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| Not sure if we can get it done, but my brother-in-law in Alaska and a couple other guys are trying to put together a self-guided moose hunt on the lower Yukon River next September. The outfitter that we are hoping to make arrangements with outfits folks for trophy pike fishing on the same stretch of river in the summer. I have a MH spinning rod that is designed to be packed in, would take that, couple wire leaders and I'm thinking a couple smaller spinners and maybe a spoon or two. Weight, bulk, etc. are a concern.
I would like to catch a few pike and maybe sheefish to supplement the canned/dried food we would have.
Think a couple spinners and spoons would do it? Not planning to fish a lot but will have some time, in particular late in the day because I am told you don't want to shoot a moose unless you have a couple hours of daylight left. |
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Posts: 20139
Location: oswego, il | Get a couple Zalt Zam minnowbaits. The 5.5" they make a floating, suspending and sinking versions. You will find they make a great musky bait too. Easiest place to get them is eBay. |
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Posts: 216
Location: Selkirk, Manitoba | Williams Whitefish spoons - go with the 6" for the big pike and big connies and a size down or two for the smaller stuff |
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| Angling Oracle - 12/12/2022 6:09 PM
Williams Whitefish spoons - go with the 6" for the big pike and big connies and a size down or two for the smaller stuff
Thanks. My sister's neighbor in Alaska who made the same moose hunt a couple years ago said the pike were big but the sheefish were decent sized, not real big. He is a good fisherman, took my daughter and I out in his skiff and caught halibut in Icy Strait. If the trip does work out, will pick up a couple. Lot has to fall in place for us to go. |
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Posts: 369
Location: Northern Illinois | If I was only concerned about eating (and not concerned with style, fish size, or boredom) and pike was the fish in the waters I was fishing, I would at some point be throwing a red and white Mepps #4. |
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Posts: 428
Location: NW WI | Dude that sounds amazing! My first thought was also spoons. But since that's been covered might I throw out the possibility of foraging ur bait for "panfish" than hanging said panfish for your pike. Maybe that's dumb idk, i know nothing of Alaska.
Also best of luck to all of you, if you've never eaten moose you need to! |
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| 7.62xJay - 12/12/2022 8:14 PM
Dude that sounds amazing! My first thought was also spoons. But since that's been covered might I throw out the possibility of foraging ur bait for "panfish" than hanging said panfish for your pike. Maybe that's dumb idk, i know nothing of Alaska.
Also best of luck to all of you, if you've never eaten moose you need to!
Well, long way from finalized. We actually first discussed a few years ago when I was in Alaksa to help build a storage building for my sister and brother-in-law. But then COVID came along. But, us old guys are not getting any younger and the window is closing fast. We all are active, try and stay fit but---. My brother-in-law in Alaska has taken a couple dozen moose but would like to go on one last river trip, so I hope it works out. And yes, my sister tells me moose is the best, better than beef, pork, caribou, and even woodland bison. Funny thing is growing up she would hardly touch venison.
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Posts: 1155
Location: E. Tenn | I don't think it would hurt to take along a J-13 Rapala or two. |
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Posts: 428
Location: NW WI | One of my Coworker's Sons and Daughter in Law teaches at a.tribal village somewhere near the Bering Strait. When they come home to visit they bring some Alaskan wild game to share and bring back to Alaska with them some Venison to share with the tribe. Apparently they Fricken LOVE Venison up there. I've had Moose processed into various sausages and its OK. But whatever raw cut I was given was PHENOMENAL, cooked it on the grill to rare-medium rare and best way to describe it would be-the texture and juicyness of a thick Ribeye but with the flavor of a Venison tenderloin.
I hope you all find a way to make it work out, sounds like a blast.
