Pike Fishing | Outdoor Adventures

February 21st, 2010 | in Fishing Leave a comment

I’m sure you have been out trout fishing or another type of tasty fish and suddenly you get a massive strike and you engage in the fight of the day. Experienced anglers will know right away that they do not have a walleye on the line, but a good old pike. Fishermen don’t usually actively go fishing for pike because their flesh is filled with tiny little bones which make eating them not up to par with walleye or perch. However, fishermen who long for those thrilling fights may want to spend a day seeking out these sleek predators. In this article, I will give you some nice little pike fishing tips. Hopefully it might inspire you to spend a day going northern pike fishing.

Pike Fishing Tackle

If you are going to actively seek out northern pike, you are going to need to make a few adjustments to your usual fishing gear and pick up some northern pike fishing tackle. If you are a little strapped for cash, you may want to consider buying used fishing tackle. There are no specific pike fishing rods. Any rod will do as long as it is not too light and fragile. My uncle managed to catch some very nice pike on his ultra light rod and reel, but this is not recommended at all and he had to be very careful. What you need to do is get some heavier line (at least fifteen pound test) and stock up on steel leaders. Pike have very sharp teeth and can cut through a line very easily. Having a steel leader above your hook will minimize the colourful expressions you throw out when you lose that lucky fishing lure to a pike that bit through your line. Speaking of pike lures, spoons are a very good choice and are known to be excellent pike fishing lures. Baiting your lure for pike fishing is very easy, because pike will eat about anything they can get a hold of. Your best bet, however, will be to use an old fashioned minnow because they are plentiful everywhere and the pike know them to be a good source of food. If you are willing, you can also cut up another pike and use part of it with some skin attached to mimic a smaller fish. Since northern pike are cannibalistic, this could prove to be excellent bait. You also want to include a good pair of long nosed pliers in your tackle box when you go pike fishing. You don’t want to get your fingers anywhere near those razor sharp teeth. If you are unfamiliar with pike, they look and act a lot like barracuda, so you need to be careful when handling them.

Where to Fish for Pike

You can find pike anywhere, so there is no real reason to seek out certain lakes when you go pike fishing. However, you can increase your chances of catching pike by knowing where they like to hang out. Since pike are predators, they like to hide and ambush their prey. Look for weeds or secluded places and you have a very good chance of landing a nice one. Pike are also known for patrolling the edges of walleye schools, so if you see a group of boats in one place, plant your boat at the edges and try your luck.

Now that you are prepared for a little pike fishing, invite one of your friends who don’t have a lot of fishing experience out for a nice day of pike fishing. If the thrill of catching a monster pike doesn’t lean them towards being a good fishing buddy, then nothing will. Or, if you are unable to make it outside, I’m sure there are some pike fishing games available on the internet. Give them a try!