Pike for a newcomer

[towerrdfisher]

I've fished bass, pickerel, and yellow perch through the ice all my life.  I really want to fish for pike badly.  My primary opportunities to pursue pike through the ice (or any other way, for that matter) locally are on a handful of lakes where local lore and Fish and Game agency reports suggest low population densities.  In most cases, it seems the lakes never exceed 25'-30' depth at their max.  One has stumpy shallows, the others have rockier shallows.  From what I'm reading, it appears many of you are fishing the 10'-20' depths with dead bait, but I haven't really figured out much more in terms of how to tackle these pike lakes.  Any advice for a newcomer to pike fishing would be appreciated.

[harrops26]

First make sure you have steel leaders. If you can use live bait use it. Largest bait you can get. I like to fish shallow areas for first ice.  I was slamming the pike yestersay in 2 fow. Add some beads and blades to your rig. Where to fish on the lake depends on the lake. I like to fish bays or points.

[campfindit2]

A shot in the dark not seeing the lake but some general thoughts.
find the bait you'll find the Pike.
Pike are ambush predators along with scavenging.
they explode in a straight line so prefer cover to stage in.
around my parts this means weeds and yellow perch.
I tend to target 4-10' depths.
Late season (Feb into Mar) they will stack up near spawning grounds.
Pike eggs are sticky, they like flood zones with grass and weeds to prevent the eggs from suffocating in silt.
Hope some of this will apply to your waters. Also spend some time on here. I know I've picked up some tips.

[northernnyice]

Steel leader, #6 treble hook, shiner or sucker, 1 foot off bottom. Start there. The only advice I can give is to put your time in, try different spots find yourself a couple hot spots. Tons of guys on here do it differently. So just start with something and fine tune your game plan until you've got them dialed in. Best tip of all.. Keep those tip ups in the water!!!

[towerrdfisher]

First make sure you have steel leaders. If you can use live bait use it. Largest bait you can get. I like to fish shallow areas for first ice.  I was slamming the pike yesterday in 2 fow. Add some beads and blades to your rig. Where to fish on the lake depends on the lake. I like to fish bays or points.

Thanks.  You mean add beads and blades on a vertical-hanging, stationary rig?  Hadn't ever thought of that.  I imagine the slightest current would twist them a bit, and can picture that being effective.  Also, I had seen in the forum, and tried while open-water fishing in Ontario, the use of 30lb mono leaders rather than steel.  In Ontario, I found that I had to change this out a couple times/day, but it did work and seemed less likely to influence spoon action.  Would you think I could use that ice fishing as well, or no need since everything is stationary?

[towerrdfisher]

A shot in the dark not seeing the lake but some general thoughts.
find the bait you'll find the Pike.
Pike are ambush predators along with scavenging.
they explode in a straight line so prefer cover to stage in.
around my parts this means weeds and yellow perch.
I tend to target 4-10' depths.
Late season (Feb into Mar) they will stack up near spawning grounds.
Pike eggs are sticky, they like flood zones with grass and weeds to prevent the eggs from suffocating in silt.
Hope some of this will apply to your waters. Also spend some time on here. I know I've picked up some tips.

Thanks.  Will do.

[towerrdfisher]

Steel leader, #6 treble hook, shiner or sucker, 1 foot off bottom. Start there. The only advice I can give is to put your time in, try different spots find yourself a couple hot spots. Tons of guys on here do it differently. So just start with something and fine tune your game plan until you've got them dialed in. Best tip of all.. Keep those tip ups in the water!!!

Souds like a plan.  Thanks!

[eyesntightlines]

Try jigging a big silver or chrome spoon about a foot to two foot off the bottom. It really gets there attention from a long ways away!

[towerrdfisher]

Try jigging a big silver or chrome spoon about a foot to two foot off the bottom. It really gets there attention from a long ways away!

Thanks for responding.  No bait on that rig?

[dkillay64]

try a 40lb flurocarbon leader, with a small treble hook topped with two or three beads and a colorado blade on top... hang the bait close to bottom, try different depths though, anywhere from dead bait sitting on bottom to a few feet off... good luck!

[Water Wolf]

Hi towerrdfisher,

Along with what everyone else said, I would also try fishing with one tip-up or set line just a foot or 2 below the ice.
Pike are ambush hunters and can see your lure or bait silhouetted against the ice quite well.

You could also try fishing near you set lines with a rattle bait or lure that gives lots of flash and vibrations.
The pike will be drawn into the area with the active lure and may hit it if aggressive, but if they are a bit off the might pass it up and go for your more passive lure or bait.

Don't be afraid of use big lures or bait for pike, it's amazing the size of lures or bait the little ones can eat, and with bigger bait you might temp the giants of the lake, they usually don't want to waste their energy on little meals when they can have one big one that will give them more food value and last longer.

