Pike winter thoughts

[bassguytom]

Can you catch Pike on topwater? I have never really targeted them with top water. I'm guessing just use bigger top water lures. Any info. Would be appreciated.

[RoLo]

 

"Can You Catch Pike On Topwaters?"

You certainly can, and during the right season, pike are more enthusiastic about topwaters than bass.

One pike that stands out in my mind, raced toward my topwater, missed the lure completely,

went head-over-teakettle & wound up facing in the direction he came. I felt embarrassed for that pike

 

Roger

[Scott F]

I learned how to walk the dog with a Zara Spook fishing for pike. Be warned, little pike tend to miss the bait sometimes. As RoLo said above, they'll come flying out of the water chasing your bait. I've had some miss the bait so badly, they cut my line above the steel leader I was using.  When a big pike hits your topwater, they seldom miss. It can look like a bowling ball landed they make such a huge splash. 

[J Francho]

Some of my biggest pike have come on "standard" bass topwaters.  Zara Spooks come to mind.  Pike season is closed up here during the spawn (ice out through May 1st), so I can only comment on early spring pike.  Top waters are indeed effective by then, and continue to be through fall.  Other baits that work well are suspending or sinking (countdowns) jerk baits, spinnerbaits, even crankbaits.  I target pike in a particular creek near my house, and I would call what I do "finesse pike fishing," using typical bass lures and tackle.  Kayak is the only way into these spots.

 

 

[3dees]

I have caught many pike with topwater lures over the years while fishing for bass. pike will hit any lure you can throw. I have seen pike take baby ducks swimming in shallow water. I have caught pike with another pike sticking out of their mouths. they fear nothing except for maybe a bigger pike.

[12poundbass]

1 hour ago, 3dees said:

I have caught many pike with topwater lures over the years while fishing for bass. pike will hit any lure you can throw. I have seen pike take baby ducks swimming in shallow water. I have caught pike with another pike sticking out of their mouths. they fear nothing except for maybe a bigger pike.

This is why the have the nickname the "water wolf" they fear nothing and will go after anything!

[J Francho]

It's not that they're afraid or lack fear...they're just stupid.  Really stupid, and miserable, lol.

I love them though!

[UPSmallie]

Definitely can catch pike on topwaters like everyone has said.  I've had my best pike topwater action shortly after the spawn.  Coming out of the spawn the pike are still aggressive and are looking to bulk up since they will be hungry.  Rattling topwater lures or anything with enough commotion will make them destroy your topwater presentations during this time.  Caught my PB  in my Avatar at 32 inches on a Heddon One Knocker Spook in Bone during the exact time-frame mentioned.  Steamrolled the lure so hard that you can see the bite marks where he hit.  Thankfully, he decided to take a chomp right where the treble hook was.

[soflabasser]

7 hours ago, 3dees said:

I have caught many pike with topwater lures over the years while fishing for bass. pike will hit any lure you can throw. I have seen pike take baby ducks swimming in shallow water. I have caught pike with another pike sticking out of their mouths. they fear nothing except for maybe a bigger pike.

 

Have you caught Muskies on topwater lures?These fish are a blast to catch.They remind me of the barracudas we have down here and both fish share similar attributes when it comes to how they hunt their prey.

[gim]

You can catch pike on anything.  I have in fact tried using a white shoe and they have attacked it.

[soflabasser]

The northern pike are a relatively easy fish to catch according to what most people say.Muskies are not so easy though and these fish provide a much better challenge.

[3dees]

people think that muskies are harder to catch. they are not. it's just that there are not as many in a given lake. harder to find so more casting and less catching. my cousin and I would go to Boulder Junction and fish with Joe Bucher. he knows many lakes that are filled with pike' but none that have loads of muskies, and lakes will have good muskie fishing or good pike, but not both.

[soflabasser]

Yes there is less muskies than there is northern pike that's for sure.Muskies are indeed more difficult to catch and I know of guys from up north that haven't caught a muskie(especially one that is +40" ) but have caught plenty of northern pike.Muskies might not be as difficult to catch as a permit from land,but they are not easy either.Both muskie and pike are fun to catch and I personally would be spending less time on bass and more time muskie fishing if I lived up north.

[A-Jay]

Although I occasionally target them, we'll get our fair share of Pike & Muskie here too.

Topwater presentations do take them but for me represent only a small percentage of the baits they hit.

A-Jay

 

[gim]

Pike are junk. I sometimes catch 40 on accident in a few hours targeting bass. Muskie ARE A LOT harder to catch. You ain't gonna land 40 muskies on accident, ever.

[Dwight Hottle]

3 hours ago, gimruis said:

Pike are junk. I sometimes catch 40 on accident in a few hours targeting bass. Muskie ARE A LOT harder to catch. You ain't gonna land 40 muskies on accident, ever.

 

 

Big pike are not junk but they are rare. I have caught over a 100 pike in a day of fishing in a good location. Musky are more rare yes. But a good day on St Clair can produce 12 to 20 skis for a trolling boat. 

 

 

[doublest]

While I agree that pike can be a nuisance; by the same token, they can also be a circus to catch. 25 years ago, my brothers and I were on an outing just a few KM NE of Kenora Ontario. One afternoon, one of my brothers and I were fishing in a weed and lily pad clogged bay. We could only maneuver  buzz baits through the pads in search of smallies. All of a sudden we started getting blow ups by 5 to 10 pound northerns on almost every cast. We caught several before finally we lost every buzz bait we had to blowups. We drove into Kenora and picked up a new supply and returned to the same bay and resumed where we left off. We went thru our new supply as well(weren't smart enough to try wire). Went back to Kenora and all the store had left in the way of buzzers was a couple of the old original Shoestring Dubois Tornadoes or whatever he called them. We never could figure out how to rig them to imitate a buzz bait. (Still have one and still don't know how to rig it). That was the end of a really fun day on the lake.