Which is more important?

[Smeltecca]

Lets hear everyones opinions on weeds, drop-offs, and fresh water.  When I go pike fishing I'm looking for an area that has all three of these elements.   You know a nice weedline that drops into a deep hole with maybe a spring or in flow of fresh water.  With today's weed control habits sometimes it's hard to find all three or even two in the same area.  In that case which of these is most important to you?

[grumpymoe]

#1   depth   #2   proximity to structure (weeds, rock outcroppings, dropoffs, points etc)....#3   lastly would be fresh inflow.....Grump

[Master Angler]

I would have to agree with grump on this one.       

[iceintheveins]

Structure is most important. I like points and inside turns within bays. Sometimes isolated humps or rock bars are good areas too, as are the edges of any remaining green weeds should you be able to find them.
Depth is second most important. During early to mid ice I catch most pike in 8 - 20 feet of water, with 12 feet being prime. Later in the year in lakes where ice gets thicker, I will fish drop offs in the 20 - 35 foot range.
An inflowing creek isn't a requirement but it does make any area that has the right structure and the right depth all the better. My best spot overall is an inside turn in a bay in about 12 feet of water, fairly near an inflowing creek.

[Smeltecca]

This is why I love IS, talking to other people that think about ice fishing and analyze it as much as I do.

[GAMBELL]

I would have to say it depends on the lake you are fishing.  If all the weeds are dead, drop offs are more important.  Depth is really important but I have caught pike in 3 - 25 feet on the same day on the same lake.  I like fishing the edge of a drop off.  The lake I fish has a flat around 7-8' that drops to 25 feet.  Right a the drop in 7-8' is the most consistant fishing.  Last ice I notice a shift toward creek mouths.  The fish tend to congregate in front of creek mouths on this lake.

[hali-man]

Last ice I notice a shift toward creek mouths.  The fish tend to congregate in front of creek mouths on this lake.

Pre-spawn staging?

#1- Structure (a sharply defined weed edge is best, not drop-offs)
#2- Depth (6-14' around here)
#3- Fresh water (oxygen)

[Master Angler]

IT can be argued both ways in my opinion. The reason I picked depth first is, you may find good structure in a lake but it could be 40, 50, 60, 70 feet deep, and the pike probably won't be there, although some lakes they might.  Or it could be the opposite really shallow structure and no pike.  The key is to combine both of them, the right depth of structure for the particular lake. Like Gambell said its lake specific.  A lake I fish for big pike, 8-12 feet is the most consistent depth producer.  Along a drop off at this depth is the best, but even where there seems to be no structure this depth range still produces fish.

[iceintheveins]

Bait fish !!! Find the bait find the fish.








                                         JHM








                                   

Perhaps the single best pike locator? The panfish rod. Where your catching lots of pansies and gills, pike will be right there.