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Posts: 227
Location: New Brighton, MN | I'm headed up to Ontario in mid July for a fly-in trip to a Pike and Walleye lake (sorry, not a Muskie topic). I'm wondering if anyone has techniques to focus on the larger pike in the lake? I can catch 28" pike all day casting at weedbeds with spoons and spinnerbaits, and there's absolutely nothing wrong with that, but it would be alot of fun to try out a new technique for the fatties.
Im tempted to pack a bunch of double 10's, big jakes and other large muskie gear, but i'm not sure if this is the right approach to trophy pike fishing. Can i treat all esox the same? i don't believe so, but i'm really not certain. I think i've read that the big pike like colder, deeper water compared to smaller pike and even large muskies...
Troll big jakes deep? big topwaters on reefs? double 10's over large weedbeds?
any advice on where these big boys live in July?
Thanks!
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Posts: 724
Location: Southern W.Va. | I'm not the best fisherman out there but have caught pike up to 40" and all were caught on the same baits that I use for musky. Instead of double 10s, I'd stick more to double 8 bladed baits and instead of 10" jakes try 8" . Pike , to me anyhow, seem to like a little smaller bait. Don't forget topwaters , they can be the hot ticket.
Just my $.02 worth
Mauser |
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Posts: 61
Location: Sioux Lookout On Canada | Windblown rocky shorelines produce many trophy pike for my guests. The numbers are not there but when you connect it is worth it. Where abouts are you going to be fishing? If you tell me the lake(s) I may be able to make suggestions on locations and more techniques.
neil Michelin
Canadian Heartland Fishing
Lac Seul Fish Fry Co.
Host of Cry of the Loon Fishing Aventures on APTN |
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Posts: 129
| pike are my favorite fish, especially BIG pike. one of the best baits you can get for them is a 1/2 oz esox cobra jighead with some kind of big plastic trailer. like an 8" reaper or 8" grub/twister tail. lindy gator spoons are also really good. i would also recommend buying the In-Fisherman book about pike fishing. you will learn ALOT in it. on the infisherman website they ahve the book and the dvd Summer Pike Patterns for $20. theyre both great and will be WELL worth the $20.
https://store.intermediaoutdoors.com/shop/ItemDetail.aspx?item=BV001...
swimbaits, small(5-6") musky cranks(little ernies, super shad raps, baby depth raiders) are all pike killers. also when in weeds, 7" suicks are GREAT. and remember, pike LOVE bright colors(chartreuse, hot orange, pink, white)
they'll generally be deeper in summer. and any place that looks like a good walleye spot probably has some nice pike on it too. big pike love cool water. the smaller ones like the warmer water.
and never forget a leader when fishing for esox |
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Posts: 2084
| Go catch some 5-7" chubs and shiners and freeze them - fish this jig/ big minnow on 50 to 80 floro leader on rock points you should catch plenty of big pike and walleyes - I personally wouldn't troll a 10" Jake in July for pike (maybe Oct.) - if you want to try trolling - try a super shadrap they are deadly over mid-lake rock humps for trophy pike and walleyes mid summer in Ontario. |
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Posts: 2084
| If the lake has current areas check thoroughly :)
Edited by IAJustin 2/25/2009 6:59 PM
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| Do you have to be barbless where he is going? |
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Posts: 61
Location: Sioux Lookout On Canada | 1 ounce white jig head with a large sucker minnow... fish tips of rocky islands and points. Fish the heavy jig and sucker from the shallows all the way down to at least 30 feet. This really works... |
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Posts: 22
Location: Lower Manitou Lake, Ont. | Depending on what depths the lake is and how far north you are going play into the answer of this question.
On stained water big pike lakes from the border up to maybe 2 hrs north of the transcanadian hwy. I like to fish rock reefs in the middle of the summer. The same areas that you will find walleyes. If you find alittle cabbage adjacent that great also. My favorite lure for mid summer big pike is and odessy blue/silver original pig. |
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Posts: 433
Location: Cedarburg, Wisconsin | You can try this if you have a good locator along with you. Look for smaller isolated (like maybe 100 to 300 acre) areas where there is soft bottom in 30 to 60 feet of water. This is where there will be a good deep water food chain. The little fish can root around in this for food and the bigger fish will take advantage of them. Run over the area with your locator checking for the depth the fish are. The higher the fish are in the water column the more catchable they become for us. We troll deep diving cranks like Depth Raiders, Ernies, Slammers, Jakes, Gries Super Divers, and so on with some success on pike in the 15 to 20 pound range. The biggest pike we caught were deepest and tighter to the edge where the soft bottom transitioned to hard bottom. We did this in August, but I don't see why it wouldn't work for you in July. Another thing you can try is bouncing deep running cranks off the tops of mid lake rock humps that top off around 20 feet. We had some nice pike in the 10 to 15 pound class doing this. Again, you need a good locator, otherwise you will be searching for spots like this for a long long time. Either way it isn't fast action by any stretch of the imagination but you will get some nice pike doing this. |
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| Willis..i have done Mid-July pike trips before.
here is almost a 100% full proof plan.
Pack 10" and 8" Jakes. Troll in water from 15 to 40 feet deep (i prefer 25 to 40 feet deep water). Troll Jakes near any midlake humps, troll jakes with 300 feet of islands out in deep water.
you'll get smoked. |
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| Bulldawgs, Susie Suckers, and Curley Sues.
Take as many as you can as they'll get torn up. Or better yet take a butter knife to heat up so you can repair them at the end of the day. I the Active X Susies and Curley Sues hold up extremely well after a ton of pike. Cast them and work them back like you're fishing for muskies. And here's another thing...TROLL THEM!!! Cast them back about 50 yards and troll at a medium speed ripping your rod every so often. And if you come across a weed bed in about 10-20 feet of water, stop and cast.
You'll get a monster!!! But it's also funny to see tiny pike try to take on a mag dawg!
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| I have done quite a few fly in trips from northern Saskatchewan to Ontario..imo it depends on how far north you go, as to where to look for them...water temps will dictate where the bigger ones are...if water temps are warm, trolling would be a great way, Jakes, Draiders etc...now if it's cooler i'd check weed edges and main lake reefs/humps and points... spinnerbaits, spoons, big bucktails, dawgs, all work great for shallower fish...big pike are a blast..good luck |
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