How do I catch Northern Pike?

[Showda]

My brother-n-law wants to try for some pike in a local lake. Being a bass fisherman I have never tried this, neither do I have any idea what I am doing when it comes to fishing for pike. He was talking about trying live minnows. I have heard fingerling trout work great. Does anyone have any advice or tips they would like to share? We will be fishing from a boat.

[Jim80]

You can do minnows , but pike will hit just about anything you put in front of them from spinner baits to larger crankbaits .

[Fishnngolfn]

I heard swimbaits work well too. Swim them and then let them sink like an injured minnow.

[Jim80]

Also make sure you have a net or something to grip the pikes jaw , their teeth are sharp as he**

[Fishnngolfn]

Originally Posted by Jim80

Also make sure you have a net or something to grip the pikes jaw , their teeth are sharp as he**

I was told there are pike in Lake Purdy in Alabama.

[MIbasser]

Some guys will you a leader as well. Like Jim80 said, pretty much anything will work for them (Pig n Jig, spinner baits, buzz baits, cranks, in-line spinners, spoons (try the silver minnow with a white trailer), rattle traps, jerk baits, just expect it to get damaged.

[Raul]

Well I don´t know bout pike, I do know that if I´m after bass in gar country every single gar in the water is going to bite my baits before bass have a chance to even sniff at them , which makes me wonder why is it that when I intentionally fish for gar it looks like the earth swallowed them ?

Go figure.

[Jim80]

Originally Posted by MIbasser

Some guys will you a leader as well. Like Jim80 said, pretty much anything will work for them (Pig n Jig, spinner baits, buzz baits, cranks, in-line spinners, spoons (try the silver minnow with a white trailer), rattle traps, jerk baits, just expect it to get damaged.

I forgot about the leader it does help a little and depending on the time of day you are after them they will prob be a bit deeper then the bass you are used to catching . Pike prefeer cooler waters and tend to hang around the edges of weed beds .

[Fishnngolfn]

I would imagine a wire leader would hold up better. But I don't know if the pike would see the leader and avoid your lure.

[Lilmoosecountry]

Wire leaders work just fine. You can use stick baits,swimbaits,Inline spinners. Hell you use any of your bass plugs. But my biggest suggestion is a wire leaders. Gar teeth are sharp. Pike teeth will take a finger off that's the biggsest difference. I miss wisconsin. If i never would of left. I probably would not be a big bass fanatic. If i were home i would still be chasing toothy critters.

[MIbasser]

LilMoose, how would you like to catch this one.......

[Fishnngolfn]

In the bottom picture, is that another pike attacking the pike hooked on your line?

[Jim80]

F&G I believe those are musky in those pictures

[zooker]

looks like a chain pickeral of about 12" being nailed by a 48+" pike.. the amazing thing with pike are they love a good bushwack. it really matters lil to the size of the baits.. we used to catch them on 10-12" suckers thru the ice...

zooker

[Fishnngolfn]

Alright, but is that one fish attacking another? Because it looks like it to me.

[MIbasser]

This is the e-mail that I got...

This is the new record in Canada .. He caught it on Rainy Lake
Check this thing out.. The last picture is unbelievable!
This guy (in the photos below), was fishing and caught
a 36" Pike - as he was reeling it in, a 56" Pike tried to eat it!!!!!
He brought them both in on the same net.

Awesome catch on a Lake in Canada - 55 lbs- 56 inches

[BigBassin144]

Those are both Pike (or Pickerel, but walleye are also called pickerel...)
Pike grow much bigger in Canada than in the US.
FnG, yes the larger one is trying to eat the smaller one. And a 56" pike could eat that smaller one too.

Showda, Pike will take any larger bass lures oyu have, whether it be large spinnerbaits, crankbaits, etc. A favorite pike lure up here is the spoon. Dare Devils. I'd also look at some smaller Musky lures. (3-4.5" Jake or Grandma lures are a good one (hard to find that short though.)) Also try Bucktails. Which are just big inline spinners dressing with: bucktail. Mepps #5 will work good for pike.

Here's some links.

These, but smaller (4.5") http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/st...005000_100-5-4

The single hooked ones: http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/st...006000_100-6-4

Again, single treble. http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/st...006000_100-6-4

BB

[BigBassin144]

Here's a good link that should help.

http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/st...ctType=article

Oh and you can use any suspending bass jerkbait. Just don't be too attached, pike will chew them up.

BB

[Showda]

Thanks for all the tips guys. I now have some great tactics to try out. I think we are going tomorow evening, I will let you know how it goes. Stay tuned....

Showda

[jmartin]

Last summer I fished lake Joanna in Minnesota for a week and we used spoons, crankbaits and we done very well pulling small ones "under 25 inches" off weedbeds however I have been told that big ones cannot be caught that way. my expierance has been using baitfish and let them run with it the first time because they are tasting it and if they like it they will stop after about a 15 foot run and flip the bait and eat it head first. If and when that happens Katie bar the door you just latched onto a PIKE.

Happy Fishing

Jerry

[Tryinhard]

If you want to find pike tye on your most expensive lure or crank without any steel leader pitch it in a you will surely find ol toothy, remember they really like lucky craft baits lol.

[Lilmoosecountry]

I grew up chasing Big - Walleye, Pickerl, Northerns & Musky. We have Musky here in Missouri @ Pome de Terre. They are a northern strain. The biggest caught here is 49 inches. Trophy guy's have tried for years to catch a 50 incher. I believe it will be done in the next year or so.

[Lilmoosecountry]

Originally Posted by Tryinhard

If you want to find pike tye on your most expensive lure or crank without any steel leader pitch it in a you will surely find ol toothy, remember they really like lucky craft baits lol.

You do that its a PROMISE you'll loose that high priced bait.

[Lilmoosecountry]

Originally Posted by MIbasser

LilMoose, how would you like to catch this one.......

Thatz a Nice Gator you got there. Hell even a none trophy pike or musky will put the biggest bass to shame in size, Fight & agressiveness. Oh well i'm stuck here chasing Big Bass & Cats. By the way my biggest cat is 80lbs. I am afraid a Cat that big would run most pike at of the water. I sound like i'm bashing bass i'm not. I love bass. I just get Home Sick some days for the other species.

[BigBassin144]

one of the guys on an Ohio fishing forum I go to have this as his sig.

"My undersized Musky will eat your trophy Bass"

Such true words.

Musky fishing is my newest addiction since I finally caught one.


BB