Targeting pike in warm summer water

[floater]

I got tired of losing salmon tackle so decided to head up to the Moon River area. I hit the usual spots in Arnolds and Woods Bay as well as Blackstone l with no luck. Water was 76 degrees everywhere. I tried fishing the deeper drops around 25 to 30 feet down and no luck. I trolled deep diving baits as well as jigged and cast to shore. Is there anything else I can try to get some Pike to bite in such warm water?

[FishFinder17]

Find shallower (4-8ft) weed beds with steep drop-offs (20-40ft) nearby. I typically cast into the edges of the weed beds and retrieve over the drop-off.

 

The lake I fish has warmed up to 76 also and since it has everything I have caught has been in close proximity to a big drop in depth. It's my understanding that pike prefer water close to 65 so they won't be in those shallower areas where it is 76+

 

I typically throw bigger buck tail spinners and have had an amazing luck this year with an ERC Jig-A-Beast (google it) and the larger Rapala jointed X-Rap. 15 pike since opener with the largest being 11lb and 37.5"

 

Hope this helps.

[Old Ironmaker]

I would do what you are doing really. I typed the text below before I read FishFinder 17's post to see if we would post basically the same thing and we did. Like FF17 said find a point that has a deep drop off especially close to a feeder creek or bay. They will be stacked up all along that drop off during the hotter times of the day then they will move into shallower water as the temps drop. Work the entire water column with spinner baits, big jigs with trailing rubber and crank baits.

 

The fish might just not be hungry and unless you snag one they aren't going to be hooked. Especially in the Dog Days of summer.

[Headhunter]

The fastest way I know of to hook a big Pike is to tie a jig on my 6lb line and jig for pickereyes!

HH

[PUMP KNOWS]

I've only been catch tiny pike this summer.

[BITEME]

The fastest way I know of to hook a big Pike is to tie a jig on my 6lb line and jig for pickereyes!

HH

 

hahahahaha aint that the truth!!!!!!!!!!!

[manitoubass2]

Sand. Mid day when its the hottest.

 

Right on the shore

 

Reaction baits

Edited July 27, 2016 by manitoubass2

[Raf]

big pike have a lot more in common with lake trout than they do little pike. that's not to say you will find them sitting belly to bottom in 100' and, a lot of it is body of water dependent, but in the summer they can be vary nomadic and out over deep water for good portions of the time. trolling is definately the most efficient way to cover water focusing on humps and deep weeds.

 

they will come in to feed at times and this is when you can intercept them casting; key on weed/rock mid lake shoals and points with deep water nearby.

 

where you were fishing, i'd suggest heading 'out' towards the bay if you are after big pike at the height of summer and use similar tactics the muskie anglers do.

Edited July 27, 2016 by Raf

[floater]

Great tips guys. Heading back the second week of august for another try.

[JoshS]

I used to fish for pike mid summer sometimes. The big fish definitely go deep and nomadic. It's nothing like fishing early season. You can notice the big fish transition from shallow in the spring, to the 10ft range weedbeds and edges when water is 60-65, to deep when water exceeds 65. I used to troll baits that got down to the 20-25ft range in the summer. Big cranks that look like cisco did ok for me. Cisco was the main forage on the lake I fished for summer pike. My best baits were the Rapala magnum 18, silvercreek magnum deep diver, Storm had a bait similar to these that I can't remember the name of that pike liked as well. Match the bait in the lake you fish and troll structure in the 20ft range.

 

Late or early in the day, the big fish can be castable. Big swimbaits work well. Try good looking edges that fish can sit out from in deep water. This pattern gets better cool evenings and mornings late summer and into fall.

 

Summer pike is tough fishing for the bigger fish. Look for areas with a lot of bait and troll.

[floater]

Thanks guys. Great info.

[Big Cliff]

I use to fish pike a lot when I lived in French River. Most of the lakes I fished were shallow so they warmed up quickly one of the most productive ways I found was to troll just off weed lines and keep your lure shallow and in the prop wash (if you couldn't see your lure flashing you were too deep. Williams gold/silver was my go to choice and many times I fished with other guys that were fishing deeper, I was pounding fish they were only getting the odd one. The other thing I would sometimes do is back up to a weed line, then blast off about 30 yards, stop and cast back into the prop wash. Pisses off the big pike and they smash anything they see for the next couple of minutes.

[GbayGiant]

In certain areas on the Bay you can catch Lake Trout, Pickerel, Pike, Chinook and Rainbows while rigging, all summer long.

Edited August 2, 2016 by GbayGiant

[Gnote]

Gettin them consistently in the summer can be tricky but it can be done, during the day the best way to have a shot is trolling deep, ive trolled up to and past 40-50 fow for them. They do roam around so i try identify any cold water area that would hold forage for them, drop offs, islands, humps, shoals etc... Pike will hang out in the cool water but have no issue running into the bath to grab a meal and head back to the shade to digest. If i have a couple guys out ill run my baits at staggered depths in the water column to cover as much as possible.

In the morning and the evening they will come back up shallow to prey on easy meals, big topwaters and stop and go jerkbaits or anything that makes a bit of fuss will usually get their attention. About a month ago out of penetang while muskie fishing my partner had a huge pike smash a bulldawg beside the boat as he was just pulling it out if the water, this was right on the shallow side of the drop off as the sun was going down. They will be in the same areas just set up in a different spot.

Honestly, it never hurts to set up a big sucker and let it go for a swim, if you are patient you will see a big pike inhale that sooner or later.

Good luck!