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Posts: 200
Location: Rochester, New York | I have a lake near me that produces big bass pike and stocked with tigers all sorts that is heavily fished but was wondering if anyone had advice for catching them and technique rather then fish for pike until i come across one
I really only know one small partial difference on where they are
Edited by Muskie101 4/2/2025 9:59 AM
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Posts: 20235
Location: oswego, il | Upsize your baits from what you would use for pike. 6-8" lures. You can also troll but I've caught them on just about every style bait there is. |
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Posts: 200
Location: Rochester, New York | ToddM - 4/2/2025 10:50 AM
Upsize your baits from what you would use for pike. 6-8" lures. You can also troll but I've caught them on just about every style bait there is.
I usually use the biggest lures my gear can handle
Not that i am upset about pike but would be happy to get more of both
I also don't think many if the tigers are able to get really big decent pressured lake and a lake known for large numbers of big pike
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Posts: 1338
| Big pike need cool water, but the tigers can tolerate warmer water. Once some of the areas start to get toward summer temps, the bib pike will leave for cooler water, but tigers will stick around. |
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Posts: 200
Location: Rochester, New York | TCESOX - 4/2/2025 7:11 PM
Big pike need cool water, but the tigers can tolerate warmer water. Once some of the areas start to get toward summer temps, the bib pike will leave for cooler water, but tigers will stick around.
How much warmer do the fish perfer
that also explains why the few my buddy has caught have been towards the north end
Edited by Muskie101 4/2/2025 7:23 PM
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Posts: 3155
| Twin cities area has about a dozen stocked tiger waters, I own a million musky lures but when I go to a tiger lake I use one lure 95%' of the time 1 1/2 ounce double willow bladed spinner bait in a bright color, flash vibration and color, tigers are in a mood to bite or not if they are this is easy for them to find. CJ spinnerbaits make great double bladed spinnerbaits for tigers.
I've found the best bite for tigers is when its cut the air with a knife humid and no wind at all calm late June through mid july
Unlike pure strains its ok to stop or slow your bait if you see one conning they usually have made up their mind and wanna do business.
Sunrise/sunset is best,,tigers are not usually very active at night. |
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Posts: 200
Location: Rochester, New York | happy hooker - 4/3/2025 6:24 AM
Twin cities area has about a dozen stocked tiger waters, I own a million musky lures but when I go to a tiger lake I use one lure 95%' of the time 1 1/2 ounce double willow bladed spinner bait in a bright color, flash vibration and color, tigers are in a mood to bite or not if they are this is easy for them to find. CJ spinnerbaits make great double bladed spinnerbaits for tigers.
I've found the best bite for tigers is when its cut the air with a knife humid and no wind at all calm late June through mid july
Unlike pure strains its ok to stop or slow your bait if you see one conning they usually have made up their mind and wanna do business.
Sunrise/sunset is best,,tigers are not usually very active at night.
No wind early summer
What does cut the air with a knife humid meaning
Does cjs have a website
I am guessing they get their inactivity at night from their pike side |
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Posts: 3155
| That means extremely high humidity
CJ spinnerbaits can be found and bought on Thorne brothers website. |
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Posts: 1338
| Muskie101 - 4/2/2025 6:36 PM
TCESOX - 4/2/2025 7:11 PM
Big pike need cool water, but the tigers can tolerate warmer water. Once some of the areas start to get toward summer temps, the bib pike will leave for cooler water, but tigers will stick around.
How much warmer do the fish perfer
that also explains why the few my buddy has caught have been towards the north end
I don't think it's so much a preference, but a tolerance. When the lake is cold, coming out of ice up, all fish seem to like the warmer water. But as it continues to warm into summer temps, big pike leave, as they cannot tolerate that warmer water. Tigers have a higher tolerance for warmer water, so are not compelled to leave.
I second the spinnerbait recommendation. I've caught countless tigers on my neighborhood lake on 2 oz. willow leaf spinners. The ones I've used have not been made in many years,(JAW Baits) and I'm down to my last two, and they are pretty raggedy. But I don't think brand matters. |
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Posts: 200
Location: Rochester, New York | TCESOX - 4/3/2025 6:27 PM
Muskie101 - 4/2/2025 6:36 PM
TCESOX - 4/2/2025 7:11 PM
Big pike need cool water, but the tigers can tolerate warmer water. Once some of the areas start to get toward summer temps, the bib pike will leave for cooler water, but tigers will stick around.
How much warmer do the fish perfer
that also explains why the few my buddy has caught have been towards the north end
I don't think it's so much a preference, but a tolerance. When the lake is cold, coming out of ice up, all fish seem to like the warmer water. But as it continues to warm into summer temps, big pike leave, as they cannot tolerate that warmer water. Tigers have a higher tolerance for warmer water, so are not compelled to leave.
I second the spinnerbait recommendation. I've caught countless tigers on my neighborhood lake on 2 oz. willow leaf spinners. The ones I've used have not been made in many years, (JAW Baits ) and I'm down to my last two, and they are pretty raggedy. But I don't think brand matters.
So swap my booyah pikee out with a cj large tandem in yellow perch color |
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Posts: 1338
| Muskie101 - 4/3/2025 6:16 PM
TCESOX - 4/3/2025 6:27 PM
Muskie101 - 4/2/2025 6:36 PM
TCESOX - 4/2/2025 7:11 PM
Big pike need cool water, but the tigers can tolerate warmer water. Once some of the areas start to get toward summer temps, the bib pike will leave for cooler water, but tigers will stick around.
How much warmer do the fish perfer
that also explains why the few my buddy has caught have been towards the north end
I don't think it's so much a preference, but a tolerance. When the lake is cold, coming out of ice up, all fish seem to like the warmer water. But as it continues to warm into summer temps, big pike leave, as they cannot tolerate that warmer water. Tigers have a higher tolerance for warmer water, so are not compelled to leave.
I second the spinnerbait recommendation. I've caught countless tigers on my neighborhood lake on 2 oz. willow leaf spinners. The ones I've used have not been made in many years, (JAW Baits ) and I'm down to my last two, and they are pretty raggedy. But I don't think brand matters.
So swap my booyah pikee out with a cj large tandem in yellow perch color
Just throw a sturdy willow leaf spinner bait. Don't really think it matters that much, what it is. |
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Posts: 2295
Location: SE, WI. | One of my go to Tiger musky baits was a Jig-n- fandango, Creature, popped / ripped through the heavy cover in July, August, and September. JD |
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Posts: 2045
| Rapala HJ14’s are killer baits, yes old school but they flat catch fish… I couldn’t even tell ya how many pike and muskie over 38” I’ve caught on them over the years? 500+ for sure…and perfect for your spinning setup … with about 20lb braid. 
Edited by IAJustin 4/4/2025 7:24 AM
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Posts: 270
Location: Central Pennsylvania | All of these guys saying downsize baits are nuts. They will eat an 8 or 10 inch bait just fine! Although, many times a 6" bait or smaller is great. We catch a ton of fish on 6" phantoms, 5" narcans, husky jerks, shadow raps, mantas. We've caught a few on smaller rubber stuff like a 6" tube or a spring dawg/reg dawg. A lot of guys love spinner baits and blades for them but we've never caught any on them. Also, Tigers love to bask in the sun so occasionally a jighead and a plastic (A CREATURE!!!!) can be amazing for finessing them |
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Posts: 1473
Location: Brighton CO. | In the 90's when Colorado was the place to catch Tigers and very large Tigers there was a saying speed kills. Put something on and reel as fast as you can. A lot of fish caught on smaller lures because we can reel them fast. And full and new moon in July and if it was 90's or 100 degrees it was a good time to catch a state record. However all the large muskies were caught on full sized muskie lures. Burt, 8" Believer, or Mepps Musky Killers at the time. And nobody ever caught a Muskie on the figure eight.
They crushed it as it was going by if you had a hot fish coming and it saw the boat it would veer off. I wish we had the high speed reels of today. I remember cranking my A. 7000 as fast as could and getting 24" inches of line. |
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Posts: 1338
| Pa Tigers n trout - 4/4/2025 8:48 AM
All of these guys saying downsize baits are nuts. They will eat an 8 or 10 inch bait just fine! Although, many times a 6" bait or smaller is great. We catch a ton of fish on 6" phantoms, 5" narcans, husky jerks, shadow raps, mantas. We've caught a few on smaller rubber stuff like a 6" tube or a spring dawg/reg dawg. A lot of guys love spinner baits and blades for them but we've never caught any on them. Also, Tigers love to bask in the sun so occasionally a jighead and a plastic (A CREATURE!!!!) can be amazing for finessing them
Everything you listed is a downsized bait. |
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Posts: 200
Location: Rochester, New York | Pa Tigers n trout - 4/4/2025 9:48 AM
All of these guys saying downsize baits are nuts. They will eat an 8 or 10 inch bait just fine! Although, many times a 6" bait or smaller is great. We catch a ton of fish on 6" phantoms, 5" narcans, husky jerks, shadow raps, mantas. We've caught a few on smaller rubber stuff like a 6" tube or a spring dawg/reg dawg. A lot of guys love spinner baits and blades for them but we've never caught any on them. Also, Tigers love to bask in the sun so occasionally a jighead and a plastic (A CREATURE!!!!) can be amazing for finessing them
Define basking as in how sunny
And do they just stick their heads out or do they just chill right where the sun is beaming down
Edited by Muskie101 4/4/2025 6:26 PM
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Posts: 2045
| Ya they know that heads out sunning isn't the best for their health, they know to rotate, have to get some perineum sunning in as well. |
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Posts: 200
Location: Rochester, New York | IAJustin - 4/4/2025 8:14 AM
Rapala HJ14’s are killer baits, yes old school but they flat catch fish… I couldn’t even tell ya how many pike and muskie over 38” I’ve caught on them over the years? 500+ for sure…and perfect for your spinning setup … with about 20lb braid. :)
What is your experience with rattling rouges for them vs rapala hj14s |
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