When you’re standing on an ice sheet that’s 36 inches thick, it appears absurd to suppose that spring is within the air. But it was. And I might really feel it. It was the final week of March, and Pete Palony and I had deliberate our journey to Minnesota’s famed Lake of the Woods to be right here at this exact time. This sprawling inland sea is house to large numbers of big pike.
The first flag went off a half hour into the day. A pike attacked a stay sucker pinned 6 toes off the underside in 14 toes of water. Within minutes, 14 kilos of beating fish hit the ice. We launched it after a few fast pictures.
Then one of many cisco-baited tip-ups went off. I set the hook, and it felt as if I used to be tethered to a shifting truck. The fish exploded in a formidable run; for just a few seconds I anxious that my 50 yards of important line won’t be stout sufficient.
The pike made three lengthy runs earlier than I might coax its large head by way of the 10-inch gap. When the tip of its nostril appeared out of the slush, I reached in to seize a gill plate. You have to face as much as raise 44 inches of pike from a gap within the ice.
How to Find Pike
Although one take a look at a pike’s toothy maw confirms that it developed to feed on different fish, right here’s what you could not learn about northerns: They are scavengers that feed on lifeless stuff, too. And in late winter, there are many lifeless issues within the shallow again bays of lakes that see oxygen ranges plummet over the lengthy winter.
Embracing this a part of pike conduct was tough for me. As I discovered to focus on huge pike, nonetheless, I began to know the numerous variations between hammer-handle fish and studs.
The use of underwater cameras just like the Aqua-Vu Micro AV has accelerated my studying. For instance, I’ve found that huge pike are interested in vertically jigged rattle baits and can journey a whole bunch of toes to research them. Flutter spoons are equally attractive. These skinny spoons are highly regarded with the Great Lakes trollers that focus on trout and salmon. Unlike conventional spoons, these mild baits sink slowly on the drop, attracting pike as they flutter down. Rig these lures in tandem with stay or lifeless baits.
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Both lifeless and stay baits produce beneath tip-ups. A fast-strike rig won’t solely permit you to safely launch fish, however it can additionally drastically enhance your strike-to-hookup price. I take advantage of 40-pound fluorocarbon for my chief, with about 30 inches between my important line and the bait. Smaller trebles—I take advantage of No. 4 virtually completely—supply higher touchdown charges than bigger ones. Thin, uncoated seven-strand wire can be a well-liked chief materials for stopping bite-offs by toothy pike. Most anglers I do know use 18- to 27-pound-test to construct their rigs.
I like a thick, robust important line for large pike. You don’t want 50-pound-test to land them, however heavier strains are best to deal with with chilly, moist palms. Berkley’s Gorilla Braid is made with each Dyneema and Dacron, and it presents the very best traits of each. It not solely sinks, however it’s additionally simple to manage and might face up to the sharp edges that type round ice holes.
Ice Fishing for Pike Tips
You can catch the random pike by throwing out a tip-up virtually wherever you catch panfish. But if you wish to persistently catch bit pike, comply with the following pointers.
- Late-season pike roam a lot greater within the water column than most anglers notice. Often, my finest baits are these pinned only a foot or two beneath the ice.
- Follow the bait to seek out huge late-season fish. In waters with a powerful panfish forage base, search out the shallow bays that appeal to them and also you’ll discover pike.
- In waters dominated by open-water forage comparable to whitefish, shallower rocky factors may be nice pike spots, notably close to spawning areas.
- Because present attracts and concentrates fish, incoming creeks and rivers are a plus.
- If you aren’t discovering fish shallow, concentrate on pike staging areas, like deep water near spawning bays.
- Once you hook a large, enable it to run. The last item you need is a inexperienced fish on the backside of the opening, the place it might bury your hooks into the ice.
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Let the Big Ones Go
Pike, particularly winter pike, are glorious consuming fish. But plan on letting big pike go. Have a jaw spreaders and fishing pliers able to go for a fast launch. Large feminine pike are high breeders and it pays to have massive predators in a fishery. Plus, the mid-sized pike, within the 24- to 28-inch vary, are higher for consuming anyway. If you’re caught catching small pike, think about pickling them with this pickled pike recipe.