Northerns

[Guest]

Do bigger northerns bite better in the winter or in the summer?

[Big_D]

it all depends. in the winter they in my opinion are easier to catch than summer since in the winter you obviously do not need a boat to get out to them in the deep water like you do in summer. northerns tend to be deeper in summer than in the winter and in my opinion harder to find. in minter you can set up more lines so you can find them and see if they are in deep or shallow water. northerns arent as active during the hot summer months because of the water temperture being so high. in my opinion you are overlooking the most productive time for big pike. try fishing in the fall the fish move up shallow and start feeding before the winter. hope this helps.

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Big D

[Steve Foss]

My experience matches Big-D when talking big pike. The smaller pike will stay shallow all summer, but when pike get medium-sized, say about 8 to 10 pounds, they start to prefer colder water, and when lakes warm in summer the bigger fish tend to hang around underwater springs and along the thermocline, both places they can find cooler water with oxygen (below the thermocline, oxygen drops fast).

So in winter, with the water cold everywhere, big fish can be anywhere, although you'll still find them closer to deep water along the deep edge of weedlines and off points.

As the spawn approaches (usually it happens around ice-out), the fish will gather in shallower bays near spawning spots.