Pike Fishing Help

[FishHeadRic]

OK, a bunch of people have asked me about fishing the GTA and I decided to put together a little how to for those who want to give Urban Piking a go. This was taken from a PM Project I did for a few of the guys on the board. I was very selective as to who I shared the original PM with and originally had specific spots and maps but to post spots to the general public... sorry guys. Toronto's not that large and doing the leg work for yourself really isn't that hard. This post should help a lot with getting ready and figuring out what to look for.

The topics I want to go over with this are:

1. Seasons (what to use, where and when)

2. Structure to look for

3. Lures (my favorites to work the different parts of the water column)

4. Methods for locating pike

5. Equipment (line, rods, leaders, reels, pliers, spreaders...)

 

 

 

OK as far as Lake Ontario goes the season runs from may all the way through till the end of march. So basically the only month you can't fish for them is in April. (The reason being that they spawn in April) Pike are very sensitive to water temps but are very tolerable to cold temps. During the warmer months they will seek out cooler water (colder water has more oxygen) but fortunately for us that just means casting to the deeper bays. They usually spawn in waters that are between 40-50 degrees. Prior to the spawn they will migrate into areas just adjacent to their spawning grounds and beef up on anything they can eat. The main food source for Lake Ontario predatory fish is alewife or perch or smelt.

 

 

 

I've also had a few pike puke up crayfish, small bass, gobies and even small walleyes. I've also had pike attack other pike that I was reeling in. There are some VERY LARGE PIKE in lake O! To date my largest was a 46" monster but I've also seen fish over 50. It's a great fishery because #1 until recently no one has been going after them and #2 almost everyone fishing for them are just releasing them.

 

 

 

After the spawn they will feed ferociously! May till around the end of June will be your best bet to land a large fish. The 46" one that I caught was picked off on Canada day '03. I never got to take a pic of her cause I didn't have a Digi cam back then. As soon as the temp get into the upper 60's and 70 the big fish need to move into deeper colder water so they can breath easier but the smaller ones will still hang out all year round.

 

When looking for pike the first thing to look for is structure. Structure meaning weeds, drop-offs, dips, walls, rubble... The most important of these being weeds. There are two major types of weeds in and the around Toronto waters. Hydrillia, Coon-tail and I'm not sure what the other is but it's long and broad leafed

 

Broad leafed plant...

 

 

 

Hydrillia

 

The pike will lay their eggs in this stuff and the plants will also keep the areas oxygenated. On top of that this stuff is the prime ambush point for them. When you find these plants you will find the pike! It's hard in deeper water, especially if the weeds don't make their way up to the point you can see them but I had a trick for finding them. What I would do is to search out areas with a nice sized spoon. 5/8 Cleo, 5 of diamonds, Oz Crocs... Just cast out into the areas and let it hit the bottom, reel nice and slow until you get hung up on the weeds. Once you do hook up just pull steady until you actually rip the weed out of the bottom. The reason I do this is to actually see if the weed I'm pulling up is fresh and alive. There's a lot of weed beds that will just die off. when this happens the fish really don't hang out.

 

Once you do find an area that looks promising next thing to deal with is lure selection. OK my all time favorite pike lures go as follows:

#1 The Rapala X-Rap. As far as colours go Perch, Clown head (yellow w/Red head) or green back. This lure has accounted for over 50 % of my pike in Toronto. When they first came out I bought a Clown head that caught me over 60 fish before I had to retire it. The suspending abilities of this lure right out of the box along with the nice tight wobble on the retrieve just does something to the pike that I've never had with any other lure.

 

 

 

#2 The Rapala Huskie Jerk. This lure is a very close second. The properties of this lure are almost identical to the X-Rap except that it doesn't cast as far. I also find that not all of them suspend right out of the box so I was having to tinker with them to get them to sit right in the water. When I did get one to work though, Wow is all I have to say. Cast these out with a rip and pause retrieve. Just deadly on the pike, as well as the bass.

 

 

#3 The Mepp Black Fury#4 or #5. Black and yellow dot with teaser or Yellow with black dot. I was never a real big fan of these lures until I had a friend of mine lend me one. The first 3 casts with this lure all got me fish! Ever since that day I've never gone out pike fishing with out one. Of all the pike lures it's probably the most versatile lure out there. It can be ripped back across the top to cause a nice V-wake. It can be slow rolled across the bottom. It can be jigged back in short pulses. All of which will cause viscous strikes. When I get a lot of pike following my Huskie jerks or X-Rapps but not hitting I'll always drag a Black Fury through to get them to strike. I think the blade causes such a pulse in the water that they just can't help but hit them. Great lure!

 

 

 

#4 Spinner baits. (Bass type) Again I think the pulse has something to do with it but spinners also throw off a lot of flash that can really trigger some great hits. I almost always tip the hook with a grub tail. Just seems to add that extra flutter that I think really makes the difference. I also think the size of the blade is important. Big Colorado type blades do a lot better then the double willow tails. I've caught fish on the willow tailed ones but it think the water displacement the Colorado blade makes is more of what the pike are looking for.