Good luck with your quest for pike through the ice, they are a great sport fish, have fun.  

WW

[towerrdfisher]

try a 40lb flurocarbon leader, with a small treble hook topped with two or three beads and a colorado blade on top... hang the bait close to bottom, try different depths though, anywhere from dead bait sitting on bottom to a few feet off... good luck!
[/quo

Don't think I can use a treble hook here, but the rest of the rig sounds do-able.  Thanks very much.

[towerrdfisher]

Hi towerrdfisher,

Along with what everyone else said, I would also try fishing with one tip-up or set line just a foot or 2 below the ice.
Pike are ambush hunters and can see your lure or bait silhouetted against the ice quite well.

You could also try fishing near you set lines with a rattle bait or lure that gives lots of flash and vibrations.
The pike will be drawn into the area with the active lure and may hit it if aggressive, but if they are a bit off the might pass it up and go for your more passive lure or bait.

Don't be afraid of use big lures or bait for pike, it's amazing the size of lures or bait the little ones can eat, and with bigger bait you might temp the giants of the lake, they usually don't want to waste their energy on little meals when they can have one big one that will give them more food value and last longer.

Good luck with your quest for pike through the ice, they are a great sport fish, have fun.  

WW

Thanks, WW.  I like the sounds of that rig.  I'm used to fishing just off the bottom, but will gladly try what you're suggesting. 

Out of curisoity (I guess ignorance, actually), what is a "set line"?  Is this different from a stationary line off of a tip-up?

Not much ice here on the NH/MA border.  What kind of winter/ice conditions are you having in Saskatchewan?


Thanks again. 

[towerrdfisher]

OK.  Thanks!

[dkillay64]

you cant fish with treble hooks in NH?! In VT they are considered 1 hook.

[towerrdfisher]

you cant fish with treble hooks in NH?! In VT they are considered 1 hook.

Thanks.  That's the way it looks to me.  The New Hampshire freshwater fishing guide provides the following statement: 

"Hooks used for bait while ice fishing must have only a single hook with a single hook point per ice fishing device"

Not sure about Vermont.  Haven't ice fished there in years, but look forward to maybe trying it again this year.   

[dkillay64]

Wow thats suprising that you can only use a single hook... i tend to get better hooksets in the corner of a fishes mouth with trebles... VT we can use them... i would definately try the flurocarbon though! good luck!

[towerrdfisher]

We've always used single only, even in the past when I was in VT.  I can imagine the trebles would work better.  As I mentioned, I haven't fished VT in years, but do get up after partridges a time or two every year.  Planning to fix that.

Thanks again for your help.

[Water Wolf]

Thanks, WW.  I like the sounds of that rig.  I'm used to fishing just off the bottom, but will gladly try what you're suggesting. 

Out of curisoity (I guess ignorance, actually), what is a "set line"?  Is this different from a stationary line off of a tip-up?

Not much ice here on the NH/MA border.  What kind of winter/ice conditions are you having in Saskatchewan?


Thanks again.

Hi towerrdfisher,

When I say a set line I am talking about an ice fishing rod set in a rod holder. I like this method over the tip-ups as I feel I have
a bit more control of the fish with the rod and reel as well as the rod acting as a shock absorber. 
I could also call it a set rod and probably it would be more accurate description.

Right now we are having one of the mildest winters in a very long time with the temps above seasonal for this time of year. We are even having a few days on the + side which is very unusual, but I will take it.

The ice conditions are a bit off for this time of year and some lakes {mainly the ones with lots of current} are not as thick as they should be and as such are quite unpredictable.
We all have to use caution when traveling on the ice this season in Sask.

[towerrdfisher]

Hi towerrdfisher,

When I say a set line I am talking about an ice fishing rod set in a rod holder. I like this method over the tip-ups as I feel I have
a bit more control of the fish with the rod and reel as well as the rod acting as a shock absorber. 
I could also call it a set rod and probably it would be more accurate description.

Right now we are having one of the mildest winters in a very long time with the temps above seasonal for this time of year. We are even having a few days on the + side which is very unusual, but I will take it.

The ice conditions are a bit off for this time of year and some lakes {mainly the ones with lots of current} are not as thick as they should be and as such are quite unpredictable.
We all have to use caution when traveling on the ice this season in Sask.

We have the same problem here.  Although a buddy just 20 miles north of me was able to get out with his kids last weekend and ice some pickerel and yellow perch, the combination of warm temperatures and wind have made our local ice variable. 

I get that now that you describe the set lines - thanks.  I've been fishing tip-ups since I was <10 years old with my Dad, but was only succesful jigging last year for the first time.  It had never been fruitful endeavor for me.  Kind of interested in getting more into that as well.

Thanks again for providing your insights.  Good luck.