Hey everybody...trying to plan the big pike hunt @ dad's place. at best it will be in 2 or 3 weeks, me and about 10 of my buddies are going up for the weekend, hopefully gonna have a big 'ol pike-fry every day.
Although i've caught my fair share of pike in my day, thought i would throw it out there and see what you all thought (I guarantee many of you are much better fisherman than I). Need to fish out about 60 pike from this lake asap. This winter they were all between 15 & 20 inches long.
Time to rock & roll. Any thoughts?
Trying to help with 7.5 Acres in the Chain of Lakes Illinois - - The fish would stay out of trouble if it could just keep its fool mouth shut. Turns out there is a lot I should be learning from the fish.
I'm jealous amigo - have fun! I've had a lot of luck fishing trophy NP with the following tackle - for smaller NP you might want to simply downsize - small pike seem to love lots of flash and vibration. Pinch your barbs on trebles so its not such a fiasco trying to get them into your livewell - just keep a very tight line:
1/2 - 1 oz spinnerbaits and buzzbaits in the vegetation - plastic trailer and hook doubles hook up ratio
Big Plastics - flukes ect. rigged weedless for sliding through vegetation
3 1/2 or 6" Rapala SubWalk over emergent weed beds [my favorite]
Big Rattletraps, big Spoons, Rapala X Rap or Husky Jerks for trolling or open water casting. The X Rap is great for suspended fish off points
When all else fails, 1/4 oz jighead and GULP seems to catch as many of my big NP while I'm walleye fishing than anything else - just be sure to use titanium leaders or you'll be retying all day!
Many men go fishing all of their lives without knowing that it is not fish they are after. ~ Henry David Thoreau
i have one of each of the 4.5-inch production lures (christmas presents....) and have yet to get them in the water, but am very excited to do so........
based on fishing reports and testimonials from people i know (and dont know), trophy hunters, in the last couple yrs, some of the largest macks, browns, and RT have succumbed to this lure, as well as warmer water species......stripers, lmb, spots, and smallies......true multispecies lures.....w/ a warning...tie good knots......you dont want to lose them at $15+ a pop
Yeah, i usually throw on a tyger leader or just extraordinarily tough braid. I hate getting bitten off, its worse than snapping a line. you think afterwards.....if i wasn't just a dumbass i would have brought that fish in.....
I like jerkbaits, personally, either jerked in or just reeled slowly to let the tail waggle throughout the water. of course, near weed beds or by points that lead to bays is primo.
Trying to help with 7.5 Acres in the Chain of Lakes Illinois - - The fish would stay out of trouble if it could just keep its fool mouth shut. Turns out there is a lot I should be learning from the fish.
If you are going to target NP in the 20"+- range you really don't need anything very sophisticated. They will hit pretty much any lure.
My personal choice for those small NP would be a 3/8 ounce spinner bait on a braided line. NP tend to get hooked in the side of the mouth on a spinner bait which makes the hook removal easier.
A lure with a single hook is in any case the way to go with those 20 inchers. It is no fun removing nine treble hook points from a fish, much less from your hand, arm or neck!
A mouth spreader is indispensable because NP generally refuse to open their mouth without some serious encouragement.
As far as leaders, you might be best off making some of your own with 30# fluorocarbon line and a few snaps/swivels. That way, you can make some lighter leaders suitable for use with spinning tackle for smaller pike.
The standard red & white daredevil has always been a classic hit and a favorite of mine for years. The hungry hammer handles will strike a lot of types of lures....but don't forget to bring needle nose pliers!
Musky Mania lure company makes a crank bait named Jake. Jake will make a daredevil spoon look like a salad spoon, Jake is a larger lure made for larger fish though, three very sharp trebles, and it takes a healthy rod to cast Jake.
Truth of the matter is, if you have a pond full of 20 inch Northern Pike and you want to catch as many as you can live bait under bobbers will catch as many as anything else and you will loose less fish.
Joe - agreed, the Jake is a great crankbait. I've taken some impressive WE and SMB on my smaller 6" Perch pattern Jake. Lil Ernie is also a great crankbait.
If you like throwing cranks for NP, Joe, you should try the Rapala slashbait X-Rap. Casts like a dream and has neutral bouyancy like a Husky Jerk - just with more heft and better action than the HJ. The SubWalk is the most fun bait to fish, however...highly recommend them for SMB, LMB and NP.
Many men go fishing all of their lives without knowing that it is not fish they are after. ~ Henry David Thoreau
I haven't cast for a pike a more than a few years, I'm going to have to get after that when my chores are done. I have caught piles of them in Quebec, landed 79 in one day back in 98 or 99, had cuts on all ten fingers before it was over, I can't wait to take my son up there when he is older.
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