# Catching Pike?



## itsbrad (Jun 13, 2005)

Ive seen some pictures on here of people catching pike out of river systems. What is the best way, techinque, lure to use for this? Id really like to catch a new species and seeing as I dont have a boat a Muskie trip is out of the question...I appreciate all help 

Thanks
Brad


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## kirkad (Aug 19, 2006)

a 6" firetiger grandma lure works good or mepps spinners #5 all colors work good exept for pink. you just have to find holes and theres usualy more than 1 in each hole so keep that in mind.good fishing.


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## sauguy (Apr 8, 2004)

i and my wife have caught them on 2 inch twister tails, tubes and smithwick rouges.


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## TheSonicMarauder (Mar 9, 2006)

if it makes any kind of ruckus or commotion in or on the water, use that... if its flashy too, that always seems to help a little bit.... IMO from what i see, river pike are fish with a short fuse lol if its flashy and makes a lot of noise and its in the general vicinity, the wick is lit  ive only caught the one this year but every time i hit the cuyahoga... i always get a few take a swat at a spinnerbait


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## fishing_marshall (Jun 12, 2004)

Big chubs and shiners under a bobber are great. Especially in the colder months.


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## crawdiddy (Apr 10, 2006)

if I had a river nearby with a GOOD population of pike, I'd be tossing lucky craft pointer 128's. they like big baits.


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## Oldfox1939 (Apr 14, 2004)

3" Daredevil Gold Redeye


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## Jackfish (Apr 15, 2004)

anything with a large profile that you can cover water quickly with, they are not picky eaters, look for structure points and work they over quick, I prefer to show they two diff presentations if the spot looks great, otherwise dont bother

my favorties: williams wabler, mepps #5 anything, daredevil


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## zachtrouter (May 1, 2006)

spinnerbaits and bigger sized rapalas in black/silver shad. Tubes work great by any down tree or structure!


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## RiverRunner88 (Jun 15, 2006)

id like to add something to cuz i would also like to catch one..what kind of setup do you need a heavy rod and reel. what kind and lbs.line do i need?

thanks in advance


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## zachtrouter (May 1, 2006)

I would say 8-10lb. test should do the job w/ steel leaders. Medium action rod.


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## Oldfox1939 (Apr 14, 2004)

Medium to medium heavy rod.....20-30 pound line....either spinning or casting.

I use Power Pro, but whatever type you like.

Wire leader 20-30 pound test.....I used titanium leaders ......doesn't kink as easy.


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## RiverRunner88 (Jun 15, 2006)

alright thank you both


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## Jackfish (Apr 15, 2004)

I know this is an ongoing debate and there are A LOT of good reasons to go heavy  however I fish what my brother describes as I should by using that thing to catch 12 inch bass  an Eagle GLC w/ a 2000 shimano  usually 8 or 10 pound for casting. This year I got a 41 musky and pike, as well as a 42 pike with this rig  and I absolutely LOVE it for casting bucktails and spoons  granted for the jerkbaits or big cranks I have to go upscale, but still only have 20lb rigged but need a pretty stiff rod for the jerks. So what Im telling you is that you may not need to buy new stuff

A few words of caution  easy to lose a big fish on gear like that, I havent lost a hawg due to this outfit yet (been fishing it about 8 yrs), but I know that I will at some point. I usually have someone who can control the boat with me, and can get the fish out to clear water by slowly moving the boat out, and play the fish in the open. Also we use cradles if the fish are large, much easier on the fish and makes for great realeases  this last trip we couldnt take the cradles, fish can really hurt themselves thrashing about in the net  in my opinion the way in which the fish is handled, held, hooked, and weighed are usually what makes for a diver or a belly up. 


Make sure you are using leaders.

Use baits that have a large profile  it takes a lot of energy to get a 35 or 45 inch fish moving  they wont spend that energy unless they think the meal justifies it.big lures = big fish

Weedy bays in 3-6 ft off of deep water just after sunrise is the best thing a pike guy can hope for  this same water will hold em if it is overcast  windswept bays or points are good  if it is clear and sunny go fish for something else or go deep

The stuff these guys named would work fine  only one thing to add  Daredevil makes a lure called the buzzdevil (kind of a modified buzzbait-spoon-jig combo) if the lake you are fishing has any bays that are shallow 1-3ft and clogged with HEAVY weeds (the type you cant get a lure through)  the pike will hang within the 1st 25 yards of the open water (but they are in the slop) until the sun starts blazing in the mornings  the buzzdevil can get through virtually any type of weed and has worked out exceptional for me in this senerio


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## vc1111 (Apr 13, 2004)

Lots of good tips on this thread.

I'll add my 2 cents worth...

If I could bring only one bait for Northern Pike it would be a white spinner bait. They love them. Vary the speed of your retrieve though, because some days they want it fast, other days they want it just barely moving. On some waters, chartruese is a better choice of spinner bait.

As to what tackle to use for Pike, I can give one good reason why you should not use less than 17 or 20 pound test...money is the reason. 

If you're throwing expensive lures (and lets face it, they're all somewhat expensive) and you get a nick in 10 pound test mono, you are now throwing your lure with what might now be only 4 pound test.

I've done both...and lost enough lures using mono that I eventually tackled up and use only braided for musky and pike 99% of the time.

Here's another very important reason to use braided: Pike have a very very boney mouth. You need to set those hooks hard or you'll often fail to get hooks in them properly and you'll lose them. 

Braided does not stretch and doesn't get abrasions or nicks nearly as easily as mono. Of course a stiffer rod helps immensely with a strong hookset into a boney mouth of the Northern Pike.

Set hard on nicked mono and you've lost a lure and possibly sent a Pike back into his home waters with a lured embedded in his mouth.


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## BITE-ME (Sep 5, 2005)

Heavier tackle will also allow you to land the fish quicker and reduce the amount of stress on the fish. This is especially important during the warmer months when the fish are easily stressed.


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## cincinnati (May 24, 2004)

so it's only about a penny's worth. 

Guys who routinely catch big fish on light line are either fishing snag free water, playing the fish too far into exhaustion, or just incredibly lucky. 

I was very slow in coming to Spectron braid (for muskies) but now cant understand why I waited. Expensive in the short run, but is impervious to UV, unlike mono which quickly degrades & should be replaced. A spool of braided last me about 4 times as long as a spool of mono. Durable, no stretch, no memory, knots well & 50# is the same diameter as 20# mono. Great stuff! 

Fish muskies w/guide who always carries a spinning rig spooled w/35# Spectron, in case he wants to toss very small baits - jigs, plastic, etc. - to coldfront or shallow fish in clear water. This is the same rig he uses for most other species fishing. Not only puts you on good footing w/big fish, it often lets you straighten small hooks & save small baits when snagged.

Last month, I nearly lost the superstar of all my bass baits, when the 15# mono broke, way down in the spool, on a long cast. Fortunately, I was able to find the floating end of the line & rescue it. WHEW!! Only 1 rod in the boat, so I motored back to the cabin & grabbed a loose musky reel, spooled w/50# Spectron. Resumed fishing w/o significant loss of casting distance. Thinking very seriously about a bulk spool of 35# for all my bass reels & mrs. cs musky (spinning) rig.

A 7' rod rated to 1.5 oz, spinning or casting reel of your choice, & braided line in the neighborhood of 30# test is my choice for a pike/heavy bass rig.


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## zachtrouter (May 1, 2006)

I just respooled 2 of my rods w/ 15# for when I go pike fishing but the 35#/50# seems like overkill to me. I fight the fish for a few minutes and tire it out some but isnt that better than hooking it and just musceling it in? 15# and a steel leader you can bring in very nice pike with little worries unless they run you into cover of some sort. That is just IMO and what I have seen from my experiences though.


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## cincinnati (May 24, 2004)

50# is absolutely overkill for bass but probably on the low side of average for muskies. 60 & 80# are very popular w/100# not uncommon. 

Yes, the amount of cover figures into that & much of my fishing is done around heavy weeds or substantial lumber. Most of the river fishing I've done has been in low visibility & w/uncertain "snag content." And many of the places I fish, there's a real possiblity of accidentally meeting something larger than you expected, like a 35# musky, while you're fishing for walleyes, pike, bass, etc.. 

That said, I can't ever remember thinking, as I was hooked to any fish, "Gee, this would be lots more fun on lighter line." Just because they're hooked on stout line, doesn't mean they're coming in the boat. It's still more involved than just winching them in. Though you've lessened/removed the possibility of line failure, the fish still fights the hooks, rod, the drag & the competence of the hands holding the rig. 

Lost a fish that may have gone 30# while fishing w/36# test & that fish was completely in control for the entire 20-30 seconds before it cut the line. If somehow I got a 2nd shot @ that fish, I'd take the 100#, please.


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## WISH IT WAS YOU (Jul 25, 2006)

the best bait for pike in a river is a daredevil red and white or a white spinerbait or use a nice rubber shad about 4-5 inchs try to have a med heavey rod about 6'6 good luck


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## kirkad (Aug 19, 2006)

i use light tackle for pike.but most people look at me like im craky.i use a 5'6" mh action berkly lightning rod with 14# trilene.if you know how to use your drag you wont lose any.ive only lost one this year becouse it got wraped up in a log jam.
kirk


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## DanAdelman (Sep 19, 2005)

i agree with Vc very good advice...I use a baitcaster with 20# fireline...I could get away with 15#...But if i am snagged in a tree with a 5$ lure i can pull the tree down or straghten the hooks... I lose far less lures this way... I wouldn't go any higher than 20# if your fishing in ohio for pike the average big boy is prolly going to be around 10 lbs the state record is under 25#'s...If your going to canada then you might want to upsize...My personal favorite lure is a mepps #4 Anglia i have caught far more pike on this lure than any other...I tend to catch less with the #5 Mepps.. I love throwing white spinners also but as sonic said earlier he always gets a pike hit in the hoga using a spinner but he has only caught one pike...That should tell you something about there hooking percentage...Even using a daredevil you will get lots of fish but you will also lose fish due to them hitting the blade and missing the hooks...Husky Jerks with 3 sets of trebles..Jointed Rapala's...Long Bomber A's....All work well....I do have to disagree with a few...I do feel pike are somewhat selective... I have caught fish after a lure change throwing in the same area on several occasions... I would use something a little downsized the rule big bait= big fish isn't always true and you lose out on alot of bonus fish which may be what keeps you going back...Oh Ya you said you were fishing the river just like almost all river fishing cast upriver at an angle and you should get better action from your lure in the current...Fishing behind log jams will be very productive pike are lazy and like to sit in the slack water it makes for a good ambush point...Don't waste your time fishing any fast water for pike....Good luck...Fall is the time to go....Hope this helps


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