Big pike but no muskies on Mille Lacs...any tips?

[stayman79]

If all we're catching is pike when we are muskie fishing up there should we be deeper/shallower or somewhere else? In 5 trips over the last two summers I've gone up to Mille Lacs with another guy muskie fishing and while we have seen muskie we've only caught pike. Don't get me wrong, the size of the pike were between 35 and 38 inches and nice to catch, but I'm wondering if anyone with more experience would change what they are doing if this was happening to them.

Yesterday we spent 1/2 the day up there and caught 3 pike, saw 3 more had one definite muskie follow and a few other missed strikes that could be either one. A good day, but we're still waiting to tie into one if the "big girls" up there. We used big plastics, cowgirls, jerk baits, etc....so it's not the size or type of the lure. Maybe it's just more time and more trips up there, I can handle that, too!

By the way, we were still finding good cabbage beds, water temp was 58 degrees.

Thanks!

[Random guy]

Goofy as it sounds downsize the bait, I ran into that one day on the east side. I dropped bait size and slowed everything down and it paid off. My thought was the more agressive pike would reaction strike the fast and flashy baits before the musky had a chance to stalk it. Either way it paid off.

[stayman79]

Thanks Jon! That's better than trying to go bigger, because I'd have to go buy more baits first! Next time I get a chance I might have to try that.

[Random guy]

Another thing I found was going topwater can help. Seems the muskie are more prone to go after surface baits then pike.

[cjac]

You could also put most of your time into working the rocks, especially at this time of the year. Yes, there are still nice green weeds, as I was in them this past weekend, but if you're looking to stack the deck for the 'skis fish the rocks. In my opinion the ratio of muskies to pike tilts in favor of the muskies more on the rocks, quite a bit really.

Any reef with a name on it will hold fish at times now, just a matter of being there when they are, easier said than done of course. Keep in mind to take about 3 feet off the depth on the GPS chip, it says 7 you're closer to 4 feet deep.

Rubber baits work well on the rocks, as do the crankbaits and big blades will still move fish.

Good luck, Chris

[stayman79]

Thanks Chris. We might get to try them again this Thursday in the rain!