Artificial Baits For Northern Pike

[ukefish]

Hello, I am new here, I'm 17 and moved to Southern Minnesota 9 years ago. My family and I have fished a lot but mainly for panfish and Walleyes, and we're known for catching smaller sized fish. The past 2 years my parents have taken a break from fishing, and I golfed mostly last year. But Lately I've had this urge to fish for the bigger fish(when in season of course)and to use artificial baits rather than live because, well, live bait gets spendy. So does anyone have good tips for targeting Northern Pike using artificial baits? And since Northern open before Bass, how would you target them specifically so that you don't catch Bass in the act?

[DrJuice1980]

Catching a specific species is tough, you're going to eventually catch something else.

Go get your self some daredevils, larger sluggo type plastics, if fishing from a boat I'd suggest jigging raps-largest size (used them for the first time last year and hammered larger pike), any type of stick bait, spinner baits. Pretty much anything a Bass will hit a Northern will too. Up the size if your looking to keep the smaller Bass off the line. It will be tough though.

[delcecchi]

Hello, I am new here, I'm 17 and moved to Southern Minnesota 9 years ago. My family and I have fished a lot but mainly for panfish and Walleyes, and we're known for catching smaller sized fish. The past 2 years my parents have taken a break from fishing, and I golfed mostly last year. But Lately I've had this urge to fish for the bigger fish(when in season of course)and to use artificial baits rather than live because, well, live bait gets spendy. So does anyone have good tips for targeting Northern Pike using artificial baits? And since Northern open before Bass, how would you target them specifically so that you don't catch Bass in the act?

Don't worry about the bass. They are fun too. Use a wire leader and baits that are plausible for pike and don't worry about it. If you catch a bass, let it go. There is nothing unlawful about incidentally catching a species that has closed season while fishing for a species that is open.

Heck, if it was half the guys fishing pike on Minnetonka in the spring....

[jvm1]

Catching a specific species is tough, you're going to eventually catch something else.

Go get your self some daredevils, larger sluggo type plastics, if fishing from a boat I'd suggest jigging raps-largest size (used them for the first time last year and hammered larger pike), any type of stick bait, spinner baits. Pretty much anything a Bass will hit a Northern will too. Up the size if your looking to keep the smaller Bass off the line. It will be tough though.

Do you use a wire leader with the jigging raps? I'm always afraid the hammer handles are going to swim away with them so I end up using lipless cranks

[mwal]

I have had great luck using larger x-raps with a very light wire leader. Pike also hit large bass jigs with large rubber trailers with appendages that flap or are like twister tails I use tie-able wire leader material. I tie main line to a swivel then tie leader material to swivel then directly to jig. 1 oz spinner baits or mepps aligia spinners, for spoons dardevles, redeye wigglers and cleo's are my favorites.

The tie able wire will work with the jiggin rap

Mwal

[DrJuice1980]

I use a 2-3" leader. After busting off a few at $6.99 each I made the change. Buy the smallest one because the swivel will affect the action.

[mainbutter]

Popular pike lures:

- crankbaitts/jerkbaits of all varieties, anything "rapala" is pretty popular, especially x-raps and shadraps

- inline spinners. Mepps is well liked, and I like ones with hair or feather trimmed trebles.

- spinnerbaits

- soft plastic boot-tail swimbaits. Soft plastics get chewed up though, but they sure catch a lot of pike

- dardevles and other spoons.. but I only use dardevles.

I troll shad raps from spot to spot behind my canoe, and cast and retrieve my other lures. Swimbaits are my favorite lately.

[JBMasterAngler]

Rattle traps are deadly! Also, the olive green muddler colored flat rap! I've caught pike on all my flat raps, but for whatever reason, that particular color they just can't resist! Unfortunately you can't find that color in stores I had to order it online.

[PurpleFloyd]

I grew up fishing for Pike and pretty much nothing else in waters like the Blue Earth river, Bass and Lura lakes etc and eventually the lakes in Northern Wisconsin from Iron River to Hurley to Hayward. In the river the Daredevil was king but I have caught more Pike on this lure than any other I have ever tried over the past 35 years or so.

Make sure if you are going to start that you have a couple of these in your arsenal as well as both the black and red daredevils.

[ukefish]

Yea, we're actually just about to move out to Minnesota Lake, so Lura and Bass will be my main lakes. Have you ever caught anything on the Cobb river? I'll be living right on it. I'll have to get that rig! I caught a 32" Northern at dock 4 at Daly park last year with a spinner and worm trailer..the first and only fish I've caught on a spinner..I built a small row boat so I will be getting around the lake this year, and particular spots(if you don't mind sharing)?

[ukefish]

Rattle traps are deadly! Also, the olive green muddler colored flat rap! I've caught pike on all my flat raps, but for whatever reason, that particular color they just can't resist! Unfortunately you can't find that color in stores I had to order it online.

I'm not familiar with flat traps, I'll look into them.

