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Posts: 303
| When I go for Pike...I use musky tackle. The lures I use are musky lures. Magnum bulldawgs, Depth Raiders, large spinners, bondys, etc...I use big lures. I have been told by numerous people that I shouldn't be using these large of baits because they simply aren't needed.
Am I alone in throwing these lures for pike? Excluding the European folks that see the 40lb fish. The fish you guys chase are not the same pike I get to chase, unfortunately. |
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Posts: 239
Location: Elroy, Wisconsin | I've gone smaller lures, Mepps giant killers, 6" and 7" cranks. Seems the last two years smaller has been better for me, more muskies and big pike than ever before.
Mudpuppy |
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Posts: 1039
Location: North St. Paul, MN | I target the jack-o-lanterns quite a bit. I am of the opinion, 6" baits and smaller are all you need to catch the biggest pike in the systerm. As long as you are presenting the bait in their strike zone they'll kill it.
My "go-to's"
6" softtail phantom
M&G spinnerbaits - slow rolled
6" reef hawg
shallow raiders (a little bigger than 6", but super effective)
6" raptors
4" phantom softtail
4" shadow rap
6" & 7" slammers
Anything bigger and I'm just wearing myself out...for what? a pike? Not worth it in my opinion. Now, my biggest issue is actually finding BIG, active pike. For me and where I fish, it seems like a lot depends on year to year. Some years I get several between 10-15 lbs. with the occasional 15lb+ mixed in (central MN). Then other years (same seasonal time frame) I'm struggling to get a 5lb fish.
It's that time again, so hopefully the bigger fish will show up this Sept, Oct, and (maybe early) Nov. |
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Posts: 264
| From my experience pike are not too picky relative to size. I use both small and large at least when fishing for big pike - 40" and larger. Small like #5 and #6 incline spinners Mepps and Blue Fox for instance. On the other end of the spectrum I also had great luck this year using both Fat Bastard top water and Mag Dawgs. Bondys also are a great option. Just check out the Bondy Bait thread from a few weeks back in the Tackle forum. Those pike from Zach Brown are monsters caught casting Bondys. Just work different sizes until I find what gets 'em going. I'm partial to top water so like throwing bigger prop or WTD every chance I get. The 7.5" Phantom has also been great to work over or parralel to cabbage.
Just my approach when fishing big pike water like Manitoba.
Talmooner
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Posts: 303
| Does anyone out there target...or at least catch...pike with pounders? That's about the only thing I won't throw simply because I don't own any. I've never felt the need to cast anything much bigger than a Mag dawg for skies, but I'm in the minority at this point with that. |
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Posts: 294
Location: Sakatchewan,Canada | Bigger the better where I target monster pike in northern Saskatchewan. I have caught many lunker pike on huge lures such as: Wishmaster Big Wish, 2 pounder Bulldawg(32 oz), custom 20" Dadson marabou, 60cm(24") Ukko Wobbler, 14" Jake, 13" Grandma, pounder bulldawgs, etc,etc,etc... |
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Posts: 4053
Location: Land of the Musky | jvlast15 - 9/12/2015 7:02 PM
When I go for Pike...I use musky tackle. The lures I use are musky lures. Magnum bulldawgs, Depth Raiders, large spinners, bondys, etc...I use big lures. I have been told by numerous people that I shouldn't be using these large of baits because they simply aren't needed.
Am I alone in throwing these lures for pike? Excluding the European folks that see the 40lb fish. The fish you guys chase are not the same pike I get to chase, unfortunately.
This is a Spring story but still valid.... If you go to a resort, those people will be asking you if you have any extra lures in camp  In Canada (Anglers Kingdom-Nunguesser) a few years ago it was a week after ice out and my buddy and I went up. I took about 100 Reg and Mag SuperDs, Suicks, and a few things to test for my company. We did take maybe 2 dozen dead bait with us too so we could throw them out over lunch. During the trip we caught over 40 fish over 40" and that includes a 50" pike my buddy got on a Reg SuperD. First day out we had a great day. Went back and found out most did not have a good day at all... When the guys in camp asked us how we did and we showed them a lot of pictures and they asked what size dead bait we used. They would not believe us that we caught them on artificial SuperD swimbaits until we showed them a few videos. Most of them brought only dead bait and a few small lures. Later that evening I dumped out my box of lures and told everyone to grab 3-5 SuperDs until they were gone. Next day everyone had a great day except the guys who were set on using dead bait. Day after they went to using big artificial swimabits. Don't go into that mind set in early Spring that you have to use a certain type of bait. Try different things. LOL on this trip I also got my biggest walleye. 32 inch on an 8oz Mag SuperD. |
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Posts: 43
Location: Bonn, Germany | Bigger is better - also for pike.
