Near-sighted Pike?

[Boulton90]

I have been fishing in an area with heavy weed cover and slop using a floating , weedless rubber frog. After some time I will start to have a Pike(s?) hit the lure but not "take" it. They seem to almost miss it. There will be a big splash but nothing on the line and the frog bobs around. A couple of times the frog has gone down but with the weeds it is not long before I know the frog is just burried in weeds. This big splash will happen 5,6 or even 7 times until I get frustrated and leave or it (they) get board. I have yet to land one in this area. I have seen the "tiger striped" side of the pike but not gotten a great look.

 

Any suggestions? Do Pike play with their food? Or have I found a pike that needs glasses?

Edited August 24, 2010 by Boulton90

[mercman]

Pike will play with your bait. It's not uncommon for a big Pike to hit and let go several times before the bait is taken. With this in mind you have to show some patience. If you get a big pike on and then lose him, just wait a little while and he will hit again. Their appetites are so ferocious that they forget quickly and start to feed again. There are many reports by fisherman of catching the same pike over again.

 

taken from

http://www.twin-lakes-air.com/pike.htm

[OhioFisherman]

Fishing with frogs or other surface lures in the slop can be frustrating at times. Wait until you feel the weight of the fish on the line to set the hook. Gar pike also will hang out in the slop, the shape of them is similar to a pike, and they will slap at lures mistaking them for prey, they are even harder to get a hook set in.

[Boulton90]

Pike will play with your bait. It's not uncommon for a big Pike to hit and let go several times before the bait is taken. With this in mind you have to show some patience. If you get a big pike on and then lose him, just wait a little while and he will hit again. Their appetites are so ferocious that they forget quickly and start to feed again. There are many reports by fisherman of catching the same pike over again.

 

taken from

http://www.twin-lakes-air.com/pike.htm

 

 

Thanks. I'm still relatively new to fishing. Any suggestions as to a lure to use. With all the weeds I figure top water weedless would be the only way to go. The water is very stained (tea coloured) so the frog has a small rattle in it. What about colours?

Edited August 24, 2010 by Boulton90

[12 Volt Man]

pike are pretty famous for short striking. what I used to do was add a trailer hook to spinner baits and top waters while fishing with them.

 

take a peice of plastic tubing, put it over the eye of a trailer hook, and then place this through the barb of one of the main hooks on your frog.

 

you have just added a trailer hook. should help with the strike to catch ratio.

[mercman]

Thanks. I'm still relatively new to fishing. Any suggestions as to a lure to use. With all the weeds I figure top water weedless would be the only way to go. The water is very stained (tea coloured) so the frog has a small rattle in it. What about colours?

 

well in my area, Montreal on the St Lawrence river, the Rapala DT 1 foot ,chartreuse/lime green fished like a surface chugger makes em wild !!! caught a 5 LBer last week using it.