IceShanty.com's Ice Fishing Community
Ice Fishing Tips -Check your local regulations! => Northern Pike => Topic started by: TipupMaster on Feb 09, 2009, 06:48 PM
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You guys think a pike will snap a lite action rod? ???
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I think it depends on the pike and how tight your drag is... I've had a blast reeling in smaller jacks (30 inch range) with a feather light rod in the open water, but I played these fish a long time before getting them in. The line you use is more important; you can handline the fish in if your rod breaks. Just be aware that most pike get a huge burst of speed and aggression when they close in on the hole.
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Ive caught 2 pike in the last few seasons on light action rods, going after perch. Granted the larger of the two was only 22". GDominy12 was there to see the latest one last week.
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I've caught lots of big fish on small rods..however I did have a bad experience in about 5 FOW with a huge shiner on a dead stick. There was both big pike and lakers present in the lake, so I'm not sure, all I know is that I fought the fish for an hour and a half before it decided to make a run and snap my rod.
(http://c2.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/24/l_f6af0d32c354ff7513fe5a8dfe4ca22d.jpg)
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^ One of the best pictures I've seen on this site. A+
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<------she was caught on my perch rod 6lb test ...... when you catch one like this on light stuff ... take time and hope like hell you have alot of line on that reel
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I have hooked big pike on perch rods. You have to have a smooth drag and lots of line. My friend caught 2 or 3 nice pike on a noodle rod last time out, almost got spooled a few times, but it can be done.
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AirManCam
Awesome pix. So I assume that the fish got away...
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The question is, why find out? I'd never target trophy pike with a dinky rod because A) breaking the rod would suck and B) playing a fish for that long greatly reduces its chance for survival upon release. Use a heavy laker style rod and a good heavy leader, so you can boss the fish around at least somewhat.
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Its pretty common here to hook pike when jigging perch with perch hooks. I don't specifically target pike with a light rod. They come as incidentals once or twice per outing and occasionally get big.
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Setting the hook on a nice pike snapped the tip off of one of my Frabil panfish rods. Switched to a med-heavy St. Croix(for pike) and haven't looked back.
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ive never broke one and neither has my brother, and one of our perch lakes we get a bunch of pickeral from 13 or 14" and usually one around 22 or 23 an outing we just try to horse em up too bc the perch follow the big pickles. you cant keep em off your perch jigs somedays. my bro also hooked up on a real nice northern easily over 30 on a UL perch rig, fought it for a good 20 min with some good runs but it wasnt hook good and came off about the 3rd pass under the hole trying to guide his head up.
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You should see the pike pole I use. Its like an 18" ultralight. SO FUN TO USE! Bends in half and makes for a heck of a fight.
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I have broke 1 x St Croix rods and 2 x Jason Mitchell Meatsticks.. all while gill fishing and getting smashed by a pike. 1 broke during the battle the other 2 broke because the rod hit the edge of the hole when the fish hammered it.
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I caught this little guy (just over 3lbs) while crappie fishing with a 27" lite action HT combo the other day. The rod was fine and I suspect it could handle a much larger fish because the reel has a good drag, that is the key. I was not worried at all about the rod however the 3lb fluoro leader that was wrapped around his teeth gave me some concern, it survived without a mark somehow.
(http://i1184.photobucket.com/albums/z322/jonzuliniak/DSC06436.jpg)