success that the highly popularized "red and white" hue has garnered — it definitely works for a reason.

When it comes to color of spinnerbaits, bright is the way to go.

Spinnerbaits

Primarily thought of as a bass lure, spinnerbaits have taken the pike world by storm. The ease of use, virtual weedlessness, plus the high flash and vibration make this bait a winner any way you look at it.

Although "bass-size" spinnerbaits will certainly catch northerns, hooking bigger fish will mean a change to a slightly larger lure like the Booyah Pikee Spinnerbait. By this I mean a longer and thicker skirt, bigger blades, and an oversized hook. Many tackle companies have jumped on the bandwagon, and are manufacturing spinnerbaits that are specifically designed with these qualities intact, primarily for use with toothy predators.

My favorite fishing spinnerbait to run when targeting the water wolf consists of large willow leaf blades, like the Bass Pro Shops Lazer Eye Spinnerbait Double Willow. These big blades throw off a lot of flash and will call fish in from afar. Skirts made from bucktail or living rubber work equally well, although I prefer the bucktail material when water temperatures are not at their peak.

Make sure the skirt is bulky enough, as this will offer a large target and silhouette for fish to hone in on. (Adding a plastic curly-tail grub to the hook will offer greater bulk and increased action.) Hooks should be razor sharp, and it certainly doesn't hurt to install a trailer hook to help in landing those short-striking fish.

When it comes to color, bright is certainly the way to go. Yellow, chartreuse, white and orange will all work well for the skirt, while silver, orange and chartreuse lead the way for the blades.

A jerkbait works well due to the fact that it sinks slowly and tantalizingly through the water like the Strike King Shad-A-Licious.

Soft Plastic Jerkbaits

Many anglers have used this fishing bait for bass, with astonishing results to show for it. If truth were known, they are a dynamite lure for pike, especially when you find the fish in a non-active or lazy mood.

Plastic jerkbaits are long and semi-cylindrical in shape, usually consisting of a narrow or thinner tail section. An offset worm hook in a size 4/0 or 5/0 is all that is needed to complete the package.

A jerkbait works well due to the fact that it sinks slowly and tantalizingly through the water, a triggering effect that fish find hard to pass up. This slow and enticing movement is perfect for fish that are holding tight to cover, or for those that seem to be suffering from a sudden case of lockjaw.

Best bets to try are plastic jerks that fall between 6- to 9-inches long like the Sebile Magic Swimmer Soft. These will work well across the map, and will help in seducing those fish that seem hard to come by. (These baits are a mainstay of mine when faced with cold front conditions, or early in the spring when the water is still cold.)

Tip: Check out Musky Innovations Bull Dawg pike baits at Cabelas.com here

Bright colors are again your best bet, not only from the fish's point of view, but also the anglers. Using a brightly colored bait will allow you to see your lure as you work it in, which can help greatly in spotting follows and setting the hook. Try white, hot pink, and yellow for outstanding results.

There is nothing like watching a large pike strike a topwater lure like this tried and ture Heddon Zara Spook bait.

Topwaters

Nothing can compare to having a fish come crashing down on a bait when it's on the surface. In terms of excitement, this tactic rates number one. Lucky for us, Mr. Pike loves to tangle with lures on top, making this technique both a productive one, and a fun one to boot.

Topwater baits come in many different versions, but for the sake of pike, speed and action seem to be the two triggering devices. And when I say speed, I mean fast!

Large buzzbaits are ideal for pike fishing as they can be burned back to the boat at a high rate of speed, as well as throwing off a sputtering wake as they whip across the surface. Look for baits that have large buzzers (double and triple buzzers have worked well for me) as well as a large skirt. A trailer hook is a definite necessity in this high-paced game.

Cotton Cordell Pencil Poppers

Another bait that I like to keep in my bag of tricks is a cigar-style lure, or Spook like the Heddon Zara Spook bait. This topwater requires direct manipulation from the angler in order to perform, with heart-pounding results forthcoming when the technique is done just right. Go with the largest cigar-bait you can find, and practice the cadence (walk the dog) until you have it just right. And when you do, watch out, because the big fish are sure to be close behind! This bait will be worked much slower than a buzzbait, so it is ideal for neutral or "picky" fish. Saying that, it also works wonders on wound-up fish too.

As with the plastic jerk, color is more for the angler than for the fish. Choose a shade that will be visible from afar, as seeing the lure and the action it is creating is key to gaining confidence in this one.

Jerkbaits for Pike Are the Way to Go

Northern pike are built for chasing down prey. With a quick burst of speed and their razor-sharp teeth, baitfish in the vicinity really don't stand a chance. Since fish are their prime source of nourishment, it's no wonder that crankbaits (an exact replica of nature) will fool most anything that swims.

Suick Weighted Holographicgraphic Muskie Thriller Jerkbait - 9"

When selecting crankbaits for pike fishing, jerkbaits in the 4- to 5-inch range like the Smithwick Suspending Super Rogue hard bait or the Rapala X-Rap's are the way to go. These "stop and go" lures mimic the action of a wounded baitfish to a "T," allowing the carnivorous pike ample opportunity to move in for the kill.

Tip: Look for a flashy jerkbait when selecting your next pike lure.Look for a flashy jerkbait when selecting your next pike lure.

Selecting the appropriate jerkbait doesn't have to be a tedious task. Long and thin are the two considerations, as this duplicates the favored prey for pike. Choose a bait that is 6- to -9 inches in length, with a short to medium-sized lip. Jerkbaits are meant to be worked in water less than 20 feet deep, so try to choose a few styles of lures that will cover the water from top to bottom. (My most consistent producer is a lure that can be jerked down approximately 6 feet, a prime depth in many of the waters I tackle.)

Livingston Lures Predator Series Crankbait

Flashy is a positive trait that you should search for when selecting your lures, with natural colors and some bright ones a great mix to have. Silver, gold and chartreuse lead the pack here, although experimentation is always a good rule of thumb when out on your home lake.

Rattles are a great addition to your jerkbaits for the sound that they produce. If it doesn't make noise, my suggestion is to leave it on the shelf.

Hunting down northern pike can be an exciting and addictive venture for the fisherman. These fish like to play rough, and tempting and teasing them into striking can be an exhilarating aspect that will leave you wanting more. Stocking up your box with the above baits can lead you on a path to success — one filled with acrobatic jumps, hard pulls and splashes of water in the face.

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