Pike question… Young and old together?

[Raycaster]

Up on Balsam I came across a location that I have been crushing the pike. The location features 6-9 fow with heavy weeds and Looks ideal for pike.

So after 3 days I have totalled over 20 pike (around 8 hrs total) in the hot location BUT they are ALL under 18”. I have yet to catch anything worth filleting.

My question is…. Have I just been extremely unlucky or is this a typical situation that young separate from older (bigger) pike? Or is it simply the fact that the younger are easier to catch?
 

Thx ahead..

 

 

[kickingfrog]

Not sure what the pike situation on Balsam is specifically but, generally yes.  The bigger pike get the more they will seek out cooler water in the summer while smaller pike will hang out shallower. Also since big pike will eat small pike they tend to not want to hang out with the big boys and girls.

Edited August 6, 2021 by kickingfrog
friggin' auto in-correct

[DanD]

What we found on Mountain lake (Elk Lake area) was trolling the weed beds and pencil sticks, in the 6- 8 FOW, We were always getting good numbers of small pipe. We then went out to the 20-25 FOW: drifting and casting into the weed beds and started hitting bigger fish. A lot more work then trolling but well worth the time.

Can't get up there again this year; but fingers crossed for next.

Dan.

[Rizzo]

Like the others say...during warm water times like this the big pike will be in cooler water, usually not in shallow weeds. In some lakes there just aren't any big pike to be found...but this is not the case in Balsam. We have caught 40 inchers there. Just have to find them. Keep in mind a bigger fish might be more interested in a bigger meal. We caught our pike on musky lures.

[BillM]

Small males will always stay shallow for the most part.  The big females will be off the edges.   They like cooler water temps then muskie do, so think deep. 

[Garnet]

18 is Very small on Balsam. 26 seems to be the avg pike have caught 12 lb pike.

[Raycaster]

I agree on the sizes as this is the first year bringing in the “babies”. South Bay has been a bust so far so West Bay tomorrow and then the provincial park area.

 

On another note, didn’t take a picture but one of the pike had the “black dot parasites”. Looked like a healthy young 16” pike and the black dots looked natural. Looked it up and its a common parasite problem that doesn’t seem to affect the fish. I was just about to toss back in when the dots caught my eye. They look so natural and kinda blend into the pattern.