Author Topic: Best time of day for pike?  (Read 8572 times)

Offline St. Lawrence River Guy

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Best time of day for pike?
« on: Jan 04, 2016, 08:47 PM »
I know in my own experience, I've had the best luck with fish within an hour of sunrise and sunset on clear days while on cloudy, snowy days they might hit at almost any time.

Just curious if anyone else has found a different pattern. 

* The temps barely budged above 0 F today so we're all getting the itch now that we can see ice forming  ;D

Offline Drifter_016

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Re: Best time of day for pike?
« Reply #1 on: Jan 04, 2016, 09:50 PM »
My best results during the winter are between 11 AM and 1 PM.
Not sure why but it is consistent for me.

Offline addicted to ice fishing

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Re: Best time of day for pike?
« Reply #2 on: Jan 04, 2016, 10:04 PM »
One area I fished was a morning bite, after 11:30, you could just as well pack up and leave.  On another body of water about 5 miles away, the bite would continue to dark.  Try to learn the patterns on your body of water.

Offline northernnyice

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Re: Best time of day for pike?
« Reply #3 on: Jan 05, 2016, 09:48 AM »
Sun up -sun down

Offline Nightbird

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Re: Best time of day for pike?
« Reply #4 on: Jan 05, 2016, 10:16 PM »
One reason I like pike fishing is that I don't have to get up in the middle of the night to get on the ice early. My best times are 10 -12 AM and the last hour before dark. Civilized fishing!

Offline slipperybob

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Re: Best time of day for pike?
« Reply #5 on: Jan 05, 2016, 11:25 PM »
For sure after 10 am and before 2 pm.  I have caught deep water pikes like around 4am and around 8 pm...  Not sure what these fish were doing 30-40' deep at these times.  They bit, and, fight on...
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Offline Whopper Stopper

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Re: Best time of day for pike?
« Reply #6 on: Jan 06, 2016, 04:03 AM »
I always see the most intensity the first and last two hours of the day followed by the high noon flurry.

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Offline bb400guy

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Re: Best time of day for pike?
« Reply #7 on: Jan 06, 2016, 09:05 PM »
For sure after 10 am and before 2 pm.  I have caught deep water pikes like around 4am and around 8 pm...  Not sure what these fish were doing 30-40' deep at these times.  They bit, and, fight on...

Maybe eating whitefish? That's what the do in our northern lakes.  I've also heard that while walleye see better in the dark, pike actually have better vision in twilight conditions, but once it's dark dark they shut down. 
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Offline deadsmelthead

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Re: Best time of day for pike?
« Reply #8 on: Jan 07, 2016, 08:24 PM »
I know some folks think its hocus pocus, but ive been following moon rises and moon sets, what ive basically narrowed it down to is whenever you have a moon rise or a moon set between 10am-2pm IMO those are days you want to target if you have the time to.. Im not saying the rest of the days are horrible and generally as drifter said, mid day always seems to perform the best, Ill add that later in the season mid afternoon can be lights out.. But for me it always seems there is an uptick in activity when you get those mid day moon rise/sets.. It basically gives you 12 days out of each month to work with and obviously they always happen in succession .. For me this month January 14 to the 20th are days i will be actively hitting an area on a particular lake...

As far as weather, you just cant beat a sunny day and clear blue skies, when i look through Pike pics id have to say 80% of them are such.. I will say that a light wet snowfall always triggers something in little spurts, and heavy snowfall and windy are the days i just forget about going, the hundred times ive sat out in that crap usually ended in a skunking, like an idiot i still will fish them type days though not as much as a used to and sometimes beggars cant be choosers   ;D



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Offline HybridHunter

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Re: Best time of day for pike?
« Reply #9 on: Jan 08, 2016, 08:41 PM »
I will say that a light wet snowfall always triggers something in little spurts, and heavy snowfall and windy are the days i just forget about going, the hundred times ive sat out in that crap usually ended in a skunking, like an idiot i still will fish them type days though not as much as a used to and sometimes beggars cant be choosers   ;D
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Offline northernnyice

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Re: Best time of day for pike?
« Reply #10 on: Jan 10, 2016, 10:25 AM »
Try following the lunar table if you don't already. The other day we only caught one fish all day, she came right at the tale end of an afternoon major. With moon directly overhead, or directly underfoot, it's usually on like bing bong jack.
 

Offline HybridHunter

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Re: Best time of day for pike?
« Reply #11 on: Jan 10, 2016, 06:30 PM »
Try following the lunar table if you don't already. The other day we only caught one fish all day, she came right at the tale end of an afternoon major. With moon directly overhead, or directly underfoot, it's usually on like bing bong jack.
It's muskie season again already? My brain finally just got out of the boat lol.
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Offline Fishteeth

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Re: Best time of day for pike?
« Reply #12 on: Feb 27, 2016, 09:25 AM »
only ever had luck 10:30-1:30. going to try fishing till sunset today and see if theres an afternoon bite.

 



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