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Posts: 20139
Location: oswego, il | A lucky strike pointer minnow 128 would work very well. So Will a spinnerbait, chatterbait and small musky lures it just depends on what your rod and reel will handle. A crane 105 or a.rapala.x-rap will also work. |
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| Thanks for all the great suggestions. Will only have room for a few lures. Multiple flights, including bush planes, so have to be very careful with weight and bulk. I was out in the storage garage the yesterday working on something and noticed the big boxes of musky lures, both in the boat and on a shelf. Had to smile, thinking yup, if I get to the Yukon River, going to have a lot fewer choices than when I am fishing solo in my 18' tiller boat. |
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Posts: 153
Location: West Central WI | If you want to stick with spinners, look closely to Joe Bucher's Slopmaster. I keep a half-dozen in my tacklebox on my trips to Canada. Northern pike eat them up. Bring extra tails for them. |
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Posts: 216
Location: Selkirk, Manitoba | North of 8 - 12/13/2022 7:41 AM
Thanks for all the great suggestions. Will only have room for a few lures. Multiple flights, including bush planes, so have to be very careful with weight and bulk. I was out in the storage garage the yesterday working on something and noticed the big boxes of musky lures, both in the boat and on a shelf. Had to smile, thinking yup, if I get to the Yukon River, going to have a lot fewer choices than when I am fishing solo in my 18' tiller boat.
Your brother-in-law probably has a good sense of what you can catch there and what works - the tribs likely will have grayling (a bit bony), dollly varden and rainbows where small mepps/panther martins will do the trick. Shotgun (with cracker shells for the bears) and bird shot for grouse if they are just dropping you off. |
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| Angling Oracle - 12/13/2022 8:26 AM
North of 8 - 12/13/2022 7:41 AM
Thanks for all the great suggestions. Will only have room for a few lures. Multiple flights, including bush planes, so have to be very careful with weight and bulk. I was out in the storage garage the yesterday working on something and noticed the big boxes of musky lures, both in the boat and on a shelf. Had to smile, thinking yup, if I get to the Yukon River, going to have a lot fewer choices than when I am fishing solo in my 18' tiller boat.
Your brother-in-law probably has a good send of what you can catch there and what works - the tribs likely will have grayling (a bit bony ), dollly varden and rainbows where small mepps/panther martins will do the trick. Shotgun (with cracker shells for the bears ) and bird shot for grouse if they are just dropping you off.
Unfortunately, my brother-in-law is a commercial fisherman and really does not sport fish. His idea of fishing is giant nets and lines hundreds of yards long with multiple hooks. They live off grid and qualify for subsistence hunting and fishing. When they put out set lines for halibut, they cannot even have a fishing rod in the boat. When it comes to small spinners, prefer the panther martin. Apparently, my brother in law's son has great luck on trout with panther martins. He is hoping to go with us. Be nice to have a strapping young commercial fisherman in his 30s along. |
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Posts: 1088
| Another vote for a J-13 Rapala 1oz Rattletrap and some Bass Spinnerbaits. Also a lot of guy's who fish Boundry Waters and weight is a issue fish with jigs and twister tails up to five inches. And lastly there's a local TV show "Fishful Thinker" did a show on Alaskan Pike Fishing and if you poke around you might find some info on the show and episode. |
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| Thanks for all the suggestions. My tackle is primarily musky bait and panfish, so thought I would get some idea for Christmas presents. I am old guy who buys what he wants/needs, but kids always want suggestions. Now I have some! |
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| The wonders of modern advertising and why paper publications like Musky Hunter are not making it: Since this thread started, I have not searched for any lures, but I am getting ads on my MSN.com search/home page for spoons, spinners and bucktails ;>). I just ignore but you've got to admit it is very targeted. |
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Posts: 1650
| If I could only take 3 lures Pike fishing it would be.......
1) Five o Diamonds
2) 1 oz Blue & Chrome Rattle Trap
3) Black & Orange Bucktail.
Then I would pour out that bottle of booze I didn't really need and pack a Rapala Super Shad or 2. |
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| Brian Hoffies - 12/13/2022 4:11 PM
If I could only take 3 lures Pike fishing it would be.......
