Quickstrike pike

[Riparian]

I headed out to find some pike on a small pond near my place today. I arrived around 2pm, and only fished for around 2 hrs. The snow was about a foot and a half deep and there was no walking paths so travel was difficult.

 

Ive never caught a pike on a tip-up before, but I have tried a few times with no sucess. Today was the day i got my first one. I went to the deepest part of the pond, which was only about 6 ft deep and drilled my holes for my gear.

 

Set up my tipup with a quickstrike rig my friend gave me (thanks Beats)

 

 

 

 

I set up my sonar and my jigging hole about 15 ft from the tip up, and tried to catch some small fish that were showing up on the graph. I assume they were tiny perch. I was bouncing a lindy jig tipped with some berkley maggots but even that seemed to big for them as they would only knock it around down there.

 

So the windchill is about -25 so im sitting in my portable out of the wind. About an hour goes by and Ive totally forgotten about the tipup, which is what usually happens. Suddenly I hear this sound,

 

Ticktickticktick.

 

My first instict was "what the hell was that" and I start looking out the windows of the hut. Suddenly I remember the tip up and I run over to it to find this fella on the end of the line.

 

 

 

Strange feeling bringing in a big pike hand over hand. I love this method of fishing, but it takes great patience. Once he was out he stiffened up immediatly since it was so cold, it would have been nice to have a buddy to help get him unhooked. I did it though after not too much time, and he was released to be caught another day.

Edited January 15, 2009 by Riparian

[Beats]

Nice fish. A real fatty. Must have taken up a good chunk of that hole.

[douG]

That was a nice pike, must have been a tussle. Thanks.

[BassAsin]

thanks for the report! nice fish good and healthy lookin! sluch? or just from you drilling the holes?

[cityfisher]

nice pike! ... next time pick up a jaw spreader to make the unhooking alot easier, great tool!

[Rizzo]

nice looking pike for a pond with max 6 foot depths. I've got a similar one near my house and the pike are absolutely tiny

[Riparian]

thanks for the report! nice fish good and healthy lookin! sluch? or just from you drilling the holes?

 

There was alot of slush. The ice was about 8 inches thick but there was well over a foot of snow on it. When I drilled the holes water rushed up from it a little bit. I assume its from the weight of the snow on the ice.

[Riparian]

nice pike! ... next time pick up a jaw spreader to make the unhooking alot easier, great tool!

 

Ive been meaning to get one of those...

[MCTFisher9120]

Very nice pike for sure!

 

Thanks for the report

[BassAsin]

Ive been meaning to get one of those...

get 2 one pair always seems to get left behind or at a buddies shack or on the last lakes shoreline! hahah

[Ramble]

Nice fish for sure. Handlining pike is always a good time. Last summer handlining for walleye i got a 37 incher to the cradel by hand. That is a great pike for a small lake like that. I love forgetting about he setline, then having it go off, always good for a rush as you scramble for it lol.

 

-R-

[joonmoon]

Gotta luv it when the tip-up tips down and away you go. Handlining can be fun but I prefer the mini rod and reel. Way better control, good for you nice fish for sure.

[Zubris21]

Nice fat fish! Sounds like you had a good time out there!