Any tips for pressured, clear but weedy lake pike?

[Cooter]

The lake kicks out some dandies in winter on tip ups but it is tough come open water. Small, spring fed and gets about unfishable come july due to the weeds. Catch plenty of little ones may and june but am struggling with anything decent. Thoughts right now are to go big and bold or livebait. Any ideas?

[delcecchi]

The lake kicks out some dandies in winter on tip ups but it is tough come open water. Small, spring fed and gets about unfishable come july due to the weeds. Catch plenty of little ones may and june but am struggling with anything decent. Thoughts right now are to go big and bold or livebait. Any ideas?

[Nick Kuhn]

Knowing where you fish I'm struggling to think of a lake that matches that definition. If the lake is small enough, just drive around until you find water that is colder. Being weed choked, chances are live bait would be tough to fish with. I personally would go with a bigger jig and pig. Don't finesse it on the bottom like you would for bass fishing, you can move it pretty quickly and erratically for pike. Bounce it off weeds and stir up silt, make a lot of thump. It will attract attention. My brother and I actually do quite well trolling a jig and pig through a certain kind of weed bed on our lake. These are thin and stringy weeds though, not the thick stuff.

[pushbutton]

Don't have a clue where you fish, but personally would just fish it when it is fishable....spring and fall......but if you must ....would wait for heavy rains and work the tops by whatever means, with as large of a profile, preferably jointed, as possible. Maybe even look at bass lures as well.....poppers, craws, buzz....something you can keep up top and provide a vibration.

[Cooter]

Its lake hallie just north of eau claire. I know where most of the springs are, but most are very shallow and you could see them if they were there - will have to cruise around and try ti find some deeper. Pretty much leaning towards more muskie sized tackle.

[Cooter]

Button - before, during, or after a big rain or all 3?

[pushbutton]

While I do love low pressure fishing in the rain....the comment, in my head, was directed at that after big rains on weed choked lakes...you have a window to fish the tops due to a higher water level. As Del's article mentioned that during the dog days they do get lazy, but still are prone not to pass up an easy meal.....anything mimicking a wounded crappie type flop, like vibration, can attract those bites. Having said all of that.....the best big pike set up is a Dora pole, a nub of a crawler on 4 lb test, with an oversized red and white bobber

[tolle141]

regular-sized bulldawgs, phantoms, or big white spinnerbaits

[Cooter]

Tks all! Tolle - got your suggestons ready except the phantoms. Will keep all posted come may!

[Cooter]

So on the spinnerbaits any pref as far as single blade vs tandem and if so single colorado, double willow, colorado willow tandem, etc?

Caught a little pike on topwater today just messing around testing some new baits!

[Nick Kuhn]

High and fast colorado, low and slow willow.

[Cooter]

Yep, i get the whole speed and depth deal on various blades but am wondering if pike have a particular pref for the vibrations given off by them.......kind of like how a pair of tandem colorados on an inline seem to work on 'skis..... something that they feel with the lateral line that makes em eat a bait.

[tolle141]

Personally prefer a single willow, but i like to slow roll the bottoms of weedlines. Lake that i typically fish for pike on is +15' clarity with weeds tapering out ~20 feet

[SwimbaitChucker]

Deps Slide Swimmer 250

River2Sea S Waver 200

Real Prey 8 Inch Sucker

GanCraft 178 and 230

I would throw big swimbaits.

[Nick Kuhn]

Preference seems to be willows with pike. Not sure why, maybe the flash resembles the profile of baitfish they like better. The War Eagle Screamin' Eagle is probably my favorite for pike. I don't throw them too often for pike, but that's always the first one out of my box.

[delmuts]

I'll add. With spinner baits, don't be afraid to try different color and blade combinations, and trailers. Some days they will eat a double willow, tandem, or single blade in gold, silver, or colored with different skirts and trailers. If one isn't working, try a  different  one. Trailers; I switch between twin, split, or swim baits.

Don't overlook lures like a silver minnow with trailer. As said. when possible; surface lures are not only fun, but effective.

[Cooter]

Have been out a couple times and only little guys thus far.  Lots of floating slop, depending on wind direction it can be solid mat 50 ft out from shore, and often around wood.  Have no idea how to fish that for them as they dont tend to hit frogs through that mat like bass.  Punch a big jig n pig through?  it is slimy garsh aweful stuff.....

[Dew_Man]

The lake kicks out some dandies in winter on tip ups but it is tough come open water. Small, spring fed and gets about unfishable come july due to the weeds. Catch plenty of little ones may and june but am struggling with anything decent. Thoughts right now are to go big and bold or livebait. Any ideas?

​I am having about the same luck. The lake we go to has lots of chara, bulrush, coontail, and pondweed. Water clarity is about 3 feet. In most of the lake, weeds eliminate the use of cranks or spoons. How would you guys fish this? 

[Neighbor_guy]

Buzzbaits and weedless plastics or swim jigs. 

[Cooter]

Tough part about this lake is that the clarity minus the weeds is prob 8 ft plus, so its tough to fool em - i can catch little ones on a silver n black husky jerk worked fast with pauses, pretty much at will but just little guysr.

[Neighbor_guy]

Are there bullheads in the lake?

might be time for a live bait option. 

[BAIT956]

Spinner baits are my go to bait in the weeds,  but I have found chatter baits to be sometimes more effective and they are good baits for weedy situations too.   Good for bass too when they are chasing.