help me pike pros

[blake_b]

some of you may know the lake if you are from the area but i want info from all around if you know whats what in the pike fishing dept.
Lake: Battle Creek,
Loc.: Washington county MN
A rough lay out of the lake is it is round 103 acre lake that has 2-3 feet of water every place. It has an island surround by shallow water. The two spots on the lake that get deep is a dock on shore that is in an 8.5 foot hole and an L shaped spot in the middle that drops from the surrounding 3 feet to 11-15 ft.It also has a creek flowing in one side and out the other. We have tryed alot of different methods yet none of them have yeilded any great results, all of the fish we catch are from 15-26 inches, we fish tip ups and the lake gets alot of pressure from ice fishing, we miss just as many fish as we catch, it seams they have "lite lips" and will only give us a dead chewed minnow. I have only tryed to fish in the deeper water, will they be under the ice in shallow water also? What should i try different to get some larger pike? help help help

[IceTroll]

Not sure you really can do anything different other than maybe fish with a rod connected to a live minnow possible with a quick strike rig that you are holding in your hand. That way you can react to the strike and set the hook immediately when the fish has the minnow in his mouth. You are fishing a tiny, shallow lake with lots of pressure and obviously, very sensitive fish. You could not possibly have many more strikes against you. Good luck with that.

IceTroll
     

[pituko]

 I would try setting up at the along the creek openings about halfway between ice and bottom.  I've had good luck doing that on a lake just like you described.  What do you have to lose.

[Master Angler]

Firstly, do big pike get caught out of this lake?  A small lake with lots of pressure may not have many big ones to start with, so you may be doing everything you can already.  But have you tried bigger baits like, smelt, suckers, sardines, etc?  I would definitely try at the creeks especially at last ice with big bait if you want bigger fish.  As you are already doing, I'd be fishing the deeper water dropoffs, for most of the winter, make sure to try in the corner of the L-shaped hole, although you likely already have, as pike should be pinning bait in the corner.  If you haven't tried this already, try laying dead bait right on bottom, when there finicky I find they're less likely to drop it when they pick it up off the bottom, I think its more natural to them.  I have caught many big pike off the bottom, including my biggest through the ice, 43.25".  Sounds like you do have a tough lake though.  Good Luck. 

[Skipper]

http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/lakefind/showreport.html?downum=82009100

I think you may be waisting your efforts.....

What you see is what you get.

I will second Ice Troll's suggestion though, and would fish them more like walleyes than pike. When the fish get finicky try downsizing.

.

Try posting on the Minnesota board, I think you run a better chance of finding a Woodbury local there.

[Master Angler]

Good post skipper, Heres my new advice, I would try somewhere else if you want big pike. 

[blake_b]

well i know that there has to be at least a few big fish in there because i see many average sized ones come throught the ice, a couple of old locals have claimed to catch them 40"+ but i have never. the creek openings are really shallow,2-3 feet and very weedy should i still try there? I have given up on shinner minnows, but the suckers in the 4-5 inch range do ok. I am wondering about trying to fish dead bait here, never done it do i wanna lay em out on the bottom away from the weeds, should i try to upsize bait downsize?

[Master Angler]

You're likely right theres probably a few big ones there.  If you can find the weed edge, fish along that.  Try varying presentations from right on bottom to a couple feet below the ice.  As for upsizing and downsizing, do both.  Definately downsize if you're jigging.  But big pike will feed on big bait, even on pressured lakes, it won't change since they don't like to expend lots of energy chasing small stuff.  So for dead baits I think you could still go big (try small too though, at least to get some action from smaller ones if anything), the main thing on this lake I think would be to make your big baits look as natural as possible, use florocarbon leaders, and small trebles on quick strike rigs.   Last ice will be your best chance at any big ones in there too.

[blake_b]

thank you all, very helpfull group here

[Water Wolf]

Another bit of advice try placing your bait or lure just a foot or so under the ice, you may not get quite as many fish but the big ones seem to hang out there watching for dead or injured fish at the ice surface.

Like everyone else has said give the creeks areas a try but be very careful they can have some very thin ice. From 2 feet to a few inches in a few steps, depending on current.

Don't be afraid of the shallows eather, I have caught them in only a foot of water under the ice, the fish were corralling the minnow against the shoreline at the time.

Also try and match your lures to the size of the prey the pike normally eat.
If the prey is a bit smaller scale down your presentations accordingly.

WW

[TroutFishingBear]

Honestly though, if you have fished it a lot and not caught any of those big fish, they are probably extremely rare. Sure, certain presentations can catch more big pike, but big pike are extremely opportunistic feeders and will eat anything that goes in front of them if they are in the mood. The new state record in colorado, which is nearly 31 pounds, was caught this year on powerbait out of a favorite fishery of mine, stagecoach reservoir. I think if you want to catch big pike, find a new fishery.