[ukefish]

Mainbutter: We went up to the Boundary Waters last year(we've been every year for 7 years now) and we heard that clown colored shadraps work great on the Walleye up there, we didn't believe the rumors being we were pretty much live bait only. Our family friend that came along did bring some and the pike and walleye were crazy over them! So we had to go again so we could catch them:p But they won't bit them in southern MN. My dad doesn't like the name daredevil or the logo so I'll have to use off brands for them.

mwal: we've heard that redeye wigglers work, but haven't seen anyone get results from them. There's a different brand that sells them now, so I'll give it a try.

drjuice: sounds good:)

[pushbutton]

When the fish are shallow early and late, don't over look some traditional bass baits like frogs, poppers, buzz baits, and a big ole hard plastic heavy vibrating crawdad.

[delmuts]

mwal. What size wire do you use, and what knots? Want to start trying some for river fishing, so I don't get bit off as much.

[delmuts]

If you use spinner baits; unless they have the tied end so the leader doesn't slide around. Cut some little pcs. of tubing, and slide one of them over the end of the spinner bait. This will keep you leader in place.

[bobbymalone]

Want to start trying some for river fishing, so I don't get bit off as much.

You'll probably trade bite offs for snags.

[PurpleFloyd]

Yea, we're actually just about to move out to Minnesota Lake, so Lura and Bass will be my main lakes. Have you ever caught anything on the Cobb river? I'll be living right on it. I'll have to get that rig! I caught a 32" Northern at dock 4 at Daly park last year with a spinner and worm trailer..the first and only fish I've caught on a spinner..I built a small row boat so I will be getting around the lake this year, and particular spots(if you don't mind sharing)?

I will confess since I moved away from there after high school I haven't spent much time on any of them but now that my son has gotten old enough I have been finding my way back that direction the last few years. Lura has changed so much with the Milfoil infestation that I am not sure where to try. I used to fish off the dock by the Amboy sportsman access and also off the docks at Daly Park as well as trolling. In Bass, troll the lake starting shallow and work deeper until you find them. Try the west side first.

If I were to tell someone one place to go to have the best shot it would be to go to Winnebago, turn down 1st ave NW and drive till you get to the river bridge. Fish off the left side of the bridge with daredevils. Bring lots of them because the river will eat quite a bit of tackle. Use 50lb braided line and leaders. Good luck.

[delcecchi]

mwal. What size wire do you use, and what knots? Want to start trying some for river fishing, so I don't get bit off as much.

Here is my favorite packaged leader... South Bend Invisa-Leader. I use the 5 inch or 9 inch in 12 or 18 pound mostly.

[PurpleFloyd]

For the lakes and rivers around here I prefer to use leaders with ball bearing swivels. They tend to get beat up,the wire gets bent a bit and crud all can cause the barrel type to not swivel properly. The ball bearing type tend to hold up better.

[delcecchi]

For the lakes and rivers around here I prefer to use leaders with ball bearing swivels. They tend to get beat up,the wire gets bent a bit and crud all can cause the barrel type to not swivel properly. The ball bearing type tend to hold up better.

South Bend makes the same type leader with ball bearing swivels. Which I use depends on the bait. Ball bearings aren't really necessary with cranks, in my opinion. They even sell titanium if you want fancy.

[PurpleFloyd]

They even sell titanium if you want fancy.

Nah, we are talking snot rockets, not the silver ghost.

[live4chrome]

Mainbutter:My dad doesn't like the name daredevil or the logo so I'll have to use off brands for them.

drjuice: sounds good:)

I must be missing something? When it comes to daredevil style spoons the knock offs don't even compare. Daredevils are made in the Midwest, the knock offs aren't. Why not support a US company over a foreign one that makes cheap knockoffs with slave labor?

Other spoons to look into are fish trap spoons, the biggest krockodile spoons and the biggest little Cleo's but better not get an old one because there is a naked girl engraved on the back, or if you do I would just hide it under the bed when not in use.

The storm swim baits work great too, ironically I have had the best luck with the bigger baby pike pattern.

[ukefish]

floyd: Thanks, I'm going to try dropping a worm or minnow right off the bridge where we live to see if there's any fish there,if not, I'll make sure to check out that spot in Winnebago! As for Lura, what baits do you troll for Bass? I tried swim baits last year off the dock in July and got 2 nice Bass come off the line..biggest I've ever seen actually, but that's because I haven't really caught big fish. I think the biggest bass I've ever caught was at Swan lake in the boundary waters, it was around 3 pounds, I've yet to catch anything bigger as far as bass go.

pushbutton: Topwater in May? Does that work? From what I've heard the middle of summer is the best for frogs. But then again, I've never fished them..so I could easily be wrong:p

Chrome: I didn't make the rules, just obeying my Dad. and I'll look into those swim baits, when is the best time to use them?

[ukefish]

Oh my...floyd..I reread that you meant in bass lake, not the fish..wow, I feel smart!

[delcecchi]

1. Buy dardevle (note spelling). Sand off the devil head. Tell him they are vintage nebco spoons.

2. Len Thompson makes good Canadian spoons, as does Williams. They might be a little work to find.

3. Actually I don't use spoons that much. Spinner baits, mepps or vibrax spinners, floating rapalas, plastics of various types from twister tails to swimbaits, all get more usage from me. Maybe I should be using spoons more.

4. Small "swimbaits" like the spro, live image, or Castaic. These can be sort of spendy.