First you must identify a lake that has a good population of healthy pike, you simply won't have the best time on a lake with low numbers. You will usually want to identify structure that will be a good place to start, like weed edges early on. The most common on ice methods here are spearing or using tip-ups, and of course on anything else because they will bite on everything! I haven't tried spearing but I hear it is really fun and is on my to do list, just kind of expensive at first. I mainly use tip-ups, and will use shiners or suckers under a tip-up. They cruise all over the water column under the ice, sometimes even right under the ice so you will have to experiment. You will have to check your state game regulations on what is acceptable for bait and bait size and hooks allowed, but I am using more quick strike rigs as they are gaining popularity as a 'safer' lure to use if you are releasing your fish. I like to make my own setups as well using beads or spinners just to add some flash. Here is one that I made Its a rather simple way of fishing and can be fun with friends. There are a few ice rods out that are good for jigging larger lures like airplane jigs or bucktail jigs, however I have caught many pike on my lighter panfish rods with waxworms or crappie minnows. I caught this 27" one on 3lb test with a Lindy frostee spoon/wax worms. Like I said, they will bite on anything.
