When do Northern Pike move into the shallows?

[whole_fisher]

Are Notherns moving into the shallows pre ice out/ spawning? Ice out is at least 45 days away, are the big females starting to head for the spawning grounds or do they move in later?

[wiggie116]

Every year, around this time, i put my tips in real shallow (4-6). I never really landed a MONSTER in shallow, but i try every year.

[water_wolf]

Depends on the type of body of water.  If there is sufficient oxygenation and there is food for them they will take to the shallows.  There ambush tactics are certainly better in the shallows where weeds are as long as there is food and good oxygen levels.  
They may also stage on the outskirts of the shallows and cruise in for a quick bite then back out.  Like I said it delpends on type of body of water.

[Iceshanty]

Water moving down rivers/streams/ seems to get them going. I'll fish shallow 2-4 feet, sometimes there will be less than 1 foot of water between the ice and the bottom. As the ice thins you can go even shallower. Northerns love frogs, so they go in real shallow rutting around for them, you can tell the pike are doing this when the the underside of the chin is all red rashy looking.


-Scott

[deadbait dave]

right now!