Want to start pike fishing!

[WTBskills]

What kinda of rod and reel should I get than what kinda of line? i was thinking about going with a bait caster. don't want to spend a hole ton as i am a very new fishermen!

[bmc]

Most pike you'll be dealing with here in MN will be between 2 and 10 lbs. In my opinion anything over 10lbs is a rarity. I used a 7' medium action Rapala baitcasting rod with an Abu Garcia reel, not sure which model. I spool up w/ 10 lb test mono and a good steel leaders. Daredevels and spinnerbaits are my top choices for when fish are up shallow. When they go deep I use deep diving cranks or heavy duty slip sinker (3/8 or 1/2 oz) rig with a 5-7" sucker minnow.

If you're not used to a baitcaster, get a medium or medium/heavy spinning rod 7' and a bigger sized spinning reel. I've got a Shimano 4000 series that works good for this. The spinning combo is probably gonna be cheaper than the baitcaster combo.

Brian

[solbes]

I agree. Bait caster would be a good move 1-2 years down the line. I have two and still don't quite have it down yet. They aren't very forgiving on line selection and require just the right technique to fling those heavy lures without getting the birds nests.

A medium power, fast action spinning rod will allow you to fish for most species, paired with a medium sized reel. This will also allow you to downsize your lures in the early season, whereas a baitcaster will not cast light lures well at all. I spool my spinning reels with 10lb fireline. Works for walleye, pike, and bass in all but the thickest of cover. If I'm only targeting the big toothies, I'll add a steel leader. Otherwise I have very few break offs with just the Fireline.