 

 

#5 The Good Ole Spoon. First pike I've ever caught was on a 5 of diamonds. Something about the spoon thats so basic that almost makes it the perfect lure. You can use them at any speed in any part of the water column. I went through the whole gambit of spoons and since most of my fishing was from shore I found that the Little Cleos in the 5/8 size or the Oz Crocs too be the best lures for the GTA. The size and shape of the Croc is a perfect match for the smelt. It also has a hypnotizing wobble to it that isn't really matched by any other lure out there. The size and the Cleo is a perfect match for the alewife. Starting in April the Alewife will start to school up in the shallows in and around Toronto for their spawn. If you guys spend some time down there you'll end up seeing massive schools of them by the time June rolls in. It's kinda a minus because the pike will gorge on them and not really feed at every opportunity. When this happens it's very important that you get out early to catch em. If the schools of alewife are thick in the area the pike will be done feeding just after mid day. They don't feed at nite so what they will do is at first lite they come into the shallows or up just under the surface to warm them selves up. Once they're warm enough they feed like crazy till they're full. I found that on warm sunny days the bite would be great from 8-11/12 and then just die off tile around 3-4. Frustrating, yes but if you plan your fishing in these time slots you'll do just fine.

Gibbs Croc and the Little Cleo

 

 

OK, I already touched base on locating pike with the pulling weeds method but I also wanted to discuss other aspects to finding them. First and for-most being just spotting them. Don't know if you guys have a good set of polarized glasses but if you don't.........GET THEM! Even if they're a cheap pair of Bob lzumi specials, get them! Out of all the fish I've caught up there I can honestly say that in the spring and winter, at least 30-40% of the fish I caught I spotted first. Once you get used to spotting them it's just amazing how easy it will become to see them. I can spot fish 30-40 yards off. It's just a matter of knowing what your looking for. If you look at the water at different angles it will allow you to see right through it. Another thing to look for is areas with light bottoms. These area's make it easy to not spot the fish but spot their shadows on the bottom. One thing I will warn you about is that if you're fishing with someone and you do spot a pike, DO NOT POINT AT IT!!! If you can see the fish, It CAN see you! Pike have very good eyesight. Pointing at them will spook them and even if they don't take off they will know you're there and not feed. Trust me! This has happened to me countless times trying to get other people to into fish. They'll finally see one and start hoopin' and hollarin' and then the pike just shoots off. Keep your wits about you and your success rate will be a lot higher!

Another way of getting pike to give up their hiding spots is to just rip a lure through the water. Mepps are my favorite for doing this. I'll just cast out as far as I can and let it drop. Reel in 10 times really fast with the rod tip pointed at 9:00 and then let it fall again. Even if they're not feeding you'll get them to follow. They're very curious fish and will investigate things moving through there area. This method works best if you're fishing with someone else. Have them follow up your lure with a different lure, X-rap, huskie jerk... Even if the fish doesn't go after the other lure it will allow you to get your lure out and cast past the fish and get another shot at it. I've kept fish close by and cast at them 6-7 times before they struck. It just gets them confused and angry enough that they end up striking.

 

 

Equipment. This subject is very important because if you're not ready to deal with an angry, toothy pike with a lure hanging out of it's mouth then you shouldn't be out there, plain and simple! Being equipped means having the right tools and gear to deal. Besides your rod and reel you should also be carrying a set of good long nosed pliers, spreaders to keep the fishes mouth open, a net if you're fishing from a high vantage point, good line, and most important a leader. The teeth on pike are serrated. I've had some big pike bite right through 80lb floro. They're not line shy so a steel leader will do just fine. As long as you have one.Pike will roll on ya so I would shy away from those uncoated titanium leaders. I tried them but had a fish roll and it cut him up pretty bad. Lures are expensive and using a leader will help you keep your gear. More important than that it will ensure that there isn't a pike swimming around out there with a lure stuck in it's throat! The hooks on these lures would rust out if given time but having an entire lure stuck in it's throat will just end up killing them. Get em and use em!

The second most important tool is your line. Good line will ensure you get the fish in and overall keep your fishing experience a positive one. I've had bad line before. It's a pain in the ass dealing with crap line. With line it's just a matter of "you get what you pay for". My favorite mono is P-Line Floro-clear. I went through a lot of different brands but nothing ever worked as good. For braids you can't go wrong with Power Pro.

 

Hope this helps those that are unsure as to what they should be using or throwing. If I didn't touch on anything that you want to know about please ask away on this post. Also Don't PM me asking for the maps I did up. I spent a lot of years figuring out the pike in and around Toronto. The info I've given here should be a giant leap forward for those that are going to give it a try. Good luck to all of you and have a great season. And lastly PLEASE TAKE CARE OF THE FISHERY! There's going to be more and more pressure on these fish as time goes on and it won't take much to ruin it... so please.

 

 

FHR

[huntervasili]

Some very good and informative info on there FHR!

[danc]

Northern Ontario version. Tie whatever on to your line. Cast. Retrieve. Pike on.

 

Equipment?? Whatever you happen to be using.