Caught all my big ones on big Rubber like Pounders, mags and 12-15" shads and also big blades.
Also caught one over 45 lb on a pounder....
Average size also increases with bait-size.
Works well for me |
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Posts: 303
| Muskyflo - 9/13/2015 3:29 PM
Bigger is better - also for pike.
Caught all my big ones on big Rubber like Pounders, mags and 12-15" shads and also big blades.
Also caught one over 45 lb on a pounder....
Average size also increases with bait-size.
Works well for me :)
45lb...pike? |
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Posts: 32886
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | Yep, that's what he said. Notice he's from Germany? |
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Posts: 43
Location: Bonn, Germany | Haha right:D
How big or heavy do the pike get in the US and Canada?
where do they grow to their maximum in the US and Canada? |
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Posts: 32886
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | Big Pike across the pond..... |
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Posts: 43
Location: Bonn, Germany | Yes big to monstrious pike over here:) beatuifull fish
But wonder how big muskies could get over here in europe |
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Posts: 303
| Gotcha. Did not notice he was from across the pond. Makes more sense now.
I am not exactly certain on how big they will get on our side of the pond, but it's not 45 lbs. I think the biggest I have heard is around 36. |
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Posts: 303
| Oh I figured we were talking about pike not muskies. |
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Posts: 84
| I am amazed how big the pike get in Europe, they are as big or bigger than muskies in north America. Europe has big zanders they look just like walleye without the white tip on the bottom of their tail. I seen a tv show about fishing in England and the host caught some perch and they were as big as a smallmouth bass! All three fish pike, zander, perch look just like fish here in US and Canada but were much bigger. I don't know if its genetics or what they eat but man their big over there! |
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Posts: 294
Location: Sakatchewan,Canada | Muskyflo - 9/13/2015 3:29 PM
Bigger is better - also for pike.
Caught all my big ones on big Rubber like Pounders, mags and 12-15" shads and also big blades.
Also caught one over 45 lb on a pounder....
Average size also increases with bait-size.
Works well for me :)
Have you tried the Savage Gear 16" line thru trout? I see they have been available in Europe for a while now, I'm still waiting for them to be available here in North America. |
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Posts: 32886
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | We have a couple of the Savage gear 16" trout. They look real in the water. |
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Location: varies | curious if those Euro pike do the dead spin after the fight is over when reeling em in? |
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Posts: 256
| I cast the 16" line thru trout in the alpine lacs, awesome pike lure with a crazy action |
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Posts: 43
Location: Bonn, Germany | Yes the 16" Line thru trout is an awesome tool for hooking into some good fish. Would like to See some giant muskies on it too.
One of the best baits in clear water conditions i think. |
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Posts: 1100
| Ive had great luck with big lures here in Europe as well, but there are situations, where small baits are more effective, 5-6 inch baits.
And yes rodbender, they do tent to go into a death roll, both during the fight, and sometimes in the bottom of the net bag. |
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Posts: 483
Location: NE PA | I haven't personally targeted pike with pounders, but seem to have no issue hooking them while muskie fishing. Those #*^@ things will eat just about anything lol |
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Posts: 294
Location: Sakatchewan,Canada | I got my hands on two of the 16" line thru trout for my trip in far northern Sask Oct.3rd-8th. The first day I used the Light trout colour and landed 4 big pike on it. The next day I tried out the 16" albino colour and landed 4 more on it. I also took one more on the albino the next day which was the biggest fish of the trip, very impressed with these lures to say the least!!
Has anyone here used them for muskie yet?results? |
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Posts: 75
| 14" swimbaits like esox V2 ans alike are very good bait overhere (netherlands) glider and diving jerkbaits tend to be best at 10" best glider i have is a HR pro sucker best diver weighted sledge produces good pike everywhere i go. With pounders i have to catch my first big one though, 9" curly Suzy puts pike in the boat after a coldfront has passed.
i fished with 14" HR pro suckers and shakers, producing only takes from hammerhandle pike! |
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Posts: 51
| I've caught my biggest pike on big lures like dbl 10's, 10" believers, big spinner baits and 10" jakes. |
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Northern Pike