How would you fish this?

[skdds]

Hi Guys,

 

General question: How would you approach this structure/weeds to target pike? What type of lures would you try first and how would you fish them?

 

Almost all pike I have caught on most trips were incidental but I would like to better target them. The water in the photo is about 10 feet deep and pretty typical of most lakes I fish-muskokas, GB etc. I took it yesterday at the south end of Cooks bay where I was bass fishing and tried for some pike. It looks like great pike water and apparently does produce- though probably better in the spring /fall when water temps come down. I may head back there in the future to re-try. Please school me!

 

Thanks!

Skdds

[kickingfrog]

Johnson weedless minnow tipped with a plastic grub, or some other such trailer.

 

A large plastic minnow with a weedless hook, or texas rigged.

 

Any pike spoon can be made more weedless by using a single hook and a plastic trailer rigged so that the hook point is covered.

 

Spinner baits can work as well.

[misfish]

 

 

Spinner baits can work as well.

 

 

Yup. Boil/burn them through that stuff. Even try letting the spinner drop and rip it through the weeds.

[BillM]

Spinnerbaits for sure. Really good at not hanging up in the weeds and should go through that stuff without issue (It's not to dense)... Plus you can fish them nice and fast, cover water and figure out where the fish are. I'd guess in that kind of cover you'd find one here and there, not a real concentration anywhere being so sparse.

[davey buoy]

Had good luck trolling in that type of water with large Cyclops tiger spoons.They do not get hung up to much,and the results are impressive!

[OhioFisherman]

August? I might be looking for a bit deep water or edges of a flat with deeper water at the end of the edges. in the evening bigger pike might move into feed before dark.

 

It doesn't look like bad water to fish a jig and pig for pike, especially a perch patterned hair jig with a pork or plastic frog trailer.

 

You might also try a swim bait.

[skdds]

Regarding the spinnerbaits....how heavy a spinnerbait should I aim for?-skdds

[misfish]

Regarding the spinnerbaits....how heavy a spinnerbait should I aim for?-skdds

 

 

Myself,I would go 1/2 oz. I can really burn that bait then let it drop and rip it. or I can slow roll retrieve it and get down.. Pike like to ambush. I had one that I didnt even see, til it came thrusting out of a layer of weeds. It missed the bait and went back into hiding. Was cool to see.

[spincast]

Aglia #5. Various retrieves and speeds, aiming for the edges and holes or burning across the top at dawn and dusk. 4 inch spoons, perch pattern, or red and white; ditto, also jigging. Jawbreaker weedless, and Rapala weedless spoon in frog and perch patterns, both with pause retrieve, letting flutter down random periods.

Edited August 4, 2014 by spincast

[skdds]

Thanks! I'll check these out and see what happens.

[mike rousseau]

Spinnerbaits

 

Or

 

Large Soft plast minnow Texas rigged

 

Or

 

Get on top with a buzz bait.... Pike love buzz baits...

[wall i]

3/8 oz swimbait,hooked weedless on 50 lbs braid, high speed reel.

Edited August 5, 2014 by wall i

[Governator]

I was always a spinnerbait guy for weed fishing until I started giving spoons more love for chasing pike. The weedless Johnson Silver Minnow is made for this purpose, it bounces off the weeds and casts further than any lure I've chucked. I never really thought just a silver shiny spoon could be so effective.

[BassHunterOttawa]

I hate weeds.

I agree big time with spinnners.

But I'd personally try a frog. If you know pike are there, having them hit top-water is worth the extra effort imo.