Mr. Penny-great article

[wahoo]

Nice article in IF. Some good tips for any pike hunter.

thanks

[OnAFly]

Talking about the one where he set up a baseball diamond looking pattern? That was a pretty good read. Nice to see new tactics.

[JPenny]

Thanks Wahoo. Check out the new issue OnAFly

[OnAFly]

I actually picked it up today for my flight out to Asia. I'm sure it will be a good read.

[JPenny]

Asia, that's a long flight. Hope you enjoy the read and safe travels to you.

[OnAFly]

Yep, I'll have 20 hours to read it Thanks!

[OnAFly]

Interesting read. We have passed up some of those types of spots before. I'll have to give that a try if the conditions are right.

[20lbSloughShark]

Are you talking about the tough days article? I never knew beaver houses were fish hotspots.

[JPenny]

You're not alone SloughShark. I rarely see people fish them, but some of the pike I've caught around beaver houses would surprise you. Really, when you stop to think about it, it only makes sense. Those tangled limbs are full of baitfish. Beavers are vegetarian and won't bother small fish so they're relatively safe there. Until the dinner bell rings or they wander away from their safehouse that is. Big pike will hunt these dens until the water gets too warm for comfort.

[reinhard1]

not only for pike but for other species as well [beaver houses]. bass come to mind also for me. good luck.

[Nick Kuhn]

Also remember a beaver house is not engineered as well as a human dwelling. For whatever reason (beavers dropping them, sticks breaking off the house, a stick not fitting) there will be a virtual minefield of sunken wood in a pretty good sized area around the home.

[JPenny]

You've got that right Reinhard. I think about all species use these structures at one time or another. I've caught a lot of walleyes around them too. And when you consider that they are all on the pike's menu, it's easy to see why beaver shacks are good spots.

Nick, I believe that is part of the reason I catch most of the bigger pike out away from the actual dens. All that wood lying out away from their dens attracts forage fish.

[20lbSloughShark]

JPenny, I don't know if you have much say in the articles or not, but I would really like someone more exprienced than me to test weather live or dead bait is better. Same bait (live vs dead suckers, not live suckers vs dead herring), and fished with the same rigs and everything.

[JPenny]

That depends on who I'm writing for. IF calls their own shots. Some others accept what ever I write about. That would make for an interesting study. Unfortunately, I'm too busy to do it. Between sportshow appearances and store seminars, I'm pretty well tied up until open water when I refuse anything that interferes.