Pike in a shallow lake...

[Stoty]

Hey everyone,

 

My buddy and I are going on a camping trip next weekend to a lake that is (for the most part) pretty shallow.

There is a small section in the lake that dips to 30ish feet. The rest of the lake is pretty shallow (1-12 feet).

 

Seeing as the weather looks to be climbing and staying high until next week, will this push the pike deeper, or will they stay in the shallower bays full of weeds?

 

I am a bass fisherman, but would love to get a 15 lb+ pike.

I know they typically have the same habits as bass, but just wanted to throw this question out to those of you who target Pike a lot.

 

As for equipment, I have pretty much everything from ultra-light to heavy action.

 

Any tips/techniques would be very helpful!

 

Thanks very much!!

[lunkerbasshunter]

In my experience with new lakes I always start casting to shore. Then work my way deeper if I am not catching anything or if i am only catching small fish. (although this theory didnt work for me recently) it normally is a good start.

 

I would also try to troll, i tend to catch more pike trolling then anything else. Troll spoons red and white daredevils are a good way to cover lots of water and maybe find where the fish are holding.

 

Good luck!

 

Cheers!

[bbog]

Hi Stoty, your description of the lake you are going to matches that of my favourite Parry

Sound retreat. I'm also looking for the big Pike on this lake and have found trolling to be the best producer when looking for Pike.

 

I should say that the Pike last weekend were not in their usual spots (for this lake). I have to imagine they have moved to cooler locations (surface temp was 76 degrees).

 

I'll certainly be watching this thread with interest.

[misfish]

Hell ,Terry pulled one out of a under cut in one foot of water.You fishing the river too.LOL

 

Guess you just never know where they might be.I would cast spinner baits and troll some of the drop off edges.

[mepps]

I always start shallow. Using spinnerbaits is a great way to cover water quickly. Look for weedbeds, and fish right over top of them if you can, otherwise fish along side them. Dont be afrad to fish super shallow, but be prepared to move deep if you dont move any fish. Trolling spoons and heavy spinners can be very effective.

[Stoty]

Thanks for the tips everyone. I appreciate the help!

I have been to this lake twice before, and both times have been totally different for pike.

Mind you, we target bass primarily, but we both want to get a nice sized pike!

 

The first time I went to the lake, all the pike were shallow, got them on topwater and spinnerbaits.

The second time (last august), we only caught 1 pike the whole day and that was on the way back to the launch trolling the 30 ft hole.

 

So, I guess I will take everyone's advice at one point or another. I am going to start off shallow, then work my way deep if that is not producing. We will most likely target bass in the morning and evening, and pike during mid day, so I am assuming that we are going to work to deeper weedegdes, andthen head out to the 30ft range trolling.

 

Thanks again for all the help!

[Greencoachdog]

I would try, from the shallowest to the deepest part of the lake near sparse to heavy weed cover near boulders to rocks to gravel to sand to silt bottom.

 

Hope this helps!

[Crazyhook]

caught about 25 2 weekeneds ago in a similar lake, fished in the deeper water for the pike with Xraps, big O's and other minnow baits with great success

[danbo]

They usually hug bottom on the deeper weedlines or rock points. Try jig/minnow hopped on bottom or rip the weedlines.

[Kev]

I've been fishing the west end of Nipissing this year which of has an average depth 8-9 feet, and we've had alot of success trolling weedy bays with spinnerbaits (pritty much the only thing that gets through the thick weed). Lots of 5-7 pound fish. But if your goal is a 15+ pound fish then you might have a better chance in the deeper part of the lake.

[LesCulpJr]

Not the best time of year to be looking for large pike, you mayy have to wait a couple months for the water to cool.

Pike are ambush predators, more so the bigger ones so fishing edges will be your best bet for fish.

this time of year you'll find lots of pike up to 5lbs or so in these locations.

 

Any large pike in the lake you describe will only be in the deepest areas and may actually have to move a little shallower to feed but will go right back down again. Fish over 10lbs are notoriously hard to catch this time of year.

 

Should you catch a big one be quick to let er go as nothing will kill a pike quicker than stress brought on by warm water.

 

good luck

[Stoty]

I will keep that in mind!

Thanks!

 

Dragging tubes and such might not be a bad idea either. Caught a few nice smallies in the deeper water last year, then hit a few pike in the same spots.

 

I really want at least a 10lb pike.

Right now, my biggest bass (8lbs) is about 3 lbs heavier than my biggest pike! haha

hopefully next weekend will change that!

[camillj]

One of my favourite 'scouting' techniques in shallow water is with a weedless Johnson Silver minnow and a double mister twister (yellow) grub ... cast it into all the slop and right up to shore ... fast retrieve ... and hang on for the steam train attack .... let me know if this works for you too ... btw ... watch for follows and be ready to toss a spinner bait back at em with a slower retrieve

[Stoty]

ahh, good idea!

I will have to give that a try.