1) Five o Diamonds
2) 1 oz Blue & Chrome Rattle Trap
3) Black & Orange Bucktail.
Then I would pour out that bottle of booze I didn't really need and pack a Rapala Super Shad or 2.
LOL, wasn't really planning on taking a bottle of booze but thinking about it, some fine bourbon would be a nice way to celebrate if one of the party gets lucky. Will put that in the "maybe" column on the spread sheet. Too bad we are going to be in AK, if in Canada could pick up some fine Cuban Cohibas to go along with it. |
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Posts: 20139
Location: oswego, il | You also might want to check the regs and see if you need barbless hooks. I would also see what musky lures you have that you can cast with the spinning outfit. |
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| ToddM - 12/14/2022 3:40 AM
You also might want to check the regs and see if you need barbless hooks. I would also see what musky lures you have that you can cast with the spinning outfit.
I did take a quick look but didn't see anything about barbless. There are some stretches of trout water that are barbless, but not the Yukon River. I have plenty of time to sort out existing but wanted to pick up a couple ideas to give my kids for gift suggestions. Really don't need anything, but they always want to buy something. I sure don't need any more hooded sweatshirts. Packers, Brewers, Bucks, Badgers, Musky Shop, etc. I am stocked for life. |
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Location: Athens, Ohio | Pikes eat Mepps. 'nuff said. m |
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| Rotorhead - 12/13/2022 7:51 AM
If you want to stick with spinners, look closely to Joe Bucher's Slopmaster. I keep a half-dozen in my tacklebox on my trips to Canada. Northern pike eat them up. Bring extra tails for them.
They get eaten by pike where I live as well. And yes, I have a plastic bag of tails in my boat just for that reason. Plan to take that as one of my 3 or 4 lures, in particular if there are weeds, or other crap to bounce over. That big single hook is easy to unhook. |
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Posts: 497
Location: Ludington, MI | Mogombo tails and an assortment of jigheads. Also some giant Slug-gos. Packable, scalable and versatile from shallow to deep. |
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Posts: 390
| whatever you choose don't forget to bring extra hooks. |
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Posts: 296
| I’ll pike fish for the rest of my life with a 1/4oz bass jig with a creature/beaver curly tail trailer and a small Mepps spinner. Single hook barbless on the jig works like a charm for catching and releasing (to the water or the grease). |
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Posts: 3445
Location: Elk River, Minnesota | For years when I would make a trip to West-Central Manitoba, we found the best lure was a 3/4 oz Little Cleo. I have about 40 of them.
They cast well into wind, nice flash, compact, and decent color varieties. Up there, we were barbless, which was never an issue. definitely easier on the fish and easier to release. Oh...and they are not too expensive either.
Dark Days: Silver and Blue
Bright Days: Gold/maroon, Silver/orange, orange 4 of dots,
If I were to bring anything else...a Len Thompson yellow 5 of diamonds. Black diamonds.
Steve
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Posts: 1109
| Many, many years ago, when we were making an annual pike trip to far northern Manitoba, our most successful lures in order, were: 2 oz. buzz baits with a single barbless hook, Rapala spoons, and classic Daredevils in more open water. Those Rapala spoons are like bullets. You can cast them a mile, weedless, and bounce off wood. Hook ups were great, and they are virtually indestructible. |
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Posts: 1088
| These lure discussions take on a life of their own you throw something out and someone adds something and it's that work's too. Add me to the Rapala Spoon and Little Cleo list. On the Little Cleo find yourself a Copper. (they don't have as many size's in this color). |
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Posts: 604
| 1) Johnson's silver minnow tipped a curly fat tailed grub
2) Z-man Diesel Minnows 7"
3) chatterbait preferably Jack-Hammer tipped with a shad tail
4) Rapala salt water X-rap largest ~ 6". good jerk bait
5) Grandma Lures holow coloring (nice fashy with contrast)
6) depth Raiders |
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| So many good suggestions! The idea of barbless, since I won't have a needle nose, appeals to me. Do you pinch the barb flat? Or replace with barbless hooks? Have zip experience with this. |
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Posts: 1109
| North of 8 - 12/24/2022 7:35 AM
So many good suggestions! The idea of barbless, since I won't have a needle nose, appeals to me. Do you pinch the barb flat? Or replace with barbless hooks? Have zip experience with this.
Yup. Just grab a needle nose, and squish the barb down tight. |
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Posts: 3445
Location: Elk River, Minnesota | Yep...just squeeze them down like TCEsox Says... |
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Posts: 604
| just pinch down the barb with any hardened steel pliers. Even Owners x4S come clean. Sometimes I spin the bait while keeping it straight with sturdy pliers. you'll never know the difference unless the fish gets into slack-line. Helped remove headaches it's helped resolve when hooked to good sized fish and myself on same 3/0 trebles. |
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Posts: 1960
| I’d spend the summer learning to throw a fly-rod… absolutely deadly on big pike up north. Easy to pack in and 20 flies will weigh less than a large spoon… |
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| IAJustin - 12/29/2022 10:01 PM
I’d spend the summer learning to throw a fly-rod… absolutely deadly on big pike up north. Easy to pack in and 20 flies will weigh less than a large spoon…
Sounds like fun, but if I get a permit and the trip is a go, I will be spending a lot of my summer on increasing lower body strength, buying a pair of hip boots and walking in a nearby swampy area with a back pack. I do strength training 3 days a week and walk 40 minutes to an hour every day but walking in a marsh with weight is a different story.
Being an old guy, I know that it will require additional work. Have already begun doing farmer carry laps, will add to those as well, as much as I don't like doing. |
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Posts: 604
| 1) a large 8" z-man magnum shad with 8/0 trout eye jig, great swimbait I like white.
2) Saltwater X-Rap Rapala 1.5 oz great jerkbaait for 3 to 4 ' down
3) Johnson silver minnow with a fat tailed grub
4) 6" grandma "Holo" |
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Posts: 105
Location: Alberta Canada | I do a ton of pike fishing but make all my own lures and my top 4 styles of lure would be
1) 6-8inch dive and rise
2 5-6 inch glider
3) 6-10incn paddle tail swimbait
4) large curly tail style hybrid baits
Honestly if it’s pike 30 inches or less they are not picky and almost anything will do. I find larger pike are picker and prefer larger baits |
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Posts: 264
| Check the Kanalgratis site https://us.kanalgratis.se/en/
The have lots of pike options and many things you don't normally see in the US.
The Dobb Daddy Spinfly and Miuras Mouse are 2 examples of pike lures they have that are based on traditional fly-fishing flies that have been recrafted for casting/spinning set ups.
I fish the Northwest Territories for pike every year (except COVID years) and use lots of their gear. It is high quality and works especially well for larger like in the 40" plus range.
Another supper light option is the "Hairy Killer" by Abu Garcia. This is available only through European shops online as far as I know. It is essentially a giant fly tied like a bucktail. When it gets wet you can cast it easily with a spinning set up.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nhRgBaJYgCY
Alaska pike are on my bucket list. They have some giants, hope you have great success both hunting and fishing.
Talmooner
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| Yes, the outfitter we hope to use for the moose hunting actually does more business outfitting during the summer months for pike fisherman and the photos of the trophy pike are impressive. But my goal, if we get this trip organized, is to catch fish we can eat. The outfitter sells a food package and according to a former client, you will not be hungry but will want variety. Still waiting for the outfitter to get back to us with final pricing and apparently, he is trying to figure out what inflation is going to do to his costs. Gas is expensive in Alaska in the best of times, sure it is terrible now. The irony is they have a lot of oil, but it all has to be transported a great distance and then transported back as refined fuel. First time I was in Alaska, in 2010, the politicians were running ads in Anchorage about how they were going to get a refinery built in AK, which is a long term pipe dream there. |
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Pike lures, for pack in trip