rbaquial Posted January 29, 2009 Report Share Posted January 29, 2009 (edited) I've been doing SO MUCH RESEARCH/STUDYING on the HABITATS/BEHAVIORS on these species that I'm pretty confident in actually catching one this season! I HOPE I've already bought ALL THE EQUIPMENT and LURES I need to catch these, but what I'm finding is... because I primarily fish from shore... my best time to catch these fish is after ICE-OUT... 2 questions... 1) Has anyone on here NOT CAUGHT a PIKE/MUSKY before? and... 2) Are there other times of year that I can catch these types of fish... but FROM SHORE? (keeping in mind, I only know a select few places that go pretty deep after a cast is made in and around their habitat) Grrrrrrrrrrr..... this is driving me insane, knowing I've spent all this money... only to find out I have a "short-window" of opportunity to catch one! Edited January 29, 2009 by Addikted2Fishin' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marc Thorpe Posted January 29, 2009 Report Share Posted January 29, 2009 Ya man I know the feeling,only catch about 6 a year If there one thing I can offer to you Dont over think,dont anticipate or expect Big Evil will show up when you least expect it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigugli Posted January 29, 2009 Report Share Posted January 29, 2009 You're trying too hard. When you toss spinners for bass, you're fishing for pike. Jig for walleye, you're fishing for pike. Dangle pinner minnows for perch, you'll get pike. There are pike specific lures and tactics, but with pike, everything is a pike lure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
outllaw Posted January 29, 2009 Report Share Posted January 29, 2009 remember fish where theres fish. lots of water does not hold the species you want. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OhioFisherman Posted January 29, 2009 Report Share Posted January 29, 2009 First plan should be to have fun, fish or no fish! Not many pike here in Ohio, mostly in Lake Erie tributaries and it seems only early in the season when the water is still cold (spawning areas). Seen pictures and reports from people getting them in the Toronto harbor area early season, you might try there? Nothing fancy to getting them here, we get the on basic bass tackle, small crank baits, spinner baits, just certain areas to expect them and certain areas not to. Just me, but if I am targeting them, steel leader time, just poor success landing pike or skis with out one. They are shallow early spring, caught them in 3 or feet of water near shore. Although I did most of my fishing from a boat an easy cast from shore. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tinbanger Posted January 29, 2009 Report Share Posted January 29, 2009 took me most of this year to get my first Muskie , as far as pike they seem to be hard not to catch at times. Try the water around Ontario place this spring ,see multiple posts each year of Pike caugt from shore . Pike fishing can certainly be a blast , we have a certain shallow bay we hit each spring , nothin better than a 30" plus fish in 12" water Now you got me thinking bout spring TB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drew_10 Posted January 29, 2009 Report Share Posted January 29, 2009 The 1 musky I have caught in my life was from shore. I was on a field course in Peterborough last September with my program and the group I was with was staying at a lodge on Lower Buckhorn Lake. Caught it off the dock on my 2nd or 3rd cast with half my class watching. It was just a little guy, maybe 30-32'', but man was I pumped! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ramble Posted January 29, 2009 Report Share Posted January 29, 2009 (edited) Pike arnt the most difficult fish to catch that's for sure. Your spots with the drop sound good as long is there is some weeds along it. Once the weeds are out give it a shot. Early season... creek mouths are the place to be. Gives you a chance to target the post spawners. Your next choice should be marina's early season. The water warms faster in protected harbours cut off from the main lake and they are pike magnets. Good luck and don't over think the problem too much. Keep casting. -Dave Edited January 29, 2009 by Ramble On Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tinbanger Posted January 29, 2009 Report Share Posted January 29, 2009 It was just a little guy, maybe 30-32'' So what would be a 'decent' fish ? LOL tb Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fisherman Posted January 29, 2009 Report Share Posted January 29, 2009 I caught the odd pike just by being in the right place/time, although not targeting them. As for musky, no, I have no interest in catching any, they stink, and I can just imagine what they taste like. If I'm going to catch it, I'm going to eat it and no, I'm not related to Darryl, but I like his fish fry batter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billy - Curtiss Posted January 29, 2009 Report Share Posted January 29, 2009 Much to my personal chagrin, I have yet to catch a musky. Hopefully that'll all change this season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest gbfisher Posted January 29, 2009 Report Share Posted January 29, 2009 Id say yer good all season from shore in the Kawarthas. Pike from shore as well...just NOT in the Kawarthas....lol Ya spent the cash on gear. Spend some on time getting out in a boat. Charter maybe?!?! I know that the guy who answered you first could help..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillM Posted January 29, 2009 Report Share Posted January 29, 2009 (edited) Ya man I know the feeling,only catch about 6 a year lol!!!! Marc, how many do your clients catch? :EDIT: Addicted2fishn, I had the same prob last year. It was my goal to actually get a muskie bigger then 12inches For opener I hit the French River, cast after cast without even a sniff. Spent 3 days chasing them, nothing but pike and a few monster smallmouth bass. I hit Balsam when the weather got warmer to try and get this skunk off my back. Seeing that the Kawartha's have a decent quantity of fish, I thought for sure I'd get into one. Well I picked the warmest, bluebird day you could ever imagine. Guess what? No fish, no sniffs, no nothing... Then one day I picked up some new blinge from Jose and was itching to try it out (Shimano Calais).. Hitting a few nice bass out on Gloucester Pool right before sunset.. The sun goes down and my dad and I continue to chuck away. I lob my Zara Spook Jr over a weed edge into about 15ft of water. The water absolutely explodes and I know exactly what I have on.. It wasn't a monster, maybe 36inches or so, but man did that ever get the blood pumping. I was as giddy as a schoolgirl when we finally got her into the net. A quick pic (horrible by the way, so fuzzy you can barely make out the fish) and back she went. I guess the point to my little story is that you'll get one when you least expect it, just keep at it!!! Edited January 29, 2009 by BillM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GBW Posted January 29, 2009 Report Share Posted January 29, 2009 I have 1 pike so far (wasn't fishing for pike either LOL). One thing you NEED to know while you "study" is this, the REG's Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TJQ Posted January 29, 2009 Report Share Posted January 29, 2009 Here's some great videos on how to do it!! <object width="500" height="405"><param name="movie" value=" name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src=" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="500" height="405"></embed></object> <object width="500" height="405"><param name="movie" value=" name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src=" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="500" height="405"></embed></object> <object width="500" height="405"><param name="movie" value=" name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src=" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="500" height="405"></embed></object> There!!! all you need to know!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TJQ Posted January 29, 2009 Report Share Posted January 29, 2009 Oh ya... and this one... my favorite... http://www.ontariofishingreels.com/duenorth/episode8.wmv Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarcusDiGiovanni Posted January 29, 2009 Report Share Posted January 29, 2009 hade one on last summer, apike that is, but he broke my leader shortly after I hooked him :| Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigugli Posted January 29, 2009 Report Share Posted January 29, 2009 Love the video clip of the little girl TJ. Is she the pride and joy you were just boasting about recently? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zubris21 Posted January 29, 2009 Report Share Posted January 29, 2009 (edited) If you are a bass fisherman you will catch a pike sooner or later! Pike generally like the same habitat, shallow weedy flats near a drop off. Find a weed patch and retrieve a spinner along the outside edge. Pike will often be waiting in ambush. Another good spot for pike is where the water body "bottle necks" they will wait on the lee side waiting for passing fish then come out and nail them. I've found the best place for this in harbours where the break walls open into open water. Difficulty is you need a boat or a deep pocket to take care of the tresspassing sign if you plan on going from shore. Seeing as you are from TO there will be many early season pike reports from the area in the spring. Use the search function and try to find some of them from last year. I think I remember quite a few people going out to the island, but exactly where I'm not sure. Edited January 29, 2009 by freshwaterfanatic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarcusDiGiovanni Posted January 29, 2009 Report Share Posted January 29, 2009 I wasted 3 days on the islands last yr O.o waste of life, no fish anywhere. Everycast gave me weeds on my line, like a bush of weeds...ok fine 1 rock bass yay! :| Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TJQ Posted January 29, 2009 Report Share Posted January 29, 2009 Love the video clip of the little girl TJ. Is she the pride and joy you were just boasting about recently? LOL.. thats her... check her out with this MUSKIE when she was 8.... http://www.ontariofishingreels.com/manotak...-jaden-1400.wmv Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
solopaddler Posted January 29, 2009 Report Share Posted January 29, 2009 Before I owned a boat I used to rent all the time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tdotfisherman Posted January 29, 2009 Report Share Posted January 29, 2009 Nothern Pike are a lot easier to catch than Musky.. You can catch Northerns anywhere in Ontario pretty much, and it doesn't take that much skill to get em'. Even in Lake Ontario they are generally easy to catch from shore.. Musky aren't nearly as abundant as Pike, and you need to specialize your gear to get them.. you need big rods, big lures, heavy line, and usually a boat. Oh yeah, don't forget you need a lot of time on the water to get them, especially in big water.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TJQ Posted January 29, 2009 Report Share Posted January 29, 2009 You can catch Northerns anywhere in Ontario pretty much, and it doesn't take that much skill to get em'. Even Thats the truth... thats why they are my favorite! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillM Posted January 29, 2009 Report Share Posted January 29, 2009 Before I owned a boat I used to rent all the time. Mike, I think we'll need to make a few trips this year to GB in search of some Esox. I'll steal the oldmans boat How does Massassauga sound? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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