Best jack fish lures or rigs?

[Pollock fish]

Hey guys just after some input on best jackfish rigs or lures. Have been seeing quite a few large 6lb plus pike on the camera at blackstrap and lml and such. The things just are not into what I offer em I am catching quite a few little ones though. any input on how to get the bigger pike to bite? Would appreciate any tips guys, thanks.

[Pollock fish]

I usually fish eyes and perch. Have try'd perch lookin hooks(rubber), Deadly dicks, Sisco spoons(red n white or yellow n red five of diamonds), Normal spoons. With and without minnows.

[Water Wolf]

For my set rods or tip-ups I like to use frozen bait. Larger smelts, herring, anchovies or mackerel may appeal to the larger fish.
They are good rigged on quick-strike rigs or similar double hook rigs.

Adding chunks of bait  to spoons, jigs or swimbaits may work.

You could also try lures that rattle or have vibaration or flash in some way. Some options are lipless rattle baits, rattle spoons and the reel bait walleye flasher jig.

Expermint with depth of your baits also, if your fairly shallow 7- 8 feet you could try place your set line just a few feet below the ice, as pike like to look up and catch prey off guard.

In deeper water 18 feet + keep the baits no more than a few feet off bottom.

Late Feb and all of March seems to be the time when the bigger pike are more on the feed, untill then they are just in survival mode.

Good luck with a big pike this winter, and hang on.

WW

[saskjimmy]

I've never caught a large (OVER 36") pike while jigging.  All the big pikes I've caught were on a tipup using a 6" or bigger bait fish,  on a quick strike rig. I like to make sure the bait are extra stinky, take them out of the freezer the night before,  then when out on the ice use a knife to poke some holes in it, so the juices seep out. Suspend a foot off the bottom and be prepared to wait a good portion of the day. 

[Pollock fish]

thanks for the tips I never fish a tip up so maybe it's time I try a big juicy smelt

[whale1979]

My windlass tipups seem to produce 3-1 over traditional sets!  Just something to keep in mind.   

[ran7ger]

 big fish = tipups or else jig some big gaudy thing like a dr. spoon with a whole smelt on it, especially on the sunny days.

i like those windlass tipups but don't use them until march when it's above zero.  spools just freeze up too bad if it's cold. 

[ggpr]

I haven't done much in the way of targeting big pike specifically this year, haven't even busted out a quick strike on a tip up as i have been mostly using my jaw jacker as of late . I know quick strikes are quite popular with people targeting large pike though.  but to be honest i still haven't ever (only started dabbling with them last year tho)caught a fish on my tipup while i had a large smelt on a quickstrike set up on it so i am not exactly fully educated (in the field) about fishing quick strikes and im not sure if the jaw jacker would be good to use with that setup... Is the idea of using a quick strike to try and catch the fish bite as soon as possible and set the hook quickly, or are you supposed to do it like what i have read most people doing with tip ups... and letting the fish run with the bait a bit before setting the hook?  If the idea is to set the hook asap, perhaps a jaw jacker would work well with a quick strike.

Anyways back on topic...  All the larger pike that have been caught in my fishing groups this year were caught on jigged len thompson spoons (five of diamonds, red and white and blue and silver), we have been using the ones that are maybe 3 inches i would guess, they are smaller than i would use in the summer but not too big to cut out the possibility of smaller walleye.  I also caught a few decent ones on my biggest size buckshot spoon.  It seems like the pike we have encountered have been going for the biggest lure presented to them when they come in the zone of lures jigged under our tent.  I have had my buddy catch multiple pike in a row that seem to ignore my lure and dart in for his len thompson spoon (im generally using a midsized buckshot or PK lures or a variety of other walleye lures in the hopes of catching walleye).  If it ends up being a pike heavy spot i generally switch over to the len thompsons and catch some too.

I have considered trying to use my small or midsized bionic bucktail (i have 1/2, 1, 2 oz sizes) for targeting pike.  I think i will give it a shot the next time we are targetting or run into pike.  I have  a feeling that it could be a pretty good hook for pike.  I have also considered maybe trying some of my mid sized lipless crank baits... the rattlin rap particularily.  Im sorry i can't give you any actual feedback on these lures but i think they are definitely worth investigating.

Good luck!

[Big Burk]

We always run one tip up for pike per person ice fishing. Smelts, herring and sucker for bait. We usually set up on a drop off, jig with medium-small spoons for walleye and set tip ups shallower for pike. Works great most days

[Pollock fish]

Thanks for all the tips and techniques guys. Fish on...