Trolling for Northerns

[FishinChad]

What would you all suggest for trolling for big pike in shallow water? How about deep?

I have been fishing a lake that I know has big pike in it, usually I troll from the landing to where I want to fish...I have never even had a northern bite while trolling, but I do catch bass and crappies. I usually use a spinnerbait because I like to catch the bass and crappies too, but I have trolled soo much I dont believe I havent gotten a pike yet, what lures would be worth trying to see what will work for these fish? Shallow lake, most trolling done in less than 10fow, but there are deep areas where I could try deeper presentations, but I am pretty confident there are some in the shallow areas I am trolling so I am mainly looking for advice for depths less than 10 feet.

Thanks for the tips!

[terrible_fisherman]

I have good luck running shad raps and other types of cranks over the top or along the weed beds in most lakes that are shallow. If that doesn't work, I will throw a weedless spoon right into the emerging weeds and just pull it through. You get a lot of fish that strike up out of the week beds if you are running along the top edge or even right through it.

[mskyfshntchr]

Well 4 options for ya-in no particular order....

1) upsize your spinnerbait. Then you probably won't catch the bass. Use musky sized ones in 1 oz. or larger.

2) Inline bucktail.

3) Daredevle...Not sure this one can be beat, especailly red/white with the copper back; 1 oz. size for shallow water.

4) Johnson silver minnow. Can run it plain or tip it with a large twister tail or other plastic body to give it some added color and bulk. I like a white double tail.

Troll fast and faster. I would start around 3.5/4mph and go up to 7mph or so and see what happens. 4mph is a pretty good starter and should get your bit.

If you can run two lines, run one near/in the prop wash and one back around 75-100 feet.

Good luck.

[SledNeck]

booyah buzzbait with a trailer hook. My favorite pike lure in the world...will outfish a trolled spinnerbait 10/1

[BoxMN]

SUPER SHAD Shad Rap. The small fish will run with fear, leaving only the big guys to attack Seriously, this crank works. It goes deeper than one would think, so you don't need a whole lotta line out. Perch color is my fav, but match what the lake has in it. I have a sunfish pattern that is decent on my lake as well.

Good luck!

[TMF89]

How do you guys run baits on top of the weeds? I'll be honest and say I don't think I've ever trolled 3-7 miles an hour (no speedometer on our trolling motor/depth finder), but the only things I could think of that would run less than 5 feet trolling would be bucktails, and shallow cranks like a believer hooked on the first eye.

[mskyfshntchr]

The amount of line you let out will make a difference. You can run all of the lures I mentioned in the above post in 5 FOW or less. You might have to run less line than you normally do. Go faster and it will lift most of those lures also.

Use a handheld GPS to determine speed or try to mark your throttle where you are getting bites for the day. Give you a spot to keep going to if you get on a hot bite.

Don't worry...The short lines and high lures won't bother those northerns...

[chickeywing]

1/4 or 3/8 jig with a sucker minnow. Experiment with plain jig heads or bucktails. Yellow is always a favorite. Tie it up with Tyger, or some other tie-able leader material. Also, try some Lindy style spinner rigs with suckers. They bite VERY light with these presentations. You have to pay attention! Drop the rod tip and 'follow' the fish until you're in a position to set the hook. Work the weed edges.

TC

[PIKKEE]

I have found good luck with big taildancers or deep taildancers. Fish big drops off weed beds or weed lines. island points, sadles, rock piles. If don't care about loosing a lure or two don't be affraid to drag it through shollow points or reefs.40+ easy did not take it out of the water took the hook off in the (really big). We measured many 33"-39" eagles nest lake last year. I thought that was better fishing than the Big V this year.

[PIKKEE]

x-raps, berkleley freny minnow, long A Bombers or spinners (bent or mepps) all work good for shallow water trolling