big pike

[Guest]

ive heard that fall is when the big pike go shallow is this true or not is it possible tocatch these pike on amedium daredevil? anyway just askin
thanks a heap

[Greg Clusiau]

FISHGUN, Yeah, the big fish are much easier to catch during the fall months. You can catch them on a medium size spoon but I like to use musky-size baits. Seems to take the "big" ones a little easier.
Tight lines......Greg C

------------------
Jaw Breaker Guide Service
Phone: 218 778-0087
[email protected]
http://fishtec.com/guide.htm

[Guest]

My best bait has been a spinnerbait w/ twister tail on the trailer hook. It makes the bait look bigger and more intimidating to big pike.
I have had big pike hit my spinnerbait so hard that I couldn’t use it no more because it is so out of shape!
That 16lb pike on the fishing minnesota home page I caught on a spinnerbait in 2.5' of water right next to some thick veg., that fish was so excited to see my bait, that when it saw my bait, its whole body jumped out of the water! That was the best pike ive caught "so far" and it was fun!
So big Pike can be shallow and very aggressive.

------------------
FISHSTUNNER

[Guest]

hey is it legal to use small sunnies as bait?
thanks a heap

[Walleye_GFA]

Nope its illegal to use sportfish as bait in MN...

Too bad... (should allow sunnies anyhow)...

[perchpro]

there is one exemption to that law. you may use bullheads under 7" in length. (tip, cut the spikes off)

------------------
_ _ _________________ _ _
---<>< >')/////////><

[Guest]

cool where can i catch some bullheads for bait near stillwater?
thanks a heap

[Guest]

Fishgun - as my 4-year old has found out, small bullheads can be found on the bottom of nearly any body of water. Check out the DNR depth maps pages on the web for small lakes near your house that read 10' of water or less. Even if the lake freezes solid, the bullhead burrow and hibernate in the muck. My by catches 'em on a 1/16 oz. jighead with a chunk of crawler or angle worm on it.
The jighead keeps little nasty from throating the whole bait.

[Steve Foss]

I also like a spinnerbait for shallow fall big pike, but I tip them with medium suckers. That gives the bait a bigger profile and outfishes the spinnerbait/twister tail 2 to 1. If they're a little sluggish, a lift/drop or slow retrieve/pause through the cabbage makes that sucker wiggle nice. Plus, on a lot of waters you'll get the odd big October largemouth smacking the rig.

Sometimes pike will strike short and tear off the sucker. You can add a weedless single stinger hook if that happens.

------------------
Steve ([email protected])

[This message has been edited by stfcatfish (edited 10-10-2002).]

[Guest]

stfcatfish,
Good tip I might have to try that one this weekend.
Ive had good luck with a twist tail mabye this will be the trick to get more fish.

------------------
FISHSTUNNER

[Steve Foss]

Yeah, fishstunner, I've used twister tails a lot. I think so many do that the fish get a little jaded. I still use them when I don't feel like messing with the live bait hassle. When you're casting, you've gotta be a bit more gentle so you don't snap them off the hook. I hook behind the sucker from bottom through the top front of the skull. Too far forward and it tears right through the sucker. Too far back through the head and there's not enough exposed gap on the hook for a good hookset.

Good luck.

------------------
Steve ([email protected])

[Guest]

hey what are some good lures to catch medium rage pike such as 2-10 lbs ao i can catch some fish and the big ones can still spank my bait by the way anybody been up to island lake resoivoir thats where im going
thanks a heap

[Steve Foss]

Those spinnerbait techniques mentioned above will work on pike of all sizes. Bass-sized spinnerbaits in chartreuse are sort of the standard, tipped with either twister tails or medium sucker minnows for wiggle/flavor.

If you're into trolling, I've had great luck with the medium-sized perch pattern shad raps for pike, too.

[Guest]

fishgun,
Ive also had great luck trolling with firetiger colored baits. Like storm and rapala jointed, ive found some years pike prefer jointed and other years they dont.
And for casting spinnerbaits w/twister or sucker can out preform anything else.
Good Luck

------------------
FISHSTUNNER

[Blaine]

Guys... I just found this site...

Have you ever tried Fin-S fish? They are made locally here in CT so I'm not sure if they've made it out your way. They are made by the same company that makes the Slug-Go. I use the 5, 7 and 10" depending on conditions... If they are not cooperating I usually downsize the lure. My 5 largest in the CT river have all come on the Fin-S... Give them a try, you wont be sorry!

Check out Cabelas... http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/pod/horizontal-pod.jhtml?id=0002775&navAction=jump

[Dan L]

Blaine, how do you rig these Fin-S Fish. Do you use a weight and what style and size of hook do you use? Do you use a leader on these? Also what about the retrieve you use. I'm always looking for something new for pike. Thanks.

[Blaine]

I fish them unweighted. The 10" Fin-S come with their own hook in each package. There is a great message board here in CT that has a how to article with some pics included to explain the process...
Check out http://www.ctfisherman.com/plastics4-29-02.html

You don't have to go as far as he does with wrapping the shank but the rest is pretty much the same. I use 6" steel leaders and as for a retrieve, it really depends on the mood of the fish. I usually fish the lure in water less than 10 feet deep and try to keep it in the top 3 feet. If they are agressive, I work it like this... Cast, get the slack out of the line, twitch, twitch twitch...pause for 2-3 seconds and give it a good rip. After the rip, get the slack out quick, this is when I get most of my hits.
If they are less active I don't rip as much and pause another second or 2 to allow it to sink slowly. If this doesn't produce try downsizing. It is not often that they go ignored all day...

I think this is probably one of the best all around lures out there. I use small ones (less than 2") for panfish, and the 5 and 7" for bass... great for skipping along the lilly pads and the 7 and 10" on pike and also saltwater stripers. I've landed a ton of big fish over the last 2 years (now that i have a boat) and have photos on my HSOforum as proof. If you want to see some of the fish in these parts, check them out at http://fishingct.50megs.com/