How to get an edge?

[collegeoutdoorsman]

Every winter a bunch of cousins from my family head up to a lake near st. cloud and have "pike-o-rama" where we bring grills and captain morgan and fish strictly for pike on a weed bed....in 6'-12' of water...we have a trophy for the biggest fish which switches hands about every year....we use big suckers and shiners to intice the pike...last year i got skunked while one guy caught seven....what can i do to give myself an edge over the others.

[CANOPY SAM]

What time of year does your family go there?

[collegeoutdoorsman]

We usually hit the ice in early or middle January.

[CANOPY SAM]

I'm a little surprised one of your party was able to find that many pike holding on a weed bed that late in the winter. Usually, once the weed beds have really started to decay, there aren't too many pike still cruising around in there.
I'd focus more of my attention on the bottom edge of any steep breaks along the edge of your weedbed - preferably on the side of the bed closest to the deepest water in the lake.
By January most pike are hanging out in more oxygen rich deeper water and only moving to steep edges to feed, where they can corral up baitfish against the break.
Hang big suckers or shiners from 3 - 6 feet off the bottom in deep water just off edge of the breaks, if you can find them. Pike will come up a long way to grab a big wounded fish just suspending above them.
Think deeper water adjacent to structure and you should find a few fish. Don't be afraid to move around a little bit, and ask the local bait shop for a good lake map, and advice on these types of structures in the lake.
Another good spot is the inside bend of a point adjacent to deeper water. Pike will sometimes hunt together and corner bait fish up inside the inside bend.
Good luck. Wish I could be there!

[DoctorB]

Do something different than everyone else. Try a jig, move around a lot, try dead bait. You don't become famous by following the crowd.