Pike fishing on a spring fed lake

[BMLPIKE]

How would you guys attack pike in a spring fed lake with no inlet or outlet. Very clear and deep lake. You hardly ever see weeds in it but alot of rocks and sand. I catch little ones once in a while but i want the big ones... The lake is stocked yearly with walleye and trout. I tend to fish by island drop offs and on points. Any advice would be great!

[saxmatt]

If there is a cove near the north end of the lake I would try there. Floro leader with the clear water, and since they stock it with trout I would try dead trout for bait.

[BMLPIKE]

Thanks for the quick response! Do i fish the outside of the cove or inside..

[Drifter_016]

Thanks for the quick response! Do i fish the outside of the cove or inside..

When I first hit a new lake I first set up in about 10 FOW and go from there.
I would set up at the entrance to the bay and if nothing was happening start moving shallower.

[Master Angler]

From first ice thru mid winter I like water  in 8-14 ft range where I fish but with close access to deep water, last ice it doesn't matter just close to where you think they'll be in shallow spawning.  Last ice I fish super shallow sometimes, 2-6 fow.  Fishing around the island points and drop offs should be decent to, especially if theres pike food around, like the walleye and trout, just set up big baits shallower.  What kind of trout in there?  If its rainbows, browns, brookies, they are often found real shallow all winter and the big pike are likely there snacking on them, and you could set up for the pike all winter in 2-6 ft on some shoreline structure especially if theres deep water close by.

[bb400guy]

Very deep and clear, no streams & no weeds?  Pike need vegetation to spawn, shallow bays & creeks with weeds are prime spawning areas.   Are you sure there's a decent population of pike to target? 

Master Angler is right, find where the forage base is and you'll find them.

[BMLPIKE]

Thanks for the advice guys.. Yea this lake is a goofy one. Its bad medicine lake in minnesota. I have been fishing it for years but i usually catch little pikes.. That lake has mostly laker trout in it, some rainbow. The lake has been on the rise for a few years so there is some dead tree's in the water. I'll let you guys know how it works out.

What type of jigs should i use, vertical or flying type? I usually use a swedish pimple and they work but i figure i would brodden my horizon and try different things...

Thanks!

[Drifter_016]

I like to use airplane jigs tipped with a chunk of cisco. 

[northernnyice]

Find a flat with 5-10 ft of water that drops off into deep water. Shallow feeding with quick access to deep water = big northerns. Or find some kinda structure, perhaps a point that continues out (under water) and fish it.