Nipigon, Jellicoe Area

[justlivin']

I will be heading up to that area May 17th for open water walleyes. Never fished that area during that time of year. Been there several times in mid March and Late July. Any suggestions on what bodies of water to focus on and possible lure presentation would be helpful. Thanks.

[kkahmann]

You're gonna be a little early for good walleye fishing. It doesn't get good till about the first week or so of June. You will have the very best Pike fishing--provided the ice is gone. Some years it don't go till about then.

[jerkin'm]

A group of us will be heading up there for the first time in 2 weeks. Would be interested in hearing how some of your March trips went. Also any suggestions for a guide for a day?

[justlivin']

I've been up there the past 3 years in March and fishing is slow during the day light hours for walleye. However if you find the right lake from about 1/2 hour before sunset until it's dark you can't hardly fish one hole. Northern fishing can be good bring frozen ciscos or smelt. As for a guide I don't know of any. Might check with Chad at Pasha Lake Resort. I've fished with a few local people from that area and they use the same 1/4 oz. jig heads in the winter that they use in the summer months. Look for areas on the lake that show signs of there being a bon fire thats where the locals fish good place to start.

[justlivin']

kkahmann,

Thanks for the info Can't believe that you are the only one up there this time of year on the web. Anyways I am mostly a walleye fisherman but you got me interested in those toothy fellas. During that time of year are you fishing them with spoons,plugs, or live bait? Casting or trolling? Thanks

[kkahmann]

Early Spring spoons and plugs will catch a lot of small Pike. I call small anything under 10 lbs. Live bait(minnows) will catch a lot of small ones too. The big fella's (over 20lbs) just about all come from dead bait. I fish a dead smelt or ciscoe on a bobber rig--just let it sit there. I fish river mouths but try to stay out of the main current area's. Fish the bobber rig right up against the weeds or sticks. Weeds are sometimes hard to find that time of year. Another thing I have noticed is that when you hit a big pike they tend to head out to open water to fight. If they just turned and went into the sticks you would lose them but they tend to move out into open water. It takes a little while to figure out how to hit them too--you have to let them run with it a bit or else you just [jerk-bait] it away from them. They tend to mouth the bait and the bobber starts dancing--let it go--second time it starts moving thats when you set the hook.

Easier said then done--I still miss a lot of them.

Locally pike are considered rough fish--locals don't target them--Everything I know about Pike I learned from guys from Minnesota.