BIG PIKE

[wildminnow]

Is a large bait the best way to catch a big Pike?

[Uncle Buck]

typically bigger baits catch bigger fish...

 

but it all depends...

[ccmtcanada]

Yeah...what Uncle Buck said...

 

If fish are actively and agressively feeding then I find that bigger baits mean bigger fish.

 

If fish are suspended and need enticing, then smaller may be the way to go.

 

One thing to consider...I've found that if you fish with smaller bait, you can catch both big and smaller fish. Fish with only large bait, and you'll tend to get bigger ones and fewer smaller. So it can be a balance between number of fish caught and size.

Edited May 16, 2007 by ccmtcanada

[LipDip]

A 24 inch pike won't hesitate to smack a thirteen inch minnowbait, fifteen inch bucktail or baits even larger. 38 incher two weeks ago ate a five inch bass lure, 43"er last fall took a little ten inch crankbait. They're opportunistic, best bait's the one that you like using and the one that winds up in the right place at the right time. Nine inch Suicks, 1 1/8 ounce JSM's and quarter ounce jig+twisters are really tiny lures compared to what pike are capable of eating and the size of some of their preferred feed. Watch the fish that come out of NW ONT on those three lures in the next 10 to 14 days from board members fishing up that way. Hooking %age is a major draw back I've always seen with huge baits, dead, live or artificial. And lots of suspended pike are eating stuff that weighs over a pound lots of the time, big baits, medium baits, small baits, put it down main street and they might crack it. Lots of huge, huge fish right now are on smelts five to seven inches in length. If it can be put into the zone where they're at, I think they're a lot less picky about colour, profile or size than we like to think they are. Huge fish taken every season on baits big and tiny. 3.5" twister or spinner rig will catch as many big fish right now as anything on a lot of water. Give 'em hell.

[douG]

Attaboy, DipLip. Missed you around these parts the last while, and we are better for your posts. WB.

[ch312]

one of the biggest pike i ever caught was on a little beetle jig with a hairpin spinner. i think it was a 1/16th oz jighead with a 1" pink plastic. but then ive also caught little 20" pike that thought an 8" sucker would be a nice snack....

[Rich Clemens]

My two best pike ... one was caught on a 1 oz. spinner-bait and the other on a Shallow Invader. I used to troll on the Rideau River system for pike with 1 oz. Cyclops and had some good luck. However the areas I fish on the Rideau are not know for large pike ... doing well to get one in the upper 20 / low 30 inch range. So I would say tha the shallow invader was the largest lure I ever caught a pike on.

[rickster]

Wife caught a 44" muskie while drift fishing with a 1/4oz jig and minnow about five years ago on opening weekend of walleye season

[Bob]

My PB pike @ 43" came from the North Channel while trolling a 5" floating rapala. You never know....

[bassmaster4]

i caught a 20' pike on a red and white spinner bait with colorado blades

Edited May 16, 2007 by bassmaster4

[gussser]

P best 54" & 50" both caught last year on red & white daredevil spoon with 4" pork rind . Muskey seem to prefer larger baits also. Gussser

[FinS]

the way i see its like whatever your heart desires to toss them that day

let it be either a 1/4 oz jig n twister or a j18 rapala whatever u feel like tossing eventually u will get em

all i do is meditate and they come to me lol

[Greencoachdog]

The best way to catch big Pike is to fish where big Pike are!!!

[mepps]

my biggest pike is from a #5 Mepps Black Fury

[douG]

i caught a 20' pike on a red and white spinner bait with colorado blades

 

 

Now a 20 ft pike is large, fer sure, colorado blades er not.

Edited May 16, 2007 by douG

[bassmaster4]

i meant inches srry LOL

[Dano]

I have found that it also depends on the time of season. I generally do better with smaller baits in the spring due to the fact that :

 

a) I am more confident with them

 

The predators are keying in on the young of the year hatch, and spawning shiners, etc.

 

However, as most here have said, it all depends. After a while you get a pretty good idea of what to use at what time. As long as you're throwing something at them, you've got a chance.

[darsky]

Ahhh-Diplip is only trying to get his post count up.

[Muskieman]

usually in the spring smaller 3/8 oz spinnerbaits work well..add a trailer they bite short

.. 5/8 oz little cleos work well in spring too.

larger 1/2- 3/4 oz spinnerbaits with a trailer.. and a twister for good measure.. in a red/wite colorado

or a darker color work well for bigger fish.

but remember a big one over 30" is usually a female ....10-20 :1 ratio for the males.

so fishing will be slower.

try a X-Rap..it's been working pretty good for me.

williams wabbler is a good spoon for all sizes of pike { fire tiger } is my preferred color

it's a light lure and can stay above the weeds, and rarely twists your line while trolling attached to the right leader or swivel if you're brave enough!

or even a minnow on a 3/0 hook suspended under a bobber [ if you're lazy] works pretty good in the shallower areas,seems to produce above average sizes.

i use these techs. for musky... i just downsize a bit for pike ... works well.

 

 

 

GOOD LUCK!

 

Randy

[Whopper]

The best way to catch big Pike is to fish where big Pike are!!!

 

I'll get back to ya on this one

 

Out to prove LipDip's theory

 

Whopper

[Raf]

The best way to catch big Pike is to fish where big Pike are!!!

 

There's a lot of truth to that. As the season progresses into the summer, you will generally not find large pike in the same areas as the small guys. You have to fish for them. They are almost like two different species with different preferences.

[Bob Apple]

Minnow, I say go big or go home!