 

Extra info. Try to shake the said creature off of your hook before you have to land it. You don't want to bring it into your boat. They stink to high heaven. They're worthless. If you're like me, you'd rather not catch one than catch one. But. To each their own.

[tbayboy]

Great post - wonderful primer for everyone looking to get into the urban pike fun.

 

Thanks for the laugh Dan (if only it weren't so true)

[irishfield]

Dan... you're so spoiled !!! How many days 'till August??? lol

 

Ric.. great write up for the pike challenged.

[mistyriver1]

Great post Ric. thanks for taking the time.

[bpsbassman]

Great seminar Rick! Thanks for taking the time to put all that together.

Much appreciated. Can't wait to try out some of those strategies when I get out Pike Fishing in a few weeks.

[jediangler]

You're the man FHR, very unselfish, what this board needs is more people like you.

[Raf]

Nicely done Ric..

 

I wouldn't pay too much attn to what Dan said, he'd rather fish for bait.

[Greencoachdog]

Northern Ontario version. Tie whatever on to your line. Cast. Retrieve. Pike on.

 

Equipment?? Whatever you happen to be using.

 

Extra info. Try to shake the said creature off of your hook before you have to land it. You don't want to bring it into your boat. They stink to high heaven. They're worthless. If you're like me, you'd rather not catch one than catch one. But. To each their own.

 

 

Yer such a wet blanket on the Pike porn Dan!!!

 

 

Excellent write up Ric!!!

[mepps]

nice job Ric!

[johnnyb]

wow Ric...that's a great post! I wandered downtown the other day, and my biggest problem was where to park, but, I did find a few spots. A post like that is a real confidence booster, which really helps when you're down there and not sure if you're in the right spot or not.

 

Thanks!

[FishHeadRic]

Hey guys, Thanks. Dan, what can I say, I just love the toothy critters. Even if we had the brookies you've got up there I'd still be going after the pike

 

Ric

[Benti_11]

That was great,ill be heading out tomorrow and hope i can use some of what you said to help

[ehg]

That's a lot of work and a good primer on urban pike fishing, there FHR.

With water high and weeds down through most of S. Ontario, one could probably use

the deep diver x-rap or other slightly deeper presentations as well this spring.

 

The cool thing is catching decent fish at the foot of CN tower.

 

There are some GTA brook trout spots no one goes to, but you must know that.

 

Real nice job,

 

ehg

[Benti_11]

What if i was to use a J-7 Rap that goes only a few inches under the water would that still work? or should i use something deeper?

[FishHeadRic]

Benti, Your best searching lure would be a #5 Mepps spinner or a spoon like a 5/8ths cleo. Just point the rod tip down to keep the lure low. When they were deep I'd drag the bottom to find the green weeds. Once l'd find these weeds keep working through them with the Mepps or put on a longer leader that would sink an X-rapps or HJ-12 down there. (l make my own floro leaders)

Another lure to think about would be the rapala count down, a shad-rap or a rat-l-trap.

 

FHR

Edited May 9, 2008 by FishHeadRic

[tdotfisherman]

Northern Ontario version. Tie whatever on to your line. Cast. Retrieve. Pike on.

 

Equipment?? Whatever you happen to be using.

 

Extra info. Try to shake the said creature off of your hook before you have to land it. You don't want to bring it into your boat. They stink to high heaven. They're worthless. If you're like me, you'd rather not catch one than catch one. But. To each their own.

 

That better be the case when I go up to Sioux Lookout at the end of May...

[mikeymikey]

thank you (again).

[The Urban Fisherman]

brookies are for woosies!

 

Just kidding Dan - FHR, awesome write up dude. I don't even live in the GTA anymore, or plan to pike fish in the area anytime soon but I still couldn't stop reading until the end. I'm sure it'll help out a fair bit of people.

 

Cheers

[Clampet]

Northern Ontario version. Tie whatever on to your line. Cast. Retrieve. Pike on.

 

Equipment?? Whatever you happen to be using.

 

Extra info. Try to shake the said creature off of your hook before you have to land it. You don't want to bring it into your boat. They stink to high heaven. They're worthless. If you're like me, you'd rather not catch one than catch one. But. To each their own.

 

I am of the same mind when it comes to Pike... but heh, Fishead Ric, you sure put together a very good article on the Pike scene!

[motv8tr]

Ric, as always, excellent post. After reading it I don't think that only those who fish in the city will benefit from it

 

Maureen

[Victor]

That's alot of great info FHR! Thanks for sharing it with everybody.

[007]

Thanks for a great pike fishing write-up - I think a lot of people will find it useful.

 

I bet having written that you wish you were out on the lakeshore or islands catching those toothy critters - I know I am.

 

007

Edited May 9, 2008 by OO7

[FishHeadRic]

Mr Bond, There's nothing l'd like more then the fresh smell of irony fish-slime on my hands but the 30-40 lb stripers flooding out of the Hudson right now will help me in my rough time

Maureen, hope things have been good with you. Victor, np thanks. Jed, Dan's just upset cause he knows l'd live-line brookie under a slip float, if I could