pike , jiggin with spoons

[Martian]

 The way i typically fish, is 2 traps, (3 allowed in Mi), and gun and run for pannies with a vexi. I know guys set 3 traps, a chair and wait, I would not be very good at that. So I want to try jigging for pike, while waiting for tip- ups. I have an ugly stick, med ation, w 6 lb test and some vertical spoons. when you guys do this do you move a lot, do you tip the spoon with bait, or just sit and jig? One lake we fish has a good pike pop., but is loaded with dink gills, so in my opinion is a waste of time to fish for. So I thought i might try pike jigging, and ask for some suggestions. thanks

[Drifter_016]

I tend to sit in one place and only move if I have zero action.
I run a dead bait on a dead stick outside my hut and jig inside.
Most days jigging out fishes the set line.
My top lures are air plane jigs, spoons and Lindy darters.
With the airplane jig and spoon I usually tip with 1/2 a cisco and on the darter I use a 2-3" minnow hung on the two trebles.
The dead stick outside is set with a large cisco on a quick strike rig.

[meatman]

I run and gun with tip ups.  set your three, give them 10-15 mins then start leap-frogging them. take the one from the end of the line and move it to the head of the line.  keep doing that until you have fished a weed line or piece of structure.  then while you are waiting jig the holes you moved the tip ups from.  I would up size your tackle though for jigging a longer med action rod with a 10-12# main line and20- 30# fluorocarbon for a leader.  jig spoons, jigging raps, lipless cranks, chubby darters, lindy darters should all work.

[vt-jig]

Id jump up to at least 10lb line and a good leader, Otherwise you run the risk of having a fish of a lifetime going schitzo at the hole, while you are trying to tame it with a setup best left for perch IMO. 

[esox_xtm]

IF you're targeting pike, there's lot of good info here already....

When I started out I was a lot like Drifter, without the jigging part. Set you're tippys and wait............ It's OK.

In the present, I try to broaden my horizons. I've done the fish for 20 minutes and leap frog tippys.......... That's OK too.

But right now, I prefer to set a couple tippys and jig in a third hole (WI regs). If the tippys don't pop, I'll move one every 45-60 minutes....

I jig mostly with lipless rattling baits and have done amazingly well. Not just on the jig rod, but on adjacent tippys as well.

Bottom line: I think pike often respond to more active presentations as opposed to static ones. To me it makes plenty of sense to cover my options. Set some static options and use some active presentations as a counterpoint.

For more info on the jigging part, you can do a search or PM me for my experiences........... ...

Edit: Ah yes, my jig setup...... Custom built 44" jig rod w/baitcaster loaded w/30# test fused superline terminated with a 20# uncoated steel leader...... All made by me.

/m

[toddhunter]

Need help. When I'm jigging for pike, my vex shows lots of activity, but no hits. I know most of the activity is panfish, and that when they disappear, a pike is likely nearby. I can't tell what is going to trigger a pike. Should I set up a camera and try to see what is going on? Is live bait on the rattle bait (spoon, jig or whatever) essential? Most of the videos show pike watching a bait that is shaking, with maybe an occasional jump to trigger. If the average pike is about 30", what is a good size rattle bait?

[thomasthepikehunter]

There are lots of good baits for pike. That's one of the things I love about them, a red vs blue jig will almost never matter. I veiw all my lures as tools for certain situations, not what the fish may or may not like. Good jigging lures for pike are salmo chubby darter, lindy darter, big swedish pimple, summer casting spoons, jigging minnow, and more. Your medium action and 6# line is on the light side, but it will work. Either use a light steel leader, or heavy fluorocarbon leader. 30# fluoro should be ok for jigging, but 40#+ would be better. I would try the biggest swedish pimple in red. I would tip it with a small sucker head or tail. It doesn't really matter, just cut a small sucker in half and put one of the ends on the hook. This will also get you some nice walleye. I approach it much like walleye or lake trout, but don't really worry about marks on the vexilar. I basically jig to bring them in, and most of the time, they will go after the big sucker on the tip up. I can only use 2 lines in MN. I use a tip up with a big sucker, and jig all around the tip up, never more than 10 minutes a hole. If a pike is near, and wants a jig, it will smash it right away. I have never had a line show up like a panfish and finessed a pike to bite. Most of the time you won't even see them, you just get a bite out of the blue. A lot of times they take it up, so watch your line for when it goes slack. Because I don't care to catch them on the jig, but would rather have more "attraction," I use the biggest salmo chubby darter that vibrates a lot and has rattles. My set up is a 32" medium heavy baitcaster rod, my Abu 5500 I take from my summer pole, 20# braided line, and a 20# steel leader I tie myself. I don't use snaps, I tie right to my jig. Those 5" 10# store bought ones with a snap will do just fine however. Start jigging 2' off the bottom, and keep moving. I should mention to be a bit more aggressive with jigging than most. I rip my jig 4' or more some times, and let if fall on slack line. After a few rips I'll just bounce the jig for 20 seconds or so and repeat.

[spudsaway]

Pike are not shy, I love my Canadian Wiggler, Silver spoon with two Red Eye Beads, The Single red Eye is also a great Lure.  pike are shallow most often so think Flutter and flash. Make them Move Jerk them allot then stop for 10 seconds or so let them spin out . Pike will sometimes tap them so light you swear it is perch tap tap .. If you feel it set that hook. if you miss jig so more they come back.. I hang dead bait on mine or a red rubber egg.   